These Carrot Coconut Muffins are fluffy, flavorful and crazy easy to make. They’re great for breakfast but you’ll totally want to munch on them all day long!
Carrot Coconut Muffins
Delicious bakery-style muffins that taste like coconut-kissed carrot cake!
tell me more!
*runs through the kitchen squealing*
So fluffy!!!!
These carrot coconut muffins are super soft and flavorful, and have the perfect hint of sweetness without giving you the sugars. I heart them so.
They’re good with frosting, icing, glaze, and are even delightful drizzled with honey and peanut butter! Even without all the fancy-schmantzy toppings they are so so so good. And even BETTER the next day… and the day after that… and I could go on, or I could just demand that you make them.
Even as I type this, I’m staring down the last muffin. I want to save him for breakfast tomorrow, but the chances of him surviving the day are slim to none. I *think* that’s a sign that I need to get started on my second batch.
And I’ll share! Er.. maybe. You’ll probably have to bribe me.
muffin update:
I made more and actually did share this time… and they were kiiiiind of a hit.
Ok they were a huge hit, and now I’m once again out of muffins!
I’ve also been asked to bring a batch to Zumba next week because my friends are now thoroughly addicted to them. WOOT!
Carrot Coconut Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup thinly shredded/grated carrots
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- 5 TBSP butter, melted and cooled
- 3 TBSP oil
- 1 tsp lemon zest (or zest of 1 lemon)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp cinnamon (plus extra to taste)
- You’ll also want to grab some paper muffin liners to keep the muffins nice and soft!
Honey Walnut Cream Cheese Glaze:
- 3 TBSP cream cheese
- ½ tsp honey
- 1 TBSP crushed walnuts
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- a dash of cinnamon
- a few drops of vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a muffin tin with paper liners and get to work!
- In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients [flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, + sugar].
- Next, add your walnuts and coconut to the dry mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, oil, eggs, yogurt and lemon zest.
- Add carrots to wet mixture.
- Combine both bowls [wet and dry] by folding the carrot mixture into the flour mixture until a thick batter is formed without over-mixing.
- Next pour your batter into the muffin liners and bake at 350 for 23-25 minutes.
- Do the tooth-pick test around 20-24 minutes to see if they cook a little quicker due to oven variations, since all our ovens march to the beat of their own drums from time to time.
- Once the tooth pick comes out clean pull them from the oven, remove from the tin, and place on a cooling rack to cool.
- FOR THE GLAZE: Bring cream cheese to room temperature to soften, then whisk together and top with crushed walnuts and a bit of shredded coconut for garnish.I go light on the glaze so I can inhale multiple muffins, but feel free to double or triple the glaze recipe. It’s good on everyyyything! =)
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try these Carrot Coconut Muffins, let me know!
You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
serving suggestion:
Drizzle with a little bit of honey walnut glaze and top with a sprinkle of shredded coconut and crushed walnuts. Peanut butter and honey makes another amazing topping. Or simply enjoy them straight-up for breakfast the next morning. They taste great the day of… and even better the next day!
TO STORE: wrap each cooled muffin in saran wrap and pile them in an air-tight container.
GLUTEN-FREE? Try [this] variation of the recipe!
Can’t find your muffin tin? Whip up a big fluffy loaf of bread if you’d prefer it. Simply grease the pan as per your usual method, (butter, spray oil, coconut oil, whatevs) and bake! A 9×5 loaf will take about 45-55 minutes but two smaller loves will take approx 35.
I like variety so I typically will bake a small loaf, reserving 1/4 of the batter for a few muffins. Basially adjust times to the size of the batter — a big loaf pan filled to the brim will take longer than a few small loaf pans or muffins. A lesson I learned the hard way oh-so long ago, lol!
Yummy! Just had these hot from the oven. I made a dozen and a half because I wasn’t sure how full to fill the cups. So, mine are smaller and not domed high like yours but they sure are tasty. I like that they are super sweet. I didn’t have cream cheese so I skipped the topping. The only other change was using whole wheat PASTRY flour fir the wheat flour. Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you loved them Wendy! Great to know it works fabulous with WW Pastry flour! I’ll have to try it out! <3
Um, AMAZING!!!
I’ve been wanting to make carrot cupcakes for a while and I’m so glad I found these pinned on Pinterest! Thanks so much!
FYI: I used half almond flour and half ww pastry flour, and coconut oil- My husband had two before they even cooled down! Awesome recipe
They’re fairly nutrient dense but I don’t have the analysis done yet — I’m going to try to take some time this month and enter a number of my recipes into a calorie/nutrient calculator and I’ll post all the results when I get them! Thanks Jamie!
…would anyone happen to know the nutrition info on this?
Probably some of the best muffins i have ever made……they were so tasty i had one if tem instead of corn on the cob which i saying something haha, thankyou for posting this I think its my new favorite muffin recipe!
Carrot and coconut in a healthy muffin? Yes, please!!! And I don’t like the “m” word either. I’m going to skip over and go right to they were fluffy:-)
hahah I remember that line!!! love that movie!!
hahaha i love Mean Girls! i just watched it last weekend, quoting the entire time! those muffins look delicious!
Haha Yess!!!!! Will do! <3
I’m coming to your house for breakfast tomorrow! Save me a dozen of these yummies! 🙂
Ha ha! It’s amazing how much our tastes change as we grow! Have a fabulous weekend Jenn!
These look wonderful! Coconut is another ingredient that I disliked when I was younger but love now. I am always happy to find tasty new muffin recipes!
I loathed coconut when I was younger too! Now I want to marry it. Sorta =) Happy Friday Skye! Thanks!
Yum!!! These look awesome!!! I’m totally gonna make these…like right now…
Oh my – those look fabulous. And here I thought you weren’t a baker???
Yum, yum, yum!!! These look delicious!
Turns out I can make baller muffins. I’ve made like 3 batches already — who knew?! haha
I know that your muffin is the most moist of them all.
Absolutely loving the Mean Girls reference!! 🙂 (and the muffins!)
I’m making the Daddio carrot cake for a late bday slash Father’s Day. These look so good!!
The “fluffy” comment got me thinking the movie Despicable Me where the little girl gets the stuffed animal and says “IT’S SO FLUFFY I’M GONNA DIE!!” 😉
YUM! I love coconut and anything (and I mean anything) with coconut in it. And the glaze is a wonderful bonus!
This looks amazing! Coconut and carrot sounds so healthy but delicious!
I’m in a coconut kick. Thanks for reading my mind.
You go Glen Coco!
Bahaha I was thinking that when I wrote it! It’s one of my favorite movies of all time!
Its like coconutty spiced carrot cake… ah i love. Thanks Tiffany!
That looks SO GOOD!!!
Interesting combo, but you know what? I think it works! Anything with coconut I am game for.
OMG! Delish! Love the coconut and carrot combo, but the glaze – mouth-watering!! YUM!
I’ve made so many variations of muffins – but yet to have tackled carrot! Need to make these!
Yes please! This would be perfect road food for a road trip this weekend!
Oh wow these look AWESOME, Jen!! I don’t think that last one would survive until tomorrow morning in my house, either. 😉 My sweet tooth just couldn’t handle it!
These look beautiful! I love using carrots in sweet treats! And the coconut on top looks gorgeous!
Those look amazing! Do you think I could swap gluten free flour for the wheat?
Seriously, have I mentioned how much I love you?!! These look awesome!!
Oh man this is just what I need before I head out the door for work!
Those look SO good! What a fabulous recipe!! 😀
The title has me cracking up! I love that movie!! Oh, and the muffins look tasty too. ☺
They look delicious! I have to try those!
Thanks lovahh!
ahh yes! good idea!!!! I decided I have to make another batch now b/c everyone I know in town is harassing me for these. One batch for them…. one for me! =)
honey + walnut are hot and heavy. best pair ever =)
ahhh are you back now!? I have been nutso ovah here — ooh! and LMK if this manages to find its way into your email? my comment notification thingie just updated to a newer version!
My food science is a little rusty but it might still work out fine as a GF muffin!!! They will be denser for sure — I think it’s worth a test run!
Yes , you can use Gluten-Free flour in this recipe it worked out fine.
I use Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1 flour, also replaced the sugar with Xylitol. or you can sub
with Granulated Monk Fruit, Natvia, Sukrin, etc.for a healthier sweetener.
Absolutely delicious Jen
So super glad to hear it Wanda, thank you!! Love BRM flour and can’t wait to try these with the GF blend!
Ohhhh… I want! Especally wit that sauce.
Missed you and WIAW!!!
Honey walnut cream cheese is my favorite to pick up at Einstein when we get bagels in the office. So I imagine I would also enjoy the glaze just as much…