Easy healthy carrot muffins
These easy healthy carrot muffins are made with oatmeal, coconut and honey to give you a healthy start to your day and are the best guilt-free Easter snack.
We have been loving these healthy carrot muffins since I developed the recipe earlier this year. I make them regularly now because the kids can’t get enough and I’m all too happy if they want to grab one for breakfast or a snack because they are full of fiber, fruit and vegetables. Any parent’s dream!
I don’t always top them with the easy cream cheese topping but the icing definitely gives these muffins a more carrot cake-like quality. In fact, when I served these to a friend, she asked where I got the delicious carrot cupcake recipe from. So not only are these so easy to make and healthy, they actually taste like carrot cake and feel like a real treat. Winning all around!
How to make healthy carrot muffins
Make oat flour by blending rolled oats until fine then mix with spices, salt and baking powder. Mash/blend bananas, eggs, oil, milk and honey then add to the dry ingredients. Mix and then add the carrots, cranberries/raisins and coconut. Spoon into cupcake liners and bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean. If you choose to add the icing, mix icing/powdered sugar and cream cheese until smooth and spread onto the muffins. Top with toasted coconut and serve.
Can I substitute applesauce for oil in carrot cake?
The oil acts as a great source of moisture in the cake so I wouldn’t suggest it. You can use any oil for this cake so if you’re looking for something healthier, coconut, avocado or olive oil are all good options.
How long does carrot cake/muffins last?
These muffins will last 1-2 days if kept at room temperature and 4-5 days if kept covered in the fridge and this is the recommended way of storing them if you’re using the cream cheese icing.
Easy healthy breakfast, brunch and snack recipes:
- Healthy chocolate chip banana oat muffins
- Easy healthy banana bread
- Easy healthy banana oat waffles
- Healthy banana oat pancakes
Easy healthy carrot muffins
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- pinch of cloves
- 3 bananas
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk of your choice
- 2 tbsp oil of your choice (coconut, canola, avocado)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp honey (you can use any sweetener/sugar of your choice)
- 2 cups grated carrots (approximately 3 large carrots)
- 1 cup cranberries/raisins (optional)
- ½ cup desiccated coconut
For the cream cheese icing (optional)
- 1 cup cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1 cup icing sugar sifted
- 1 cup toasted coconut for topping
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF and line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners. Lightly spray the liners with non-stick cooking spray as the muffin batter can be sticky and stick to the liners.
- To make the batter, blend the oats in a strong food processor/blender until oats are the consistency of flour.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl and mix in the baking powder, salt and spices.
- In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and mix in the oil, eggs, milk, vanilla and honey.
- Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined then fold in the carrots, raisins/cranberries and coconut.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared liners and place in the oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- If making the icing, beat together the icing sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Spread the icing onto the muffins and top with toasted coconut.
Nutrition
Easy healthy chocolate chip banana oat muffins
Hello! Your directions mention to add vanilla. But no amount is provided in the ingredients list. How much vanilla are you using for this?
I’ve amended the recipe.
Hello Alida,
Is it possible to substitute unsweetened applesauce for the bananas? If so about how many of cups?
Thank you,
Yol
Unfortunately I’m not sure. The starchiness of the bananas add a lot of body and I’m afraid applesauce will make the batter quite wet.
Thank you! I’ll follow as you suggested.
Thank you so much for this recipe! Tried it this evening and my parents loved them.
Thanks for your comment!
Hi could I use crushed drained pineapple for cranberries.?
You could!
in the directions for the muffins, it says to add the coconut, (line 5) but I don’t see coconut listed in the ingredients for the muffins, just in the optional cream cheese topping. How much coconut do you use for the muffins?
I’ve updated the recipe, thanks for letting me know!