Moist carrot cake muffin recipe! This easy one-bowl carrot cake muffin recipe takes just minutes to make – no mixer necessary.
Carrot cake muffins are super moist muffins that have all of the flavor of carrot cake. They’re nicely sweetened without crossing over into cupcake territory.
These muffins are really easy to make. They’re made all in one bowl, and there’s no need to use a mixer to make the muffins. In fact, I recommend mixing the muffin batter by hand to avoid overmixing the batter.
These muffins make a tasty spring or Easter breakfast!
“Made these , this is a fantastic recipe, will use it for my carrot cake as well, left out raisins as hubby isn’t a fan. Also stuffed them with cream cheese. Moist and flavorful recipe! Will definitely be making them again.” – Shari
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: Feel free to use salted or unsalted butter. If you prefer, you can use 1/4 cup of oil (like vegetable or melted coconut oil) in place of the melted butter.
- Egg and buttermilk: It’s important that the egg and buttermilk be at room temperature. Otherwise, they could cause the butter to re-solidify.
- Coconut: I like to use sweetened shredded coconut. If you like less sweet muffins, you can use unsweetened shredded coconut.
- Pecans: The pecans are optional. You can either omit them or replace them with additional raisins.
How to make carrot cake muffins
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients, and mix in just until combined. I recommend mixing by hand to help avoid overmixing.
Step 3: Add the shredded carrots, shredded coconut, raisins, and chopped nuts. Stir in just until combined.
Step 4: Divide the muffin batter between the muffin tins.
Step 5: Bake.
Recipe Tips!
- Freezing the muffins: The muffins can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Serving suggestions: Carrot cake muffins are great served as-is, or they can be spread with a little butter or cream cheese. Or you can spread them with honey cinnamon butter for a sweet treat.
Storage
These muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The muffins will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored.
More recipes that use carrots!
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Carrot Cake Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups grated carrots from about 4 medium carrots
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 14 muffin tin cups with paper liners or grease with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla until well-combined.1/3 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in just until combined. Don't overmix.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Stir in carrots, coconut, raisins, and pecans just until incorporated.1 ½ cups grated carrots, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, ¼ cup golden raisins, 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- Divide batter among muffin tins.
- Bake about 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Let cool in muffin tin for about 5-10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Butter: Feel free to use salted or unsalted butter. If you prefer, you can use 1/4 cup of oil (like vegetable or melted coconut oil) in place of the melted butter.
- Egg and buttermilk: It’s important that the egg and buttermilk be at room temperature. Otherwise, they could cause the butter to re-solidify.
- Coconut: I like to use sweetened shredded coconut. If you like less sweet muffins, you can use unsweetened shredded coconut.
- Pecans: The pecans are optional. You can either omit them or replace them with additional raisins.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published 4/9/2020. This post is regularly updated.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Sigrid says
Love to try all your recipes but just diagnosed celiac. Can
I substitute the flour in all your recipes? Just learning but would love to try out on your recipes. Thank you.
Kate says
Thank you! I’ve had good luck substituting measure-for-measure gluten free flour in baking recipes. I hope that helps you get started!
Shari says
Made these , this is a fantastic recipe, will use it for my carrot cake as well, left out raisins as hubby isn’t a fan. Also stuffed them with cream cheese. Moist and flavorful recipe! Will definitely be making them again.
Kate says
That sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing that!
Anna Marie Hernandez says
I made these tonight and they came out perfect. They will be great with coffee. I was afraid they might stick, but I followed instructions exactly and there was no problem. Am looking forward to trying some of your recipes. Thank you & happy new year!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that they turned out so well for you! Happy New Year to you, too!!
Elle says
Yummy recipe! Didn’t have shredded coconut on hand, but I am sure that would have been a great addition. Thanks for sharing!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked the muffins! Thanks for commenting! =)