To say that I had baking indecision yesterday would be an understatement! Whenever I am time-crunched and baking for someone special, my mind just draws a blank and nothing seems right.
I looked over my recipes page for a quick + easy recipe that was calling my name…
Snickerdoodles? Too Christmas-y.
Pumpkin Gingerbread with Buttercream? Too much time.
No Bake Date Squares? Too hippy. (joking…well kinda, LOL)
Chilled Double Chocolate Torte? Too rich for afternoon.
Pumpkin Pie Brownie Cupcakes? Too Thanksgiving-y.
Too indecisive.
So I let Eric choose!
He has this uncanny ability to simplify things that I like to complicate. Eric thought about it for a mere millisecond and then said quite definitively, ‘Carrot Muffins.’
That wasn’t a question.
My eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.
…and then I remembered how much I hate grating carrots. Whenever I grate carrots I always seem to nearly grate my finger off. It’s a dangerous tool!
Somehow, I sweet talked Eric into grating the carrots for me and I kept all my fingers intact. It was a win-win situation.
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Vegan Carrot Spice Muffins
Adapted from FFVK.
Yield: 12 muffins
Dry:
- 1 & 3/4 cup whole-grain Kamut flour (or white whole wheat flour)*see note
- 1/4 cup natural sugar
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda *see note
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Wet + Mix-ins:
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (oil replacer)
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (the cream on top from a full fat can) OR yogurt * see note below
- 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp water
- 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups grated carrots (about 3 small-medium carrots)
- 1/2 cup raisins, soaked in water and drained
- 1/3 cup chopped & toasted walnuts
Directions:
1. Toast the walnuts (optional) on a baking sheet for about 8 minutes at 300F. Remove and set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and line a muffin tin with liners.
2. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (maple syrup, applesauce, coconut milk, water, vanilla). Add the wet to the dry and mix until just incorporated. Batter will be THICK!
3. Fold in the carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Scoop batter into the muffin liners, filling batter to the top. Bake for about 18 minutes at 400F until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.
Notes: 1) I love Kamut flour because it is a whole grain, but it bakes up light just like all-purpose flour. It also has a mild taste. The original recipe used white whole wheat flour. 2) Next time I would reduce the baking soda to 3/4 tsp as I could detect the baking soda taste every so slightly. 3) The original recipe used soy yogurt. I used coconut milk (the cream from the top of can, not the watery liquid) and it worked well, resulting in a very moist muffin. However, the batter was VERY thick when mixing!
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As I mentioned above, the original recipe by Susan called for Soy Yogurt, but since I don’t buy soy yogurt often, I thought that the cream from the top of a coconut milk can would work. It resulted in a super moist muffin and I was really happy with the outcome. I do think the cream made the batter extra thick though, which is why I had to add 3 tbsp more water. You can use yogurt if you wish…whatever floats your boat!
The muffins are quite easy to make- especially if you can find someone to grate for you! ;)
After about 18 minutes in the oven, they were perfect!
Modifications I made to the original recipe are as follows:
1) I used stone-ground Kamut flour. I love Kamut flour because it bakes up just like all-purpose…light and fluffy! It is not as dense as spelt flour, but is still high in protein.
2) I used maple syrup instead of agave nectar and I added 2 tbsp more maple syrup because it is not as sweet as agave.
3) I used coconut cream as a sub for soy yogurt. It resulted in a very flavourful and moist muffin!
4) My batter was very thick as a result of the cream, so I added 3 tbsp more water.
5) I added 1/3 cup chopped and toasted walnuts for a great crunch and healthy fats.
6) I used 1/2 cup soaked raisins. I soaked them in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes, drained, and then added them in. This results in plump raisins!
Despite all these changes, they turned out FANTASTIC!!
Everyone enjoyed them as a light afternoon snack. Eric and I loved them so much, I made another batch last night for the work week.
This morning, I enjoyed a bowl of Carrot Cake vegan Overnight Oats. I have tried making carrot cake VOO before and I wasn’t impressed with the taste, but I finally got this bowl right!
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Carrot Cake Vegan Overnight Oats
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup rolled oats
- 1.5 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 small carrot, finely grated (yield: about 1/2 cup)
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/2 Carrot Spice Muffin, crumbled over top
- Sweetened & shredded coconut, sprinkled over top
Directions:
1. Before bed, in a small bowl, whisk together the oats, chia seeds, cinnamon, milk, and maple syrup. Place in fridge overnight.
2. In the AM: Crumble 1/2 a muffin on top and sprinkle with coconut. Add more milk as desired and serve cold.
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A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.
Thanks for your kind words about my Grandpa yesterday. For those of you who missed it, my Grandpa was diagnosed with Leukemia at the end of 2010. He has been undergoing chemo treatments to help fight the cancer and send it into remission. As you can imagine, he has good days and tough days, but he is a fighter. The doctor is hopeful that he will be in remission by the end of the year if things go well.
My Grandpa, Diane, and I yesterday:
My Grandpa is such an inspiration to me. He remains VERY positive, upbeat, active, and lively despite his illness. He is an active church member, always spending time with his family, and he continues to enjoy physical work at their cottage as the weather gets warmer.
They tapped a bunch of maple trees last weekend at their cottage and were boiling down some maple syrup when we arrived yesterday!!
I had no idea that the sap is CLEAR like water when it comes out of the maple tree. Only when boiled down does it turn into a beautiful dark amber colour.
Grandpa was talking about the past few months and he said a couple things that I will never forget.
‘When I was really sick with pneumonia at the beginning of January, everything blacked out for a while and I had this vivid dream. There were people walking down this road with candles in their hand, all going in the same direction. I heard a voice that said to me, “You can chose to die or you can chose to live…the choice is up to you.” and then I saw my Granddaughter and she said to me, “Papa, don’t go.” and I chose to live.’
Then he said with great pride, ‘I’m still LIVING!’
Yes, he is. :)
The muffins look delicious and so healthy.
I was especially inspired by the story about choosing life from your grandfather.
Thank you so much for sharing it.
That Kamut flour sounds AWESOME!!! I am absolutely sure your Grandpa loved these! I know I do! :D
Wow…that story about your grandpa gave me chills.
I just teared up a bit! Thanks for sharing such a sweet story.
I love your idea of adding the muffins to your overnight oats! What a great way to take it up a notch!
Oh so much to love in this post! I am the same with my husband, asking him things when I can’t decide. For years, it’s been ‘something cute’ when I ask what I should wear. And for food – ‘something good’. I always figure it out ;)
Awesome time with your grandpa! And so cool he makes his own maple syrup. I love fresh maple sap before it becomes syrup.
I had no idea that maple syrup came out clear! Glad you had a great time with your Grandpa :)
I hate grating carrots too, that’s why I am so thankfull for my food processor! The task is done in about five seconds. Yes!!
We used to make maple syrup when I was little but we didn’t have that fancy equipment. Just a stove. I’m happy that your Grandpa is still able to make it!
Hi Angela,
First time commenter ;) I just have to tell you how amazing and inspirational you and your blog. Are. I foud your blog by chance several weeks ago and have gone back and read mist of your previus posts. As a carnivore, I have lost 50 pounds over the last year with weight watchers ion my own. Though I’ve been pleased with my loss, I’ve really wanted to hone in on more healthy eating, and not JUST watching quanity. I found your blog and have already learned so much, but the most interesting thing is that I’m going to give veganism a shot. I find myself becoming less and less interested in meat, and Im not a huge dairy fan either. Anyway, all that said, I just adore that everythig you are putting in your body is beneficial and from the earth. I could go on and on but I just waned too let you know that you have inspired me in many ways. Thank you!
Oh quick question; can you use steel cut oats for VOO?
Thanks for your kind comments! :)
I dont think you can use steel cut as they dont get soft and gel up.
Wow – tapping Maple trees for syrup is one of the things I have always dreamed of… I would love to see a blog post of the process – I’m sure it would be amazing!
I wish your Grandpa all the best in his treatment. My boyfriend was diagnosed in January with testicular cancer and luckily only needed surgery which they were very quick to perform, but it was still a difficult time for him. Having a wonderful support system in family such as you will certainly keep him in good spirits and help him through. Take care of yourself as well, it’s hard on everyone when a family member has cancer.
I also didn’t know maple syrup was clear when it came out of the tree! Mm, love the real stuff!
I hate grating carrots, too. I have a fear of the box grater, so it takes me forever to grate one carrot. (The majority of the time is spent convincing myself that I won’t lose a finger!)
Was searching for a vegan muffin recipe and stumbled across your website/blog……wow! Am going to try the carrot spice muffins today and can’t wait to try some of your other recipes – am always looking for new recipes and yours look awesome!!! Thanks for sharing them!
Thank you, I hope you enjoy the recipes & blog :)
I’m a long time vegan and always love new recipes. I made your carrot muffins, delicious, thank you.
These are soooo good! I’m just having my first bite and they’re amazing, moist and light, thanks so much Angela!
Delicious! I kind of combined both the yogurt/coconut milk options by using coconut-flavored almond yogurt.
I just made the muffins and subbed in dried cranberries instead of raisins and they are delightful!
Just made these for breaky and they were delish! Ran out of maple syrop after about 2 tbsp, so used honey to finish off-which worked out great. Merci bcp!
I just made these and they are AMAZING. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! I just made the Carrot Raisin Muffins and they are amazing! The only substitution was Almond Milk for the Coconut Milk and removed the few TBS. of water as the batter was perfect! Who could of thought without oil and eggs you could get such a moist muffin!? I also used Agave Syrup in place of the maple syrup and they are not too sweet! Just perfect!!
Just made these muffins! they smell and taste delicious! thanks for sharing the recipe :)
These muffins were AMAZING. I used white whole wheat flour, and instead of water i used the watery part of the coconut milk. I also omitted the natural sugar and added a touch more maple syrup and, because I had an open can of it in my fridge, a 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree, and some golden raisins to finish it off. I left out the nuts because I just had dental work and didn’t want to have to chew them LOL. Angela, these were the best muffins I have ever made. I brought them to work and everyone LOVED them. I made them in a mini muffin tin so people were popping them in their mouths and reaching for more. THank you so much! I love your website and cook something from it almost every day :)
I don’t have the kamut flour…can I use all purpose flour? If so what are the proportions?
Also have chappati flour but not sure how to substitute
These look so yummy
Wow, this recipe was absolutely amazing. I didn’t have the apple sauce so I used pumpkin puree instead, and holy cow, probably the best carrot muffins I’ve ever had! (and it’s my first time making them!) Thank you so much for the recipe!
These were delicious! The coconut milk was a wonderful idea for an addition!
I added sweetened coconut to the top of the muffin when it was almost finished. (about 2-3 mins left). It toasted to make an awesome topping.
I just made the Vegan Carrot Muffins and they are amazing. I was wondering if you could guide me to find these muffins’ Nutritional Value.
Thank you,
Made these muffins today with a few substitutions, and they were great! Thanks for sharing this easy recipe. Will definitely make them again.
I made a cake with this rather than muffins. My batter was extremely thick!! I had to add more liquid (coconut milk because I had it). I didn’t think it would bake properly but it did well enough. Not as moist as you mention it being though. I’ll probably fiddle with the recipe and make again.
I used blueberry flavored soy yogurt and changed the ginger to 1 tsp and the cloves to 1/4 tsp and the muffins seem to have more of a kick! I made them the way recipe dictated first and then altered the yogurt because I ran out of plain.
These muffins were lovely! Fluffy and light and very tasty. I was glad to see you adapted the recipe to kamut flour, as it happened to be the only type of flour I had! I will be making this again and again… and I hear you about grating the carrots! But worth it!
These are my new favourite muffins! I’ve made them twice and have gotten so many compliments from friends and family. I used dark buckwheat flour with 1 tsp guar gum along with about 1 tbsp each if ground flax and whole chia seeds. I also added mashed banana for some added moisture (gluten free can be dry) and they turned out great! Thank you for such wonderful healthy recipes!
I am eating these hot from the oven as I type. OMG!!! Even my non-vegan hubby loves them! Because I can’t leave anything alone, I used oil in place of the apple sauce, squeezed an orange in place of the water, and used 1 1/2 cup of carrot and pineapple pulp from a juice I made earlier in the day. Thank you!! So so good!!
My toddler LOVED these (and what a great way to sneak in a veggie serving!)
MORE please
Hey! The recipe sounds delicious- do they freeze well?
Hey Sarah, I find that muffins do tend to freeze well for a couple weeks or so. Just be sure to cool them completely before wrapping them up. I tend to put them in freezer safe bags and suck out all the air with a straw.
I was in the mood for baking this morning but all I had was carrots and pantry items! These muffins are delicious and fluffy. My boyfriend and I have eaten one each already!
I did make a few adjustments to suit what I had on hand (coconut oil instead of applesauce, whole wheat flour instead of kamut and I halved the sugar) but thankfully, it’s a forgiving and flexible recipe. Yum!
So glad the swaps worked out and that you’re enjoying the muffins, Hayley!
How many days in advance can you make these muffins and still have them be tasty and fresh? I want to make them for my son’s first birthday, and would love to get them made two days in advance. Thanks!
Hey Christina, I think you can safely make these a couple days in advance and still have them be nice and fresh day-of. Simply store them in an airtight container or zip bag in your fridge, being sure to cool them completely beforehand. I wouldn’t make them any more than 2 days in advance though. Happy birthday to your little guy!
Thank you for this wonderful muffin recipe. I made a few substitutions with the wet ingredients because I didn’t have everything and they still turned out amazing! My 4 yr old is inhaling one as we speak. I love your site & appreciate your recipes as you have helped me convert to a healthy vegetable based diet as opposed to my previous junk food vegan one. I hope to have the same success in healing my disordered eating as you have. Namaste
Thank you so much for your kind note Robin…I’m so happy to be a part of your journey. :)