These muffins are gluten free and dairy free, which some may associate with being free of all flavor. But be prepared! In the words of my wheat and dairy-loving husband, “these are damn good!”. Baking with almond flour gives muffins and breads a hearty and wholesome flavor and a texture similar to that of whole wheat flour. It’s also gluten free and contains fiber and antioxidants as an added bonus. The original recipe called for raisins but I decided to try it with dates instead, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise. They add the perfect amount of sweetness and a little crunch once they crystallize in the oven. However, if you don’t have dates on hand, give raisins a try!
We like to enjoy these with a cup of coffee before a run or bike ride or alongside a smoothie for brunch. They would even make delicious cupcakes with a bit of cream cheese frosting on top! Mmmm.
Carrot Cake Muffins (adapted from Dishing up the Dirt)
2 cups almond meal*
½ cup shredded coconut
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 ¾ cup freshly grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
2 flax “eggs” (2 tablespoons ground flax + 6 tablespoons water)
¼ cup coconut oil
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
10 dates, pitted, chopped, soaked in water for 15 minutes, and drained
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients together. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir together until combined. Spoon into a muffin pan. If you forgo muffin pan liners, grease with a smudge of coconut oil. Bake for 25-35 minutes. Enjoy!
*If using almond flour, add 1 tablespoon coconut flour. Almond flour is more fine than almond meal and the coconut flour thickens up the batter.
Everett approved! Well, of the carrots anyway.