These healthy carrot cake protein muffins are the best! Entirely gluten-free and flourless as always, these are also kid-friendly, super moist and very easy to make!
Carrot cake. C-a-r-r-o-t Cake. I mean, why is this even a thing, right? Whoever decided to put carrots in a cake in the first place is either a genius or a very strange individual. Or both.
I would say both. But hey, I'm not the one to judge, because I'm putting these carrot cake protein muffins on the blog today, so I might be a little bit strange as well. I plead guilty.
The Historical Origin of Carrot Cake
Jokes aside, according to my friend google, making sweet things with carrots dates back to the Middle-Age! Sugar being very expensive at the time, people were using carrots to sweeten some of their baked goods.
So yeah, carrot cake is supposedly the grand, grand ... grand-child of carrot pudding. Yum! (not!... 😨)
How to Make Carrot Cake Protein Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grease your 12-muffin tin.
- Blend the rolled oats with the dates in a high-velocity blender at full speed for 45 seconds. I used my Vitamix for this task.
- Melt butter and mix the rest of the wet ingredients with it.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently.
- Fold in the shredded carrots.
- Pour the batter into the muffin tin.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Allow to cool for several minutes on a cooling rack before eating or storing.
Mix Dry Ingredients
Baker's Tips
- Why did my muffins sink in the middle? Overbeating the muffin batter is the most common mistake beginner bakers make. Allowing too much air into the batter is what will make your muffins sink, most of the time.
- Why aren't my muffins rising? Muffins are meant to be baked in a hot oven. If you start baking them in a warm oven, it will not allow the baking powder to do its job properly, leaving you with flat, less-appealing muffins.
- Why do my muffins stick to the paper cups? A simple solution to this problem would be to either grease your muffin tin with solid fat, or to use parchment paper muffin cups.
- How do you keep muffins moist? Allow your muffins to completely cool on a cooling rack, then place them in an airtight container or sealable bag. Leave them at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that it is suggested to place them in the refrigerator for up to 4 more days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Health Benefits of Carrot Cake Protein Muffins
- Made with oatmeal, eggs, protein powder and walnuts, these muffins will keep you satiated for an extended period of time, providing you with a substantial amount of protein and fiber. These are the perfect breakfast or snack.
- Carrots are filled with a vast amount of essential nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants.
- Naturally sweetened to help keep your blood sugar low.
More Muffin Recipes:
- Apple Protein Muffins
- Double Chocolate Protein Muffins
- Lemon Blueberry Protein Muffins
- Banana Oat Protein Muffins
- Oatmeal Raisin Protein Muffins
***CLICK BELOW TO PIN FOR LATER!***
Recipe
Carrot Cake Protein Muffins
These carrot cake protein muffins are made with the best ingredients, super moist and easy to make.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free
- ¾ cup dates
- 1 cup whey protein powder Vanilla, any type
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
- ⅓ cup walnuts ground
- ⅓ cup raisins
- 1 ½ cup carrots shredded
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup almond milk or milk of choice
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup grass-fed butter or fat of choice (ghee, coconut oil, etc)
Frosting
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ⅓ cup whey protein powder Vanilla, any type
Instructions
Mufins
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Grease a 12-muffin muffin pan or use liners.
- Using a blender or food processor, turn the rolled oats and dates into a fine flour. I used my Vitamix for this task. 45 seconds at full speed was sufficient.
- Transfer the contents of your blender to a large mixing bowl. Add 1 cup protein powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon powdered ginger. Stir until well combined then make a well in the center.
- In a separate bowl (I used my measuring cup), melt the butter in the microwave, it will take between 30 seconds to a minute, depending on the unit. (Alternately, you can melt it on the stove.) Then, incorporate the rest of the wet ingredients. Stir until smooth
- Pour and fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones, stirring gently until just combined. Do not over-stir.
- Fold in the carrots, again stirring gently.
- Transfer the batter evenly to your greased muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Start checking the muffins around the 18-minute mark with a toothpick. Your muffins are ready when it comes out clean.
- Place on a cooling rack to cool down.
- Pour the warm frosting evenly on your muffins. Instructions for frosting below.
Frosting
- Melt the ¼ cup coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Do NOT overheat as it will cook the powder. (Coconut oil was measured melted)
- Pour ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon protein powder into the melted coconut oil and stir until smooth.
Notes
- These muffins can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in a sealed containers, up to 7 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Feel free to use any type of vanilla whey protein powder. for this recipe
- Avoid Plant-Based powders as they absorb much more moisture and will make your muffins very hard.
- If you wish to skip protein powder, it can be replaced with an additional ⅓ cup oatmeal (ground)
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffinCalories: 302kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 12gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 147mgPotassium: 263mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3030IUVitamin C: 1.2mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 1.1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
