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Whole wheat carrot ginger flax muffins topped with a dreamy, low-fat cream cheese glaze make for an incredibly delicious breakfast, snack or dessert. These muffins are loaded with nutritious ingredients, yet taste just like mini carrot cakes!
Welcome to the day that carrot cake became healthy enough for breakfast. You literally never need to think of an excuse to eat cake for breakfast again. Let me see your happy dance!
These muffins are deliciously moist with the perfect dose of sweetness and spice. That’s really the beauty of anything that resembles carrot cake. The warm notes of cinnamon and vanilla make it desirable for breakfast, yet the sweetness is perfectly suited to satisfy an evening dessert craving.
They’re also packed with nutritious ingredients including whole wheat flour, flaxseed, unsweetened apple sauce and of course, carrots! The carrots lend amazing moisture to the texture, as well as a hearty kick of fiber. I also adore the subtle taste of ginger, as it is such a fantastic compliment to the other star ingredients.
The cream cheese glaze is not totally necessary, but if you’re anything like me and think the two are a match made in heaven, I urge you to include it. You can add a simple light drizzle of glaze, or dunk the whole top of the muffin in it. I made them both ways to suit whichever mood I was in.
FYI: the dunked muffins were first to go.
I’ve been in a major sweet-breakfast phase lately. As much as I love my avocado toast and loaded egg hashes (aka “clean out the produce drawer concoctions”), I’ve had a superior craving for all types of baked goods, French toast and pancakes. I would also include waffles in that list, but my ancient waffle maker bit the dust last week. FINALLY. I’ve only been waiting like a year to buy a new one. I’m pretty sure that waffle maker was a wedding gift to my parents. Not only did it take like 17 minutes to sufficiently cook a waffle, but I had to use half a can of non-stick spray to prevent it from adhering to the iron. As if cleaning a waffle maker wasn’t tedious enough.
Case in point – these muffins have been breakfast saviors all week! I’ve been enjoying them as quick grab-n-go snacks or as a source of mid-morning fuel once my caffeine buzz wears off. Speaking of, these muffins are fabulous paired with a hot mug of coffee or foamy almond milk latte. I just love them every which way.
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below to let me know how they turned out! If you snap a pic and upload it to Instagram, be sure to tag @dishingouthealth so I can see your beautiful creations!
Carrot Ginger Flax Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely grated carrots ~2-3 large carrots
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sweetener of choice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
- **Cream Cheese Glaze**
- 1/4 cup cream cheese softened
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place 12 muffin-cup liners in muffin cups and lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine all wet ingredients: carrots, egg, coconut oil, applesauce, honey, almond milk and vanilla extract. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Add Truvia (or granulated sweetener of choice) and whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, baking soda and flaxseeds. Stir to combine.
- Pour dry ingredients into wet and stir until just combined. Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.
- Once muffins are completely cool, begin preparing cream cheese glaze. Combine ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on high speed until creamy. Use a teaspoon to drizzle glaze on top of muffins, or dunk muffin tops into glaze. Top with crushed walnuts or a pinch of cinnamon (optional). Serve!
Nutrition
I calculate these values by hand to ensure accuracy, however expect up to a 10% variable depending on food brands.
Hi, want to try this recipe but you didn’t specify the amount of Truvia or sweenter. You just have 1/2 but 1/2 what? cup? Tbsp? Thanks
What a gorgeous-looking recipe. Pinning now and can’t wait to try it! My boys would eat the entire batch in one sitting.
Thank you so much, Liz! I honestly could have, too! Lol I hope your family enjoys them!
Have been craving carrot cake. You have the healthy cure!
Haha I had been craving it like crazy! This is definitely the cure!
Do you think I could sub whole wheat flour for oat flour/almond meal?
Hey Kristen,
Oat flour should definitely work, but I’m honestly not sure about almond meal since the consistencies are a bit different. I would go with oat flour.