These little beauties are made without grain flour so they’re naturally gluten-free and delicious with or without the frosting for a healthy grab-n-go breakfast.
Of course, some of us eat carrot cake for the cream cheese frosting!
Loaded with wholesome ingredients you can feel good about, you’ll love making Blueberry-Carrot Cake Muffins a regular part of breakfast and brunches too.
This Blueberry-Carrot Cake Muffin recipe is inspired by my dear friend’s birthday and her love of muffins. As much as I wanted to spoil her on her special day, I knew she was working diligently on healthier food choices and didn’t want her birthday to wreck any progress.
Isn’t that the way it goes? We start a new plan to hone our eating habits and WHAM! Right in the middle of it is a birthday or holiday arriving at our weakest moment. Ah, but she could have her cake, er muffin, and eat it too … all without a smidgen of guilt!
I love it when healthy meets delicious, especially when it’s a new healthy breakfast muffin.
A breakfast muffin usually means simple carbs, a.k.a. blood sugar spike, which is not the ideal way to start the day. But we’re talking about carrots, walnuts, blueberries, healthy fats, and fiber-rich coconut flour with ample protein from eggs and almond flour too.
Want in on a money-saving secret when it comes to buying specialty flours like almond or coconut flour?
TIP: Before you buy an entire bag of special flour for a single recipe, check the bulk bins at your local health food store. Buy only the amount you need until you’re ready to commit to using an entire bag. This goes for nuts, dried fruit, and seeds too.
Blueberries are a delicious addition to Carrot Cake Muffins.
What’s not to love about blueberries and cream cheese frosting? Well, that was my rationale for swapping dried blueberries for raisins, and it quickly became a new breakfast favorite.
You can use fresh blueberries instead of dried, it just depends on your preference of texture—dried blueberries will borrow some of the moisture from the batter, fresh berries will add moisture. It’s not a drastic difference either way, but if you have a definite preference for moist muffins, go with fresh.
Make-ahead healthy breakfast muffins to create your own convenience food.
Once the muffins have cooled completely, place in a resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Grab one on your way out the door or pop it in your lunch—it makes a great healthy snack too.
TIP: The Cream Cheese Frosting can be made ahead too! Massage the bag with your fingers to warm it up slightly or allow to come to room temperature for a fresh, easy application.
This recipe is inspired by Halle Cottis’ Gluten Free and Grain Free Carrot Cake Cupcake Recipe
Blueberry-Carrot Cake Muffins [Grain-Free & Gluten-Free]
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons coconut flour
- 6 tablespoons almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 3/4 cups grated carrots -- 7 ounces (about 3 med carrots)
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 5 large eggs
- 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil -- melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dried blueberries -- or fresh
For the frosting:
- 5 ounces cream cheese -- softened
- 1/4 cup butter -- softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup -- or powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare a muffin tin with a thin coating of butter or muffin cups. Mix the flours, sugar, salt, baking soda, and spices together in a large mixing bowl until well blended.
- Stir in the carrots and walnuts, then mix in the eggs, butter, and vanilla until all the flour is incorporated. Fold in the blueberries and fill the muffin cups 2/3 full.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
For the frosting:
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and honey on high for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth. Once the muffins are completely cooled, spread or pipe the frosting on the muffins as desired.
- To easily pipe the frosting, transfer it into a zipper-type bag and snip a bottom corner off the bag, about 1/4-inch up from the corner. Pipe frosting by squeezing the frosting out of the hole onto the muffin.
- Apply frosting when the muffins are completely cooled. Store at room temperature. If the room is warm and the frosting isn't holding its shape, refrigerate.
Notes
Nutrition
More Awesome Muffin Recipes You’ll Love:
-
Banana Walnut Muffins made with Sprouted Wheat
-
Pumpkin Pie Spice Sprouted Wheat Muffins
-
Chocolate chip pumpkin muffins (gluten-free + processed sugar-free)
-
Brunch Muffins
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting what I do here at Savoring Today. For more information, please see our Disclosure Policy.
Karen Bush says
These sound yummy!
I have a friend with a walnut allergy, who can eat pecans. Is it possible to sub chopped pecans for the walnuts?
Judy Purcell says
Hi Karen, Yes, you can sub pecans for walnuts in this recipe. Do let me know what you think when you make them!
Kelly says
These are delicious, substituted coconut oil for extra virgin olive oil as that’s all I had
On hand. And used pre shredded carrot from the shop, worked well. I am eating for breakfast without frosting and still very yummy! Such a good texture with the walnuts and coconut flour 😋
Judy Purcell says
Thanks Kelly! As much as I love the frosting, I mainly eat them for breakfast without it. So glad to hear you enjoy them as much as I do!
Anne Lawton says
These look so good! I would make up a batch of these to eat all week long for breakfast.
ChihYu Smith says
Love all the delicious flavor in these gorgeous muffins! They are perfect for breakfast and holiday gifts!
Renee D Kohley says
Such fun flavors! My girls will love all these ingredients – great breakfast!
Joni Gomes says
Loving this ingredient list! Carrot and blueberries make a great combo! Who knew?!
Hope says
These look delicious! Great to make up as a big batch for busy mornings! Love the carrot and blueberry combination 🙂
Raia Todd says
I love that these are grain-free! They look delicious and I’m intrigued by the blueberry carrot combo. 🙂
Amy (Savory Moments) says
I love carrot cake and can totally see the blueberries working well in it!
plasterer bristol says
Gteat recipe, thanks for shharing this. sounds delicious.
Simon
mjskitchen says
When and if I eat a muffin, it’s going to be blueberry. I usually don’t eat muffins because they have way to much sugar and they are gummy with all of the white flour. Looking through your recipe I can tell that that would NOT be the texture of these muffins. Love your recipe and the outcome looks like a muffin I could make a daily breakfast. 🙂
Judy Purcell says
Hi MJ! I feel the same way, which is why we have enjoyed these so much. 🙂
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
My husband likes blueberries with his cereal so I always have a stash of dried blueberries in our pantry. Now as far as the flours go, I don’t know if we even have a health food store in our area…I’ll have to investigate.
Judy Purcell says
I have only recently been keeping dried blueberries in the pantry, for the same reason. 🙂
Mandy says
Can’t wait to share this recipe with my aunt – she has just been told no gluten ever again.
Have a beautiful day.
🙂 Mandy xo
Vicki Bensinger says
Aren’t these lovely and I especially like the wrapping around them. I have blueberries every morning with carrot juice so this would be another way for me to have those ingredients. Great recipe!
Raymund says
This does not look like gluten free at all. That looks amazing and I want one with the coffee I am having now
Melanie says
There is no gluten in the coconut or almond flour. Not sure where else gluten may come from.
John/Kitchen Riffs says
I’ve had plenty of blueberry muffins in my day (my favorite muffin, by far), but never with carrots. What a wonderful idea! Plus blue and orange look so pretty together in the mixing bowl! Good tip about the bulk bins — you’re also likely to get fresher stuff there. Anyway, wonderful recipe — thanks.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I love a good muffin and these look fantastic. I have no problems with gluten but I have two good friends who do. Do these freeze well? If so I could make them and always have something gluten free ready to go with coffee.
Judy Purcell says
Hi Maureen, yes they can be frozen. I just made another batch and froze them just to make sure. I’ll adjust the recipe notes to reflect that extra tidbit. Thanks for asking.
ChgoJohn says
I do love blueberry muffins, Judy, and I bet they’d be even more tasty made with a carrot cake batter. Although i do not have GF issues, I think it great that there are more and more delicious GF recipes being developed. It wasn’t that long ago when gluten-free also meant taste-free.
Judy Purcell says
You are so right about GF coming a long way, John. I know my GF friends are delighted to be able to share good food everyone enjoys.