Spiced Carrot Muffins

These spiced carrot muffins are like a classic carrot cake but with a deeper, richer flavor! Dates add a sweet richness to the muffins, while grated carrots add the classic taste and texture, creating an incredibly moist treat. Topped with a walnut streusel, this muffin holds balanced flavors perfect for a snack, breakfast, or a gift for others!

Why I love this recipe.

Carrots are one of those items that you wouldn’t typically think of when it comes to baked goods. We usually gravitate towards chocolate or other fruit flavors. But carrots have an innate sweetness that actually makes them the perfect candidate for any baked dessert. And when it comes to the fall, there’s no reason why carrots can’t be the star of the show.

These spiced carrot muffins combine a few of my favorite things when the weather turns cooler outside: dates, molasses, and deep spice notes. So whether you want a simple snack to serve that lends toward the “healthy” side, or you need a hearty breakfast to pair with coffee, these muffins have you covered. Plus, they’re super easy to whip up, even with a streusel topping. The most time-consuming thing you’ll have to do with this recipe is wait by the oven for them to be done baking. You’re going to love them!

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Dates are an easy choice for a sweet choice. They are naturally like candy with a soft, chewy texture that is sweet. The flavor is complex, with hints of molasses and caramel.
• Carrots, because of their sweetness, are a natural choice for muffins, especially ones that tend to be considered healthier. While they do contain sugar, their sweetness means that less white sugar has to be added and still satisfies all palates.
• Walnuts are a healthy way to add a rich texture to baked goods. The toasted walnuts take on a deep flavor that works well in the streusel.
• Ground ginger adds warmth to the muffins, which makes them feel even cozier when in a cold season, like fall. Ginger also has slightly peppery notes, which adds to the complexity of the overall muffins.
• Cinnamon has natural sweetness, and even though you don’t think about sugar when it comes to cinnamon, it can work to enhance the perceived sweetness of the muffin. This allows no extra sugar to be added, which is great when trying to achieve a healthier muffin recipe.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Mix everything together until it is homogenous.

2. Create the batter. Using a grater, shred the carrots. Add the carrots to the dry ingredients along with molasses. In a smaller bowl, break the eggs and lightly beat them, then add to the rest of the ingredients. Next, chop the dates into small pieces, removing the pit. Lightly chop the walnuts. Add the dates and walnuts to the rest of the ingredients, along with the melted butter. Fold all of the ingredients together. Line a muffin baking tin with paper baking cups and portion the batter into each one.

3. Create the streusel. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, and walnuts. Pour over the melted butter and mix until the butter has clumped together with the dry mix. Then, portion it evenly across the top of each unbaked muffin.

4. Bake the muffins. Place the muffins in a 350°F oven for 18 to 22 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• To chop the dates easier, place them in the freezer. Chilling them will remove some of their tackiness and prevent them from sticking to your hands or the knife.
• After adding the final ingredients to the dry mixture, fold them together. You do not want to overmix, and it is perfectly fine if the batter still has some dry mixture. Just be sure to break up any of the pieces of dates that may have stuck together as you are folding everything.
• Using an ice cream or cookie scoop helps portion out the batter quickly and easily. It also makes sure the muffins are similarly sized so they all bake at the same rate.
• To test whether the muffins are done baking, use a large skewer or cake tester. After inserting it into the center of a muffin, there shouldn’t be any sticky residue left on the tester.

You’ll love these other muffin recipes.

• French toast muffins
• Chocolate chunk muffins
• Banana chocolate chunk muffins
• Pumpkin cheesecake muffins
• Cinnamon roll muffins
• Rhubarb muffins