These sugar free carrot cake muffins are sensationally moist, light and simply mouthwatering! They are 100 % grain free, refined sugar-free and packed with carrots.
I take my recipe testing very seriously and made these low carb carrot muffins three times before I posted them. They were eaten by ten people in total, from different age groups. My type 2 diabetic mother-in-law loved them. My teenagers loved them. Thumbs-up all around!
And what's not to love? These muffins are gluten-free, grain-free, low in carbs and packed with carrots and nuts. They are naturally sweetened with banana and a little additional sweetener.
Since posting this recipe in April 2016, many readers have also made it (I am revising this post in February 2024). From their feedback, I have learned that these muffins are perfect for little people, from toddlers to primary school-age children.
There you go. Whether you call them diabetic carrot cake muffins, low sugar carrot cake muffins or simply healthy carrot muffins for kids - that's all just semantics. It's the flavor that's going to convince you. And the fluffy texture of the crumb.
When a recipe works, it just WORKS.
We like them for breakfast and I can share that they go very well with a cup of coffee. But, they would also make a lovely on-the-go snack.
Ingredients
Here is what you need:
- Carrot - Freshly shredded. Make sure the carrots are grated and not ground to a pulp, which essentially separates the liquid from the fibre. This was the mistake I made in my first attempt! A box grater works well.
- Eggs - These should be room temperature for best results.
- Butter - I used unsalted butter, which needs to be very soft.
- Banana - Must be overripe so they are nice and sweet.
- Almond flour - I always use ground almonds in my recipes, which is the same as regular almond flour.
- Flaxmeal - Ground flaxseed adds fiber!
- Powdered sweetener - Any sugar free sweetener of your choice works in this recipe, from erythritol to xylitol or allulose. In my original recipe, I used stevia sweetener. If the bananas are very sweet, you may decide to omit it altogether. The choice is yours.
- Walnuts - A carrot cake without walnuts is just not complete, and it's the same with carrot muffins!
- Baking powder - make sure that it is fresh, so the muffins rise well and get that all-important fluffy texture
- Cinnamon and Vanilla extract - to add extra flavor
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
It's really simple to make sugar free carrot cake muffins. Here are the basic steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for a detailed method.
Step 1: Blend the eggs, softened butter and bananas until thoroughly combined. I used a food processor. If you use a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric blender, mash the bananas first.
Step 2: Mix in the ground almonds, flaxseed, spices, vanilla, sweetener and baking powder.
Step 3: Fold the grated carrot and the walnuts into the batter with a spatula.
Step 4: Spoon the dough into the muffin pan lined with paper cups. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool completely before you add the cream cheese frosting. The frosting is completely optional - the muffins taste just as good without.
Variations
Dairy-free: Replace the butter with a dairy-free butter such as Violife.
Nut-free: Instead of almond flour, use a 50/50 blend of sesame seed flour and sunflower seed flour. Also, omit the walnuts.
More spices: Feel free to add ginger, nutmeg, cardamom and even a pinch of allspice or cloves.
Recipe FAQs
You can try using applesauce instead. In this case, it ill be necessary to increase the sweetener. Or, try my keto carrot cake recipe. This is banana free. Another option is my sugar free carrot cake, which you can bake as muffins.
I have not tried it yet, but it should work well. Use either a springform pan or a rectangular cake pan, which you line with parchment paper. The baking time will be 50-60 minutes at the same oven temperature.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you store the frosting separately, reheat them for 15 seconds in the microwave before serving. They are delicious warm.
Yes. You can freeze them for up to 3 months, without the frosting.
More Sugar Free Muffin Recipes
- Almond Flour Muffins
- Keto Blueberry Muffins30 Minutes
- Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins35 Minutes
- Coconut Flour Banana Muffins30 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Sugar Free Carrot Cake Muffins
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- 300 g / 3 cups grated carrot
- 5 eggs room temperature
- 180 g / ¾ cup butter, softened
- 2 very ripe medium bananas 200g
- 150 g / 1 ½ cup almond flour or ground almonds
- 30 g / scant ¼ cup flaxseed ground
- 2 tablespoon powdered sweetener
- 50 g / ½ cup walnuts, chopped
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 tablespoon powdered sweetener
- 100 g / ½ cup cream cheese, full fat room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180C / 350F electric or 160C / 320F fan. Line a muffin pan with paper cups or grease a silicone muffin pan.
- Blend the eggs, softened butter and bananas until thoroughly combined.
- Mix in the ground almonds, flaxseed, spices, vanilla, sweetener and baking powder.
- Lastly, gently stir in the grated carrot and the walnuts.
- Spoon the dough into the muffin pan and bake them in the oven on the middle shelf for 30 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- For the frosting, beat the cream cheese with powdered sweetener. Spread onto the muffins once these are fully cooled.
C S
Thank you Katrin.
C S
Hi Katrin, thank you for the great recipe.
In relation to 11/2 tsp stevia, was it typo and what brand?
I am using Lakanto erythritol, how much should I use for the muffin and the icing.
If not having icing,shall I use more erythritol for the muffin.
Many thanks!
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi there, this is a very old recipe of mine and back then I was using a granulated stevia blend that was twice as sweet as sugar. I would suggest that you prepare the batter and then add 1 tbsp of Lakanto at a time to see how much you need. Seeing as the recipe requires 2 overripe bananas, it probably will not be very much.Hope this helps!
MELANIE BARE
going to try this lovely recipe, can i bake at 350 degrees in my convection oven is that equivalent to 180 celsius and if so for the same amount baking time you listed? also did you grate carrots with grater or food processor i want to keep it good consistency thanks for your time
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Melanie, I used an old fashioned hand grater. It makes carrots less slushy than my food processor. Also, 350F should be fine 🙂
Meesh
Hi, yummy recipe that tastes great
Katrin
Chia absorbs a similar amount of liquid to flax, but maybe not quite as much? It may absorb more if it's powdered first, just a thought. You're the judge if your muffins could have been better with more chia in it. You don't want them to be too firm. Another thought - if your butter was liquid as opposed to softened, more might leak and collect under the cups. I hope this helps 🙂
Jacqueline Escolme
Great recipe - thank you! I haven't felt inspired to bake for ages but tried these muffins last night on the girls at dance class and they went down a storm 🙂
Tricia
Hi there, thanks posting this. I’d like to try this recipe in a loaf tin instead of making muffins. Do you think it would hold up well?
Katrin
Yes, absolutely. You may have to increase the oven time by 15-20 minutes. If the top starts to look too brown cover it with a sheet of aluminium foil
Nikki
Great, thanks very much! My one year old is loving the first batch though! Perfect for a great breakfast!
Katrin
If the kids eat it = success 🙂
JAlmond
I've made these at least 6 times & we love them, I'm thinking about substituting Sukrin Gold (which I learned about in your wonderful Cinnamon Roll recipe) for the Stevia, and am hoping you can suggest an equivalent amount of Sukrin Gold to replace the Stevia please.
Katrin
I’m glad you like the recipe!! The granulated stevia I used was twice as sweet as sugar. So to replace it with Sukrin Gold I’d use 2 tsp in the batter. I wouldn’t use it for the icing though, unless you take a batch and powdered it in a food processor. Or crush 1 tsp with a pestle and mortar. Powdered works just better for icings.
Caroline
Thanks! I used a blender for the bananas and butter and eggs at the start which made them quite watery, maybe I'll just mix instead. I'm going to try again today because they smelled so good! P.s. I love the browny recipe!
Katrin
Good luck! I hope this time they'll be a success 🙂
Janet
Hi there Katrina
Such a pretty Name love all of your recipes I'm a type 2 diabetic so any recipe of which is no sugar or stevia is so much healthier I love too cook for My Husband and Friends I will be able too eat just one or shhh two lol lol lol.
So thank you so much for youre recipes.
********** 10 stars
Jan uk
Katrin
Hello Jan! I feel honoured... 10 stars is more than I could've ever hoped for 🙂 I'm so happy you found my site and thank you for your kind words!