These gluten free carrot muffins make a great addition to any brunch menu, though especially one for Mother’s Day.
These lightly sweetened muffins are made with high fiber coconut flour. Don’t let all that healthy stuff scare you off though, they’re mighty tasty. And with yacon sweetening them, they’re not too sweet. If you want to replace the yacon with agave your muffin will be just a bit sweeter. I tried making them both ways and preferred the yacon version.
I would say that yacon compares to agave the way molasses compares to honey. Yacon and molasses have a more subtle, round flavor, whereas agave and honey have a sharp, sweet flavor.
Either way, these muffins are a healthy treat great for breakfast, snack or dessert.
Carrot Muffins
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup grapeseed oil
- ¼ cup yacon syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup carrots, grated
- ¼ cup currants
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon
- In a large bowl, blend together eggs, oil, yacon and vanilla
- Blend dry ingredients into wet, then fold in carrots and currants
- Grease a mini muffin tin with grapeseed oil
- Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of batter into each greased mini muffin cup
- Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes
- Cool and serve
Equipment
Just before we ate dinner last night, my boys were packing their lunches. Much to my surprise, my older one put 5 or 6 of these carrot mini-muffins in his lunch. He’s more of a brownie kind of guy and doesn’t usually go for my fruity (or in this case vegetable) type treats. When I told him I was so glad that he liked these new muffins, he responded that he did not.
He then explained that the boys in his class really like my baked goods and he trades them for fruit leather and candy at lunchtime. Whoopee. You can imagine how happy I was about this. Not. Overall, I would have to say that the children he trades with are getting the better end of the deal! At least my son is a good label reader and is hopefully not getting glutenized. Though that’s not really the point in this case.
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I want to take a moment and thank all of you for your comments. While I love what I do and get satisfaction from it day in and day out, it is great to hear from all of you. I so appreciate the contact and community. Your comments really are the icing on the cake!
Happy Mother’s Day everyone!
Sarah says
I made this into a cute little 6 inch cake (20-25 mins in the oven). I swapped in 1/2 blackstrap molasses (extra iron!) and 1/2 date syrup for the yacon + added ginger and turmeric + used ghee in place of the oil. Oh, and used grated carrot and parsnip and courgette – no currants. Basically, a kitchen sink cake. It’s just come out the oven and smells divine. Thanks!
Elana says
You’re welcome Sarah!
Len says
I’ve used a maple sirup and also added some fresh grated ginger: it turned out wonderfully and yielded 13 yammy mini muffins! Having never baked muffins, my inaugural attempt was more than successful!
Elana says
Len, I’m so happy to be a part of your inaugural attempt at baking muffins and glad to hear this recipe was a success :-)
Deborah De Groot says
Bahaaahahahaha…kids!
monika says
omg, so funny your son is trading these, it just shows you how some kids are desperate for healthy snacks while all they can get their hands on is junk food.
Elana says
Monika, I totally agree :-)
Molly says
Thanks for the recipe! Just made these today – they were quite yummy. Instead of the yacon syrup, I used 2 packets of stevia, and about a tbsp of both honey and molasses. I also added about a tsp on ginger and 1/4 tsp of cardamom. For some reason though, the recipe only yielded 15 mini muffins, less than half of the 32 stated in the recipe. I even let the batter sit for a few minutes while I grated the carrots to let the coconut flour absorb the moisture, and used a tbsp to dole out the batter. I’m not sure if is was due to the sweetener change, but had I know that, I would have made a double batch! Thank you again.
Elana says
Molly, if you use large eggs and the full amount of liquid sweetener called for in the recipe you will get the proper yield. I’m so glad to hear these were yummy!
Jessica says
I had a similar experience as to the quantity, the only substitution I made was yacon for maple syrup. I was only able to produce 18 mini muffins, maybe my mini muffin pan is not as mini as I thought?
Still a fantastic recipe, I’d just likely double it next time.
Elana says
Jessica, substituting ingredients can definitely lead to a change in the outcome of the recipe as well as the yield. I’m so happy to hear that the muffins were fantastic!
Christine says
Can coconut oil be a replacment for grapeseed oil?
Elana says
Christine, I haven’t tried that so not sure.
Emily says
On a different note, I’m wondering if anyone has converted this to a quick bread?
Aimee says
I love this recipe, as do “most” of my children. :). I substituted honey and added walnuts. Every now and then, I even add mini chocolate chips for my fiancé. Regardless, they always come out perfectly. Thanks for the recipe and for helping my kids eat more carrots.
Elana says
Aimee, so glad to hear you love these muffins and that they always come out perfectly!
Janien Wilkens says
Like all Elana’s recipes I’ve tried so far, this one scores a ten out of ten! So quick and easy to make.
Yacon is not available in South Africa so I used honey instead. I’m not keen on currants and replaced these with chopped dates. It is delicious but probably has a negative effect on the GI count.
I doubled the recipe and baked 12 big muffins. Baking time is approximately 25 minutes.
It is amazing how light and moist these muffins are.
Thank you Elana!
Elana says
Janien, thanks for letting me know that this recipe is a ten out of ten!!!
Nicole Frees says
I have made these muffins many times. We are not a gluten free house, but I try to make gluten free items when I can. These are super yummy and enjoyed by my family as well as guests to my house (with coffee).. I am making up a couple batches now to serve tomorrow morning at a meeting, for afternoon snack for my teenager runner, and to bring to my daughter in college when I visit her in two days. Thank you for your website and recipes.
Elana says
Nicole you’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed the muffins :-)
Jacqueline says
I was wondering if I could use organic grade B maple syrup? I have never heard of Yacon.
Elana says
Hi Jacqueline, I haven’t tried that so not sure.
Emily says
I use maple syrup in most of my baking & have used it in this recipe with success. I usually cut the amount in all my recipes, only because I’m trying to consume less sugar. I know there are conversions online of sweetness levels of different sweeteners and also liquid ratios.