Bakery-style vegan carrot muffins with high muffin tops and a delicious streusel topping. These muffins are easy to make and come together in one bowl. They’re perfect for Spring, or any time of the year just like my vegan carrot cake.

Stack of vegan carrot muffins. One muffin has been bitten showing fluffy orange texture.

Simple ingredients you’ll need

Flatlay of ingredients for muffins.

The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Notes about the ingredients

All-purpose flour (plain flour) for the fluffiest vegan carrot muffins. For more wholesome muffins, you can use whole wheat or spelt flour.

Brown sugar. The molasses in brown sugar adds depth of flavor and complements the spices perfectly. Coconut sugar will also work and will make the muffins less sweet and a bit denser.

Grated carrot. I prefer coarsely grating the carrots as it gives the muffins more texture and ensures they aren’t too soggy. Finely grated carrot will leak more water so you may need to bake your muffins for longer.

Chopped walnuts are optional but recommended for depth of flavor and texture! Alternatively, you can add raisins.

Ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and a healthy dose of them! This recipe contains a little more spice than others as it’s a quick and easy way to add flavor.

Even though this recipe is eggless, you don’t need any special egg replacers to make these fluffy, moist and in-tact!

Close up of one carrot muffin with crumb topping and drizzle of icing.

How to make vegan carrot muffins

The batter for these muffins comes together in ONE BOWL, and you don’t even need a mixer.

First, add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Make sure the raising agents are mixed in well, otherwise you may get chunks of baking powder in your final muffins (no one likes that)! Then add the rest of the ingredients (including any walnuts/raisins), and stir until just combined. Some lumps are fine, as long as they aren’t lumps of dry flour.

Initially, your batter will be very thick but don’t worry. After a couple of minutes, the sugar will start to liquify and the carrots will naturally leak water, and your batter will become runnier.

If you want to minimize any dirty dishes, and want to make the crumb topping, divide your cake batter and use the same bowl to mix the crumble!

Four image collage showing how to prepare the muffin batter in one bowl.

Optional crumb topping

The crumb topping is optional but it adds a lovely texture to these vegan carrot muffins.

It’s easy to make as you just mix all the ingredients in one bowl. It might look like a small amount of crumble, but it’s enough to generously top all 12 muffins.

Two image collage showing how to prepare the crumb topping in one bowl.

Easy techniques to get higher muffin tops!

These muffins bake beautifully as they are. However, for even higher muffin tops, I’ve tested a few methods that are easy to do.

The easiest method is to bake your muffins in alternating cavities in your muffin tray. There’ll be more space between each muffin, so each muffin gets an extra boost of oven heat which encourages them to rise more. If you have a 12-cup muffin tray, you’ll bake 6 muffins at a time in 2 lots.

Also, make sure your oven isn’t too cool, and really is 180ยฐC (350ยฐF). If your oven runs cool, your muffins will be smaller and denser. Many ovens aren’t accurate, and are cooler or hotter than what they say. If you can, I recommend buying an oven thermometer as it’s the most accurate way to see the real temperature of your oven.

Two image collage of muffins in tray before and after baking.

How to customize this recipe

How can I make healthier carrot muffins?

Substitute the flour with whole wheat or spelt flour and use coconut sugar. I do not recommend using maple syrup as it may be too heavy for this recipe. Granulated sweeteners such as erythritol and stevia will work but don’t often add the caramel undertones that brown sugar does.

I haven’t tested the recipe replacing oil with applesauce or banana.

Can I make these vegan carrot muffins smaller?

Yes, you will get around 15-20 smaller muffins from this recipe (similar in size to my vegan carrot cake cupcakes). They’ll take only around 20-25 minutes to bake. Or make them even smaller as snacks for kids! Or you may like my vegan carrot cake cookies.

Can I bake this recipe in a loaf pan?

I suggest using my carrot cake loaf recipe instead.

Can I replace the carrots with zucchini?

Yes! My vegan zucchini muffins have been adapted from this recipe, and are made with shredded zucchini.

Close up of one carrot muffin with bite taken out.

More vegan muffin recipes

Close up of vegan almond muffin with a croissant-like flaked almond topping.

Vegan Almond Croissant Muffins
Close up of vegan chocolate zucchini muffin with a tall bakery-style top studded with mini chocolate chips.

Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Vegan Raspberry Muffins

Or see my collection of 15+ vegan muffin recipes.

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4.99 from 62 reviews

Vegan Carrot Muffins

Yield: 12 large muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Author: Anthea
Bakery-style vegan carrot muffins with high muffin tops and a delicious streusel topping. These muffins are easy to make and come together in one bowl.
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Ingredients

Dry ingredients

Wet ingredients

  • ~2 ยฝ cups (250g) coarsely grated carrot, (around 3-4 medium carrots)
  • 1 cup (250g) dairy-free milk
  • ยฝ cup (125g) neutral flavored oil
  • ยพ cup (85g) chopped walnuts, or 1/2 cup (75g) raisins (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, regular vinegar or lemon juice, optional
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

Oat Crumb Topping (optional, note 3)

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 180ยฐC (350ยฐF). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.

To make the muffins:

  • Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix until well combined and evenly distributed. Add all the wet ingredients (including the optional walnuts) and mix until just combined. Initially, your batter may look thick but don't worry. After a couple of minutes, it will loosen as the sugar and carrots will soften.
  • Use an ice cream scoop or a spoon to divide the batter into your muffin pan. The muffin batter should be close to the top of each cavity (check the reference images above, note 2).

To make the crumb topping (optional):

  • Add all ingredients for your crumb topping to a medium bowl (or use the same bowl as your batter). Mix with a spoon or your fingertips until the mixture is combined, flaky and crumbly.
  • Generously sprinkle the crumb topping onto your muffins.

Baking and storing the muffins:

  • Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutesย orย until you can insert a toothpick into one and it comes out clean. These muffins are very moist so a few crumbs on your toothpick are fine.
  • Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin pan for 15 minutes (or until they aren't too hot) then place them on a cooling rack.
  • Enjoy the muffins warm or at room temperature. They're perfect by themselves or with some vegan butter.
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If the crumb topping softens over time, you can reheat the muffins in an oven or airfryer for 10 minutes at 160ยฐC (320ยฐF) or until heated through.

Video

Notes

  1. Measuring the flour: If you’re using measuring cups, make sure you spoon and level your flour otherwise your muffins will be dry and dense. Fluff up the flour in the bag, use a spoon to add flour to a measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. If you scoop the flour out of the bag with a measuring cup, it’ll add too much flour to the batter. Alternatively, use the grams measurements.
    Gluten-free flour: These muffins work well with King Arthur’s gluten-free measure for measure flour. The batter will be much thicker, but still scoopable. I recommend baking them for 25-28 minutes.
    Using whole wheat and spelt flour: These flours are more absorbent so I recommend adding an extra dash of milk to your batter.
  2. For the highest muffin tops, I recommend baking 6 muffins at a time in a 12-cup muffin tray. Spacing apart the muffins allows the hot oven air to bake them faster, resulting in higher tops. This means you’ll need to bake the muffins in 2 lots.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1 muffin without topping, Calories: 335kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Sodium: 185mg, Potassium: 97mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 3IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 118mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

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