carrot cake muffins

Carrot cake muffins are easy and so delicious! These are healthy and satisfying enough to eat for breakfast, especially when topped with my favorite non-dairy cream cheese. Follow Your Heart brand non-dairy cream cheese is delicious enough that you won’t miss the conventional version. The recipe contains only honey and no refined sugars which should make any mom or baker happy. As always, use organic ingredients when possible. These muffins are gluten-free, dairy-free, and contain zero refined sugar.

Ingredients

2 cups almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
¼ cup honey
3 eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
11/2 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup shredded carrot 1 large carrot
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup chopped pecans
Additional chopped pecans and coconut for topping optional
Non-Dairy Cream Cheese (Follow Your Heart brand)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl add the wet ingredients first (eggs, applesauce, pure vanilla extract, and honey) then add the dry ingredients (almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest). Mix until fully combined.

Add shredded carrots, coconut, pecans, and raisins to almond flour mixture and stir until fully combined.

Scoop batter into a lined muffin pan. The batter will be thick.

Top muffins with chopped pecans and coconut. (optional)

Bake for 23-26 minutes. Please watch your oven because all ovens are different.

Remove and check centers with a toothpick. The toothpick should come out clean.

Allow cooling before serving.

Store in an airtight container. Refrigerate or freeze for longer-term storage.

Top with a non-dairy cream cheese-like Follow Your Heart brand! Yum.

Enjoy!

Wheat free Carrot Muffins

One of my favorite desserts used to be conventional carrot cake. That was the version full of white flour and sugar! So when I ran across this recipe in The Great American Detox Diet, I was very excited. The muffins are made of whole food ingredients, have an outstanding flavor, simple to make and moist!

The recipe didn’t call for nuts but I think next time I will include. Also, I didn’t have an orange for the zest so I used the Doterra Wild Orange oil which worked great and gave it a lovely zing of orange. Thank you and enjoy these wonderful delicacies.

Note: Spelt does contain gluten but because of its molecular makeup, it is typically easier to digest for those who are mildly sensitive. When in doubt, use gluten-free flour.

Carrot Muffins

2 cups white spelt flour

1 cup whole spelt flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup water

1/3 cup unrefined coconut oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Zest of 1 orange ( I used 3 drops Wild Orange Doterra oil)

1 1/2 cups grated carrot

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the white spelt flour, whole spelt flour, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a blender, combine the applesauce, water, oil, vanilla, vinegar, salt, orange zest, carrot, coconut, and maple syrup. Blend until well combined.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry, add the raisins, and stir until just mixed.

Pour 1/4-cup scoops of batter into oiled muffin pans and bake for 20 minutes.

YIELD: 24 3″ Muffins

Recipe from The Great American Detox Diet by Alex Jamieson