Healthy Carrot Muffins – Chelsea’s Messy Apron

These Healthy Carrot Muffins are loaded to the brim with flavor while being made with good-for-you, nutritious ingredients. No dairy, no gluten, and no refined sugars! Additionally, these muffins are vegan and vegetarian.

Try some of our other nutritious treats like these Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins, Healthy Ice Cream (no bananas!), or Healthy Brownies!

Healthy Carrot Muffins

These are seriously the best healthy muffins ever! They are ridiculously flavorful, deeply spiced, and have a wonderfully moist texture. My three kids ate the entire batch in one day the first time I made them and begged for more.

We’ve gone through about eight bags of carrots the last few weeks making more of these muffins and I think it’s safe to say this recipe is going to get made a lot throughout the years!

Are Carrot Muffins Healthy?

While there are certainly different definitions of “healthy” that can differ from person to person, I would consider these to be very nutritious muffins.

For starters, these healthy carrot muffins use no refined sugar; instead, we’re using natural sugars derived from plant sources. Pure maple syrup comes from the sap of maple trees and dates are fruit from a type of palm. Foods with natural sugars (like fruits, milk, and cheese) are different from those with refined sugars. Refined sugar typically starts with sugar cane or sugar beets which are then processed to extract the sugar.

Next, instead of using any type of flour, we use plain old-fashioned oats as the base. We blend up the oats to form a similar consistency to flour. That’s followed by protein-packed eggs and coconut oil which is filled with fatty acids the body needs (and is linked to improving cognitive function, metabolism, hair and skin health (source)), health-promoting spices, and of course, loads of carrots! And if you want to really feel like you’re getting a ton of benefits, you’ve got to read this article which shares some of the ways carrots aid our bodies.

How To Make Healthy Carrot Muffins

You won’t believe how easy Healthy Carrot Muffins are to make! We literally add everything to a blender and blend it — no other bowls or mixing utensils required!

While quick and simple to make, you do need a good, powerful blender (think Blendtec® or Vitamix®) to break down the oats, dates, and carrots. If you don’t have a powerful blender, I’d recommend a powerful food processor;  just be sure to scrape down the sides often.

Let’s Chat Carrots

Use whole carrots and grate them yourself on the large holes of a grater.

Avoid packaged pre-shredded carrots; they are hard, dry, and far less flavorful. When you grate your own carrots you’ll notice how much more moisture the carrots have– which is a must for the recipe to properly work (we’re relying on that moisture!).

Use a grating attachment on a food processor to grate carrots quickly! And, after you’ve made these healthy moist muffins, use leftover carrots to prepare this Carrot Smoothie (it tastes like a milkshake!), Carrot Soup, or Carrot Cake Cupcakes.

Working With Dates

• Here are the exact dates I use for these Healthy Carrot Muffins. The softer and fresher the dates, the better these muffins work out!
• Soften dates if needed. Here’s a quick way to revive stale or hard dates. If the dates are too hard, they won’t blend up very well or integrate nicely into the muffins.
• Before blending, make sure to remove any pits from the dates to avoid damaging your blender.

Healthy Carrot Muffins Recipe Tips

• Ensure all ingredients are in fact gluten-free: While the ingredients in these muffins are naturally gluten-free, make sure to check all your ingredient labels to verify they weren’t processed in a facility with gluten.
• Scrape the sides of the blender often. Stop the blending and scrape down the edges of the blender with a spatula or table knife frequently. We want to ensure everything is getting blended in well.
• Generously grease the muffin tin. I don’t recommend muffin liners; the batter sticks to the liners.
• Measure the coconut oil when melted. Measure 1/2 cup of melted (not hardened) coconut oil and pour it over the dates. The oil will help the dates blend easier.
• Scrape everything out of the blender. The finished batter is very thick and quite sticky, so take your time scraping it all out into the muffin tins. For the best, high-rise muffins we need to use every bit of the batter!

QUICK TIP

Use a good nonstick muffin tin for easy muffin removal. I can’t say enough good things about this muffin pan; these Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins always come out perfectly!

Healthy Carrot Muffins

These Healthy Carrot Muffins are loaded to the brim with flavor while being made with good-for-you, nutritious ingredients. No dairy, no gluten, and no refined sugars!

Healthy Carrot Muffins

These Healthy Carrot Muffins are loaded to the brim with flavor while being made with good-for-you, nutritious ingredients. No dairy, no gluten, and no refined sugars!

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 7-8 whole fresh/soft Medjool dates (Note 1)
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil (measured when melted)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrots (Note 2)

Instructions

• PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease 12 cavities of a muffin pan with nonstick spray (muffin liners won’t work well).

• BLEND OATS: Add 2 leveled cups of oats to a large and powerful blender or food processor. Blend until the oats resemble flour — a fine powder, about 60-90 seconds. If needed, stir and continue blending to break up larger chunks of oats.

• BLEND OTHER INGREDIENTS: Remove the pits and coarsely chop up the dates. Measure to get 3/4 cup and then add into the blender on top of the oats. Pour the melted coconut oil on top of the dates. Blend for 60 seconds, stopping the blender to scrape down sides as needed. Add in all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the carrots. Blend until smooth, about 60-90 seconds. Finally, add in the grated carrots and stir through. Then blend once more, about 30 seconds or until broken down and integrated. (Continue to stop the blender and scrape down sides as needed.)

• FINISH BATTER: Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups — the batter should fill exactly 12 cavities about 3/4 the way full. The batter is thick and sticky (and hard to work with), but scrape every bit of batter out into the pan. Smooth the tops of the muffins with a clean finger.

• BAKE: Bake for 21-25 minutes or until no longer gooey/wet looking on top and the sides are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let stand in the pan for 3-4 minutes before gently removing (use the tines of a fork to gently coax out the muffins) and setting on a cooling rack to finish cooling.

• ENJOY: Enjoy muffins warm; they are even better on the second day! Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. Best enjoyed within 2-3 days. Freeze leftover muffins.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Medjool dates: Remove pits and coarsely chop before adding to the blender. Once chopped, you should get 3/4 cup (117g) of dates. Here are the exact dates I use; the softer and fresher the dates, the better these muffins work out! (Here’s a quick way to revive stale or hard dates if needed) If the dates are too hard, they won’t blend up very well or integrate nicely into the muffins.
Note 2: Carrots: Use whole carrots and grate them yourself on the large holes of a grater. Measure to ensure you have a full 2 cups. Avoid packaged pre-shredded carrots; they are hard, dry, and far less flavorful. When you grate your own carrots you’ll notice how much more moisture the carrots have which is a must for the recipe to properly work (we’re relying on that moisture!)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3.2g | Fat: 9.9g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 27.5mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 14.4g

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.