Kid-Requested Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins with Oats | Baby Foode

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Looking for a swoon-worthy carrot muffin that your kids will devour in seconds flat? Then, I’ve got you! These muffins have it all—moist (yes!), filled with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger (yes!), and drizzled with a spoon-licking cream cheese icing (yes!). They are sweetened with maple syrup, filled with a veggie (gold star for you), and are both kid and mom-approved!

I have been making these carrot cake muffins for years and have tested them many ways—with oats and without oats, with raisins and without raisins (a very controversial topic, I know), with the drizzle and without. After dozens of batches, this was our favorite version!

Light, fluffy, and bursting with flavor, just like a slice of carrot cake, these healthy carrot cake muffins are the perfect (naturally) sweetened treat that’s still wholesome enough to serve for breakfast.

Once made, my kids hover over the counter, waiting, not so patiently, for the muffins to cool enough for them to drizzle them with the most delicious cream cheese icing. They then quickly devour one or two muffins while sitting on the kitchen floor, with no cares in the world about how many crumbs or icing fingerprints they get on the floor/wall/dishwasher. I eat mine, along with a cold cup of coffee, while loading the dishes into the dishwasher and brushing up their crumbs. Mom life, am I right?!

The leftovers get packed into lunches or used as a quick breakfast on the go.

#mymomhack – make a double batch! Keep one for the week and then freeze the other batch (without the icing) to have on hand for those busy weekday mornings or for school lunches. You’ll thank me later;)

Ingredients

Ingredients spread out on a white marble kitchen counter for carrot muffins.

To the Kitchen, we go ->

White mixing bowl on kitchen counter with whisked dry ingredients.
You know the drill – whisk the dry ingredients together.
White mixing bowl on kitchen counter with wet ingredients and whisk resting inside.
In another bowl – whisk the wet ingredients (or if you have zero bandwidth, you can use one bowl)
White mixing bowl on my kitchen counter with whisked batter for carrot cake muffins.
Whisk the wet and dry ingredients. Don’t go crazy, just whisk until combined.
White mixing bowl on my kitchen counter with the batter all mixed together for carrot cake muffins.
Mix in the carrots, walnuts and raisins (optional).
Spoon into a muffin tin.
Bake until golden. Let cool slightly.
Hand holding a white spoon over a blue muffin tin full of carrot cake muffins. The hand is drizzeling cream cheese icing over the front muffin.
If adding the icing, which I highly recommend, drizzle on top.

Toppings

Make these tasty carrot cake muffins next level, by adding a topping, such as chopped pecans or golden raisins for even more flavor and texture. If you’ve got a kiddo who’s a little picky at home, feel free to skip the toppings, or add toppings to just half of the batch.

  • chopped walnut
  • chopped pecans
  • chocolate chips
  • white chocolate chips
  • sprinkles

Carrot Muffins

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, white whole wheat or a gluten-free flour mix
  • 1/2 cup quick oats (see notes)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (see notes)
  • 1/3 cup melted butter or oil – such as olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cups carrots – peeled and grated
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

Cream Cheese Drizzle – Optional

  • 1/4 cup full fat cream cheese
  • 2-3 tbsp pure maple syrup

Prevent your screen from going dark

  • Prep: Preheat the oven to 375° F. Spray or line a muffin tin.

  • Whisk: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger.

  • Stir: In a large mixing bowl, add in the maple syrup, butter/oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.

  • Combine: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.

  • Add Carrots: Gently fold in the shredded carrots, walnut pieces (if using), and raisins (if using).

  • Fill Muffin Tin: Scoop the batter into the muffin tin 3/4 of the way full.

  • Bake: Place the muffin tin into the oven, and bake for 18-20 minutes or until just golden brown.

  • Make Drizzle: Meanwhile, if using the cream cheese drizzle, place the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds until just warm. Add in the maple syrup and whisk until creamy and smooth. Set aside.

  • Eat: Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then drizzle with the cream cheese drizzle (optional). If the cream cheese drizzle is too thick, you can heat it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Serve and enjoy!

Age: 12+ months Note on Oats: if you prefer, you can omit the oats and add in 1/2 cup of flour instead.  How to Store & Freeze Once the muffins have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container. They will keep on the counter for up to 4 days and in the fridge for up to a week. To freeze the muffins, place the muffins into a freezer zip-lock baggie or stasher bag and place in the freezer. They will keep for up to 3 months frozen. Thaw frozen carrot cake muffins overnight in the fridge or by gently warming them in the microwave. Best Way to Grate Carrots: The best way to grate carrots for these carrot cake muffins is to use the finest grating side of a box grater. This is the easiest way to grate a small amount of carrots, in small pieces, which is perfect for baking. Plus, you won’t have to wash a lot of extra tools in the kitchen, compared to using a food processor.  

Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).


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