These carrot cake muffins are perfectly spiced, incredibly moist, and packed with grated carrots. They’re simple to make and perfect for breakfast, snacking, or a quick sweet treat!
Why These are the Best Carrot Cake Muffins
If you’re after a carrot cake muffin recipe that is perfectly spiced, ultra-moist, and full of flavour — this is the one. Based on my 5-star rated carrot cake recipe, you know it won’t disappoint!
They’re incredibly moist.
Finely grated carrots, blended pineapple (juice removed) and oil (no need for butter in this recipe) work together to create a soft, tender crumb that stays moist without feeling heavy.
The flavour is perfectly balanced.
A blend of spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves) gives you that classic carrot cake warmth in every bite — cosy but not overpowering. Nuts also give these muffins added flavor and texture!
They rise tall with bakery-style tops.
Starting at a higher temperature creates those beautiful domed tops, while the cinnamon sugar sprinkle adds a subtle crunch.
Simple and reliable.
Just whisk, fold, and bake. With gram measurements for accuracy, you’ll get consistent, delicious results every time. Great for quick snacks, brunch and kids will love them too!
For more delicious, yet simple muffin recipes, check out my banana nut muffins (perfect if you have ripe bananas), blueberry muffins and oatmeal muffins!
How to Make Carrot Cake Muffins
You can find the full list of ingredients for these moist carrot cake muffins in the recipe card at the end of the blog post (for easy navigation, hit the ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the blog post). Here is a quick visual breakdown of the recipe (video tutorial is also provided in the recipe card below).
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) conventional and line a 12-hole standard muffin tin with muffin liners. Set aside.
Prepare the cinnamon sugar topping by mixing the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside.
In a bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Using a whisk, mix until well combined. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine soft light brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla and blended pineapple. Using a whisk, mix until well combined.
Add your flour mixture to your wet ingredients and using a spatula, gently fold together until just combined. Do not overmix.
Add in the grated carrots and walnuts and/or pecans (if you prefer another type of nut or mix-in like golden raisins or shredded coconut, that will work too). Using a spatula, gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
Grab your muffin pan and distribute the batter evenly among the muffin liners—they should be about ¾ full. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture prepared earlier on top.
Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 8 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for a further 8 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the muffins to cool in the tray for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
How to Store Carrot Muffins
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make sure they’re completely cool before storing.
For longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to a week. Let them come to room temperature (or warm slightly in the microwave) before serving for the best texture.
These muffins also freeze beautifully — wrap individually and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re craving a quick snack, just thaw at room temperature or heat in the microwave and they’ll be ready to enjoy.
Carrot Cake Muffins
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Topping
- 2½ tbsps white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Carrot Cake Muffins
- 1 cup (112 g) finely grated carrots - about 1½ medium-sized carrots
- ¾ cup (142 g) canned pineapple - blended. Remove the liquid from the can before blending. Use canned pineapple in juice (not syrup).
- 1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsps (15 g) cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1¼ tsps ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp powdered ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup (150 g) soft light brown sugar - firmly packed (see note 2)
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) unflavoured vegetable oil - I use canola oil
- 1½ tsps vanilla extract/essence
- ½ cup (50 g) pecans or walnuts - coarsely chopped. I like to use both so I use ¼ cup of each.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) conventional (see note 1 if using a convection oven) and line a 12-hole standard muffin tray with muffin liners. Set aside.
- Prepare the cinnamon sugar topping by mixing the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside.
- In a bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Using a whisk, mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine soft brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla and blended pineapple. Using a whisk, mix until well combined.
- Add your dry ingredients to your wet mixture and using a spatula, gently fold together until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Add in the grated carrots and walnuts and/or pecans. Using a spatula, gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin liners—they should be about ¾ full. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture prepared earlier on top.
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 8 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for a further 8 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tray for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
