Easy Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins With Apples

Name: Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins with Apples
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 340 grams gluten-free all-purpose flour (please click through for recommended blends); 90 grams sugar; 2 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 20 grams flaxseed meal; 160 grams milk (whole if possible, cold); 60 grams molasses; 113 grams butter (non-salted, soft); 70 grams sour cream (cold); 2 eggs (cold); 200 grams carrots (peeled and grated); 70 grams apple (peeled and grated); 60 grams pecans (optional, can sub other nut); 60 grams raisins (optional)

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I love this moist savory gluten-free carrot muffins recipe with apples for so many reasons!

They're easy to make: all the ingredients go in one bowl
They're pretty healthy: packed with proteins from flaxseed meal, eggs and optional ad-ins, as well as reduced amount of sugar (check out this post from A Sweet Pea Chef about the benefits of flaxseed meal)
They're customizable: you can add pecans, walnuts, raisins, anything you desire to really make them your own
They stay moist: gluten-free baked goods tend to be dry, but this recipe adds moisture in a lot of clever ways that keeps these muffins from drying out quickly
They aren't crumbly: that's right, it won't disintegrate in your hands!

gluten-free carrot muffins on the counter, one is cut and the inside reveals pecans, raisins, grated apples and carrots; a grater is in the background

I make these for a quick breakfast very regularly. It's also a great way to get my picky toddler to eat vegetables and nuts! They're also great healthy snack idea for starting and keeping New Year's resolutions! You can also check out another of my family's favorite muffins: gluten-free blackberry muffins. And if you're in the mood for a treat with deep flavors, you can also try my gluten-free matcha cookies.

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Ingredients
Instruction
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
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Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins with Apples

Ingredients

The secret to gluten-free baking is to add ingredients that will keep the baked goods moist. Sugars do this naturally since their hydroxyl groups form intermolecular forces with water. However, in this recipe, I wanted to reduce sugar... I replaced some with molasses which adds wonderful flavor and moisture. I am also using flaxseed meal, apples and sour cream, which all contribute to more water being retained in the batter.

Furthermore, my own gluten-free DIY all-purpose mix contains cassava flour, which is one of the highest water absorption flours out there. I also like to add pectin as my hydrocolloid, and it does wonder for moisture! Please note that while I of course recommend using my DIY mix for the above reasons, I have tested these gluten-free carrot muffins successfully with Bob Red Mill 1:1 as well as King Arthur Measure for Measure.

an overhead shot of ingredients resting on the counter: carrots, flaxseed meal, milk, eggs, molasses, sugar, apples, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, butter and flour.

Gluten-free all-purpose flour (click through for appropriate blend, including commercial options)
Sugar & molasses
Cinnamon
Salt
Baking powder
Baking soda
Carrots, grated
Apple, grated
Butter
Milk
Eggs
Flaxseed meal
Sour cream
Optional ad-ins, like pecans and raisins

See recipe card for quantities.

Instruction

4 containers on a counter: a red bowl with gluten-free flour, milk mixed with eggs and flaxseed meal, melted butter and a measuring cup with grated carrots and apples

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Prepare the melted butter, wet ingredients (including flaxseed meal mixed in milk) and the grated carrots/apples.

a red bowl filled with gluten-free flour, and unmixed wet ingredients on top

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.

a red bowl with a brown gluten-free batter

Mix until well combined. This batter is thick.

a red bowl with grated apple and carrot chunks mixed in the gluten-free batter

Add the carrots, apples and any desired ad-ins.

a scoop of gluten-free muffin batter being poured into a prepare 12-hole muffin tin

Scoop a generous amount of batter into each muffin tin.

gluten-free carrot muffins on a cooling rack

Bake at 350F for ~25 minutes (until an inserted toothpick only has a few wet crumbs) and let cool fully.

Hint: resist the urge to take a bite of these moist savory gluten-free carrot muffins with apples as soon as these come out of the oven! I personally really don't like the texture/taste of hot carrots, and they just taste sooo much better fully cooled!

Substitutions

Gluten-free flour - while I love using the DIY mix that I bake with for my business, you can use Bob Red Mill 1:1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure. Make sure your mix has xanthan gum. If you can't have xanthan gum, read through my hydrocolloid post for appropriate replacements.
Sour cream - if you don't have sour cream in the fridge, you can use yogurt in a pinch!
Dairy-free - use almond milk (or coconut milk), vegan butter and vegan yogurt.
Egg-free - there is already a flax egg in this recipe and I do not recommend replacing the remaining eggs. I am working on specifically egg-free recipes (stay tuned), but this isn't the one!

Variations

You can add a lot of ad-ins to this recipe!

Pecans, walnuts - add 60 grams (~¼ cup) of chopped nuts to the batter
Raisins - add ¼ cup of raisins to the batter
Apple sauce - you could use apple sauce instead of grated apples, but I would then omit the sour cream

Equipment

You will need basic kitchen equipment

muffin tray
cooling rack
grater
large bowl

Storage

The whole point of this recipe is to keep the savory gluten-free carrot muffins with apples moist beyond day one. That said, the muffins will keep well for up to 3 days at room temperature, covered with a tea towel. Beyond that, please freeze leftovers.

In fact, if you are the only gluten-free eater in your house and you are making these muffins for quick healthy snacks or breakfast, you could freeze all of them individually wrapped in plastic once fully cooled, for up to a month. Take out of the freezer when ready to use, and thaw to room temperature.

Top tip

I have made this gluten-free carrot muffins recipe both with freshly grated carrots, and with storebought pre-grated carrots. Do yourself a favor and grate your own carrots, it's SO much fresher tasting!

FAQ

Why do I need to use cold ingredients?

If you want a beautiful dome on your muffins, cold ingredients are they key! It makes the center of the muffin (which is geographically speaking, the furthest area from the heat in the hot oven) bake at a different rate than the edges. The edges/top bake quickly, giving us that fat-dome!

Why do I need baking soda?

Baking soda is a leavening agent, it's a base that will react with acidic ingredients in the batter (like apples and sour cream) and produce gases. It is used here with baking powder, and adds to the texture and taste by neutralizing acidic ingredients.

Looking for other ideas for a gluten-free breakfast?

three gluten-free carrot muffins on the counter, one has its liner peeled off and a bite taken

Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins with Apples

These easy gluten-free carrot muffins with apples are moist beyond the first day, they don't crumble like many gluten-free products, and best of all, they're delicious and guilt-free!

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy, gluten-free, healthy

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 45

Servings: 12

Calories: 310kcal

Author: Naelle @ GlutenFreeDIYers

Cost: 11

Equipment

1 large bowl
1 grater
1 muffin tray
1 cooling rack

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

340 grams gluten-free all-purpose flour please click through for recommended blends
90 grams sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

20 grams flaxseed meal
160 grams milk whole if possible, cold
60 grams molasses
113 grams butter non-salted, soft
70 grams sour cream cold
2 eggs cold

Add-Ins

200 grams carrots peeled and grated
70 grams apple peeled and grated
60 grams pecans optional, can sub other nut
60 grams raisins optional

Instructions

Dry Mix

Line a muffin tin with muffin liners, and preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C)
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
Mix well.

Wet Ingredients

Prepare the flax egg by mixing the flaxseed meal and milk together.
If the butter is cold, microwave it in 10 second increments to soften it.
Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the milk.
Pour all the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Mix well. The batter will be thick.

Ad-Ins

Add the carrots, apple, and any desired ad-ins to the batter. Mix well.

Baking

Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop the batter equally into the muffin liners. It should be a very generous heaping spoon of thick batter.
Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 21-26 minutes. The muffins are done when an inserted toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
Cool fully on a cooling rack (I like to cover mine with a tea towel) before eating. Enjoy!

Notes

My DIY all-purpose gluten-free flour batter blend is always my preference, that's what I use for my cottage bakery. However, I also tested successfully with Bob Red Mill 1:1, and King Arthur Measure for Measure.

Nutrition

Easy Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins With Apples

Ingredients

Instruction

Substitutions

Variations

Equipment

Storage

Top tip

FAQ