Carrot Cake Muffins

If you love carrot cake, you will flip for these carrot cake muffins! They’re moist, perfectly spiced, and basically everything you love about the cake in convenient muffin form.

As much as I adore vegan carrot cake and carrot cake cupcakes , they’re not exactly breakfast food—I mean, that’s a LOT of frosting for the morning. These carrot cake muffins have all that deliciousness in a form that’s a little more appropriate for your AM meal, swapping the cream cheese frosting for a drizzle of glaze. They’re also a bit lighter than traditional carrot cake, swapping some of the oil for yogurt. They’re light, fluffy, and just lovely!

Why These Carrot Cake Muffins Are a Hit

I just know you’re going to love this recipe as much as I do. Here’s what makes these muffins so special!

• Made with pantry ingredients . Don’t be fooled by the long list of ingredients! So much of what you need for this recipe is probably in your pantry already—there are a lot of spices and baking basics here.
• Moist yet light and fluffy . Carrot cake tends to be dense and heavy, but these carrot cake muffins have a lighter crumb. Don’t worry, though, they’re still super moist just like a good carrot cake!
• That signature carrot cake flavour . I use the same spices as traditional carrot cake, so you get all that warmth and cozy goodness you expect in these carrot cake muffins.

Notes on Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these delightful carrot cake muffins! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

• Oil – Melted coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil.
• Sugar – Brown, coconut or cane sugar
• Vegan yogurt – I love my homemade vegan yogurt , but store-bought is fine too.
• Vegan milk and vinegar – You’ll combine these to make vegan buttermilk .
• Gluten-free flour – Or regular all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder and soda
• Sea salt
• Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and ground cloves. Or simply use pumpkin pie spice.
• Vanilla extract
• Unsweetened applesauce – An easy vegan egg replacement !
• Carrot cake add-ins – Raisins, shredded carrot, unsweetened shredded coconut flakes, and walnuts.
• Glaze – Vegan milk, powdered sugar, and vegan cream cheese (if you’d like, for a bit of tanginess!).

How to Make Carrot Cake Muffins

You’ll find the complete instructions for these carrot cake muffins in the printable recipe card, but here’s a quick overview of the process.

Mix the first 3 ingredients.

• Prepare . Preheat your oven to 425ºF and prep your muffin pan.
• Mix the first three ingredients . Beat the oil, sugar, and vegan yogurt for about 3 minutes.
• Make the buttermilk . Whisk together the milk and vinegar and set this aside to thicken a bit.
• Mix the dry ingredients . Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and spices in another bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients.

• Combine the wet ingredients . Add the applesauce, vanilla and buttermilk the oil mixture.
• Finish the batter . Stir half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in the carrots, raisins and walnuts, then stir in the remaining dry ingredients.

Bake the muffins.

• Bake . Divide the batter into 12 muffin cups. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350ºF and bake for 13 to 15 minutes more.
• Cool . Let the carrot cake muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Glaze . Mix the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl, then drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins.

Tips and Variations

• Make your own powdered sugar . Here’s how to make powdered sugar if you realize you’re out!
• Use freshly grated carrots . Avoid using pre-shredded carrots as they tend to be larger, thicker, and drier, so they won’t add as much moisture to the muffins.
• Measure the muffin batter . Using a measuring cup ensures that all your muffins are the same size, which is the best way to make sure they all finish baking at the same time.
• Let them cool completely before glazing . Patience is key when it comes to glazing. Make sure the muffins are at room temperature before you pour on the glaze; otherwise, it will melt and run off instead of setting nicely.
• Swap out the glaze . The glaze is optional, but if you’d like a different topping, try sprinkling coarse Demerara sugar on top of the muffins before baking.

How to Store

• Room temperature : Keep these carrot cake muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezer : To freeze these muffins, let them cool completely and then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for about an hour before transferring them into a freezer-safe bag or container. They will last for up to 3 months stored this way. Thaw overnight in the fridge or microwave individual muffins for a quick breakfast or snack.

More Vegan Muffin Recipes

• Apple Streusel Muffins
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
• Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
• Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
• The Best Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

• ¼ cup oil , ( 60 g) melted coconut oil, olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 cup sugar , ( 200 g) brown, coconut or cane sugar
• ¼ cup vegan yogurt , ( 57 g)
• ¾ cup vegan milk , ( 180 mL)
• 1 teaspoon vinegar , for a buttermilk effect
• 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour mix , (I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour) ( 296 g). You can also use regular flour, but adjust to 240 g)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder , ( 14.4 g)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda , ( 3 g)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt , ( 5.6 g)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon , ( 2.3 g) or 1 ¾ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for all the spices listed
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce , or Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer equivalent
• ¼ cup raisins , ( 72 g)
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• ½ cup walnuts , ( 50 g)
• extra raisins and walnuts to top the muffins for looks

Glaze

• 1 ½ tablespoons vegan milk
• 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegan cream cheese , softened, optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Spray a muffin pan with non-stick flour spray or rub with vegan butter and dust with gluten free flour, removing excess. Or line with cupcake liners.
• In a bowl of a mixer, mix the oil, sugar and vegan yogurt together for about 3 minutes.
• In the same cup to measure out the vegan milk, add the vinegar and let it sit to curdle while you mix the dry ingredients.
• In another small bowl, mix the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves together in another container. Set aside.
• In the oil, sugar, yogurt mixture, add the applesauce, vanilla and buttermilk to combine for another 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl.
• Add in half the flour mixture to the bowl, stirring gently to combine. Add in the shredded carrots, raisins and walnuts , then the second half of the flour. This helps to ensure the fill-ins get properly floured so they don’t sink to the bottom. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.
• Using a hefty ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop the batter into each of muffin hole; evenly distributing amongst all 12 muffins holes.
• Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350℉/180℃ and bake for another 13-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Remove (using the same toothpick to go gently around the edges or a dinner knife if not in cupcake liners) and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze Recipe

• Whisk the powdered sugar, vegan milk and vegan cream cheese until completely combined and there are no lumps. If you want your glaze thinner, add a little bit more milk; if you want it thicker, add more powdered sugar.
• Pour glaze over the cooled muffins – about a teaspoon per cupcake.
• Allow to set (about 5 minutes) and enjoy!

Notes

• If you can’t find organic powdered sugar, you can make your own powdered sugar .
• Room temperature : Keep these carrot cake muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezer : To freeze these muffins, let them cool completely and then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for about an hour before transferring them into a freezer-safe bag or container. They will last for up to 3 months stored this way. Thaw overnight in the fridge or microwave individual muffins for quick breakfasts or snacks.

Carrot Cake Muffins

Ingredients

• ¼ cup oil ( 60 g) melted coconut oil, olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 cup sugar ( 200 g) brown, coconut or cane sugar
• ¼ cup vegan yogurt ( 57 g)
• ¾ cup vegan milk ( 180 mL)
• 1 teaspoon vinegar for a buttermilk effect
• 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour mix (I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour) ( 296 g). You can also use regular flour, but adjust to 240 g)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder ( 14.4 g)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda ( 3 g)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt ( 5.6 g)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon ( 2.3 g) or 1 ¾ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for all the spices listed
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce or Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer equivalent
• ¼ cup raisins ( 72 g)
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• ½ cup walnuts ( 50 g)
• extra raisins and walnuts to top the muffins for looks

Glaze

• 1 ½ tablespoons vegan milk
• 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegan cream cheese softened, optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Spray a muffin pan with non-stick flour spray or rub with vegan butter and dust with gluten free flour, removing excess. Or line with cupcake liners.
• In a bowl of a mixer, mix the oil, sugar and vegan yogurt together for about 3 minutes.
• In the same cup to measure out the vegan milk, add the vinegar and let it sit to curdle while you mix the dry ingredients.
• In another small bowl, mix the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves together in another container. Set aside.
• In the oil, sugar, yogurt mixture, add the applesauce, vanilla and buttermilk to combine for another 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl.
• Add in half the flour mixture to the bowl, stirring gently to combine. Add in the shredded carrots, raisins and walnuts , then the second half of the flour. This helps to ensure the fill-ins get properly floured so they don’t sink to the bottom. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.
• Using a hefty ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop the batter into each of muffin hole; evenly distributing amongst all 12 muffins holes.
• Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350℉/180℃ and bake for another 13-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Remove (using the same toothpick to go gently around the edges or a dinner knife if not in cupcake liners) and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze Recipe

• Whisk the powdered sugar, vegan milk and vegan cream cheese until completely combined and there are no lumps. If you want your glaze thinner, add a little bit more milk; if you want it thicker, add more powdered sugar.
• Pour glaze over the cooled muffins - about a teaspoon per cupcake.
• Allow to set (about 5 minutes) and enjoy!

Notes

• If you can’t find organic powdered sugar, you can make your own powdered sugar .
• Room temperature : Keep these carrot cake muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezer : To freeze these muffins, let them cool completely and then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for about an hour before transferring them into a freezer-safe bag or container. They will last for up to 3 months stored this way. Thaw overnight in the fridge or microwave individual muffins for quick breakfasts or snacks.

Nutrition

Carrot Cake Muffins https://jessicainthekitchen.com/carrot-cake-muffins-vegan-gluten-free/ April 4, 2025

These vegan burritos are packed with walnut “meat”, plant-based cheese, beans, seasoned rice, and all your favourite fixings! Wrap them up and freeze them for easy meals.

I am head over heels in love with these vegan burritos. Birds are singing. The sun is shining. The tortillas are toasty and crisp and filled with vegan cheese, walnut meat, and rice. Oh yes! You can customise these burritos to your liking, but friends, please don’t skip that perfectly seasoned walnut “meat”—it’s unbelievably delicious. (You can also use it for vegan tacos !)

What Makes These Vegan Burritos the Best

There are so many ways to do burritos, from veggie-packed to vegan breakfast burritos , but this recipe is kind of like the OG Taco Bell burrito, with your classic ground beef, beans, cheese, and rice filling. Here’s why you’ll love ‘em.

• Perfect for meal prep . These burritos are so easy to make that they’re worthy of making at least once a week for your weekly meal prep routine.
• That vegan walnut meat . When developing this recipe, I knew that I didn’t just want a bean burrito, I wanted a burrito that also gave me kind of a vegan meat feel. I immediately ran to my walnut meat recipe. It’s one of my go to vegan “meats”—and it’s also delicious in my Asian lettuce wraps .
• Easy to make your own . Feel free to put your own spin on this vegan burrito recipe. I share some inspiration later in this post!

Notes on Ingredients

Gather up these ingredients and start rolling those vegan burritos! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Walnut Meat and Bean Filling:

• Raw walnuts – Soak these overnight or place them in boiling water for 10 minutes.
• Oil
• Water
• Onion and garlic – To make the walnut meat flavourful.
• Soy sauce – Or tamari or coconut aminos .
• Liquid smoke – I love the smokiness this adds! If you’d rather skip it, add extra soy sauce.
• Seasonings – Chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, sea salt and ground black pepper.
• Black beans

Seasoned Rice:

• White or brown rice
• Seasonings – Paprika, salt, and pepper
• Tomato paste – Or tomato sauce.

To Assemble:

• Tortillas – The biggest ones!
• Salsa or pico de gallo – I love this blender salsa recipe.
• Guacamole – Here’s my go-to guacamole recipe.
• Vegan cheese – Any kind of shredded vegan cheese you like.
• Lettuce – Leave this out if you’re meal prepping your burritos, as it will wilt.
• Hot sauce or diced jalapeños
• Lime crema – Or vegan sour cream , spicy mayo or your sauce of choice and the juice of a lime.

How to Make Vegan Burritos

The full instructions for making these vegan burritos are in the recipe card below, but here’s a brief overview of the steps involved.

Make the walnut meat.

• Process . Add the walnuts to your food processor, along with a tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoons of water. Pulse until the walnuts are minced. (Remember, we want the texture to resemble cooked ground beef!).
• Cook the filling . Heat the remaining oil in a pan set over medium heat. Cook the garlic and onion and once they’re softened, stir in the walnut mixture. Add the soy sauce, liquid smoke, and seasonings, followed by the beans, then cook for 5 minutes more.
• Prep the rice . Stir the cooked rice with the tomato paste and seasonings.
• Heat the tortillas . You can do this in a pan over medium heat or in the microwave. This makes them more pliable.
• Assemble . Add the rice, walnut meat, lettuce, cheese, salsa, guacamole, hot sauce, and crema, in that order. Roll the burritos tightly.
• Optional: toast the burrito . If you’d like, you can toast the burritos in a lightly oiled pan set over medium heat. Cook first with the seam side down, then flip and cook the other side.

Tips for Success

• Don’t overstuff the burritos . It can be tempting to load them up with ALL the things, but it will make your burritos hard to roll and even harder to eat.
• Finish off your burritos on the stove . This step is optional but it’s so worth it! It helps seal the burrito, it adds some crispiness to the exterior, and it melts all the cheese inside.
• Take some shortcuts . Don’t feel like you have to make the guac and salsa from scratch—store-bought is just fine too!

Variations

• Make them burrito bowl style . If you’re not into burrito rolling, you can add all the burrito fillings to a bowl instead. See my vegan burrito bowls for inspiration.
• Swap out the rice . Cooked quinoa or cauliflower rice can be used instead of traditional rice.
• Try another meat . If you have nut allergies, you can use your favourite plant-based ground beef instead of walnuts or add extra beans.

How to Store and Reheat

• Refrigerator : Wrap the burritos in foil and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer : Wrap the burritos in foil, then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• To reheat : Warm up the burritos in a 350ºF oven, the air fryer , or the microwave. Once the filling is warm, you can toast them in a skillet as directed in the recipe for a crispier exterior.

More Vegan Meal Prep Ideas

• Vegan Fajita Bowls
• Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice
• Apple Pie Overnight Oats
• 5 Mason Jar Salads To Meal Prep for a Week of Lunches
• Vegan Sushi

Ingredients

Vegan Walnut Meat

• 1 cup raw walnuts , soaked overnight or in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drained. 120 g
• 2 tablespoons oil , 30 ml
• 2 tablespoons water , 30 ml
• 1/2 medium onion , diced, about 60 g
• 3 cloves garlic , peeled and minced, about 9 g
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce , 30 ml
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke or just more soy sauce , 2.5 ml
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder , 1.5 g
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder , 3 g
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika , 1 g
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin , 1 g
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt , 3 g
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper , 1 g
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans , about 1 can, 260 g

Seasoned Rice

• 1 1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice , 285 g
• about 1/4 teaspoon each of paprika, salt and pepper , 0.5 g paprika and black pepper, 1.5 g sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon tomato paste , or 1 tablespoon tomato sauce, 2.5 g

Vegan Burritos

• 8 large burrito wraps , (approx. 25cm / 10-inch diameter each)
• 1 cup salsa or pico de gallo , homemade or storebought, 240 ml
• 1 cup guacamole , homemade or storebought, 240 ml
• 1 1/2 cups shredded vegan cheese , 100 g
• 2 cups lettuce , shredded or chopped or julienned
• hot sauce or diced jalapenos
• 1/2 cup lime crema , or vegan sour cream or spicy mayo or your sauce of choice + juice of a lime, about 30 ml

Instructions

Vegan Walnut Meat

• In a food processor, add the drained walnuts, 1 tablespoon of oil and the 2 tablespoons of water and pulse about 10 to 20 times until it is ground down into a kind of mince.
• In a pan over medium heat, add the last tablespoon of oil. When hot, add in the onion and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes. Add in the walnut meat, stir to combine, and then add in the soy sauce, liquid smoke, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, sea salt and ground black pepper. Add in the black beans, stir, and allow to saute for another 5 minutes. Taste and add more seasonings if desired. Remove from heat and set aside.

Seasoned Rice

• In a separate bowl, add the tomato paste/sauce, paprika, salt and pepper to the warm rice. Stir to combine and set aside.

Vegan Burritos

• Heat the pan over medium heat one more time. Place a wrap in the heat for about 15 seconds on each side to heat up. Or, microwave the wrap for about 15 seconds. This helps to make the wrap more flexible and less likely to tear. Set on a plate or board to assemble.
• Divide the ingredients equally between your wraps. Assemble the ingredients around in a line so it’s easy to remember what to add.
• Layer them: Burritos Seasoned Rice Walnut Meat (or crumbled veggie burgers) Lettuce Cheese Salsa Guac Hot Sauce/Jalapenos Lime Crema
• Place the ingredients in a narrow line, and position your hands so that they are on either side of that line. Then fold the burrito in on the sides of the line, tucking it in, then rolling up the bottom flap of the burrito, rolling away from you. Slowly tuck and wrap, wrapping tightly over the filling, until fully rolled up. Wrap up, cut in half, and enjoy! You can also serve the ranch dressing on the side.
• Heat back up the pan over medium heat and lightly oil. Back in the pan, place the burrito seam down, and let it cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until the wrap is fully sealed and the burrito is golden brown. Flip, and do the other side for 2 minutes.
• Repeat the same for all the burritos. Slice the burrito in half, wrap in foil (optional), and enjoy!

Notes

• Refrigerator : Wrap the burritos in foil and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer : Wrap the burritos in foil, then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• To reheat : Warm up the burritos in a 350ºF oven, the air fryer , or the microwave. Once the filling is warm, you can toast them in a skillet as directed in the recipe for a crispier exterior.