These vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Pecan Spice Muffins are incredibly moist and deliciously sweet. You won’t believe they’re 100% whole foods, plant-based. There’s no refined sugar, syrup, flour, or oil!
Warming pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves combine with texture from raisins and pecans. These will take you back to your childhood – with memories of carrot cake and spiced bread.
Dad’s Carrot Cake
My Dad is irresistible. He’s one of those guys that seems to get along with everyone. If you walk into a party, there’s Bud Simmons, offering you a drink and already telling corny jokes. I inherited his love for learning and adventure – adopting the curiosity for travel that has led both of us across the country on road trips. He has always been a role model for creating time for fitness. He would go for 5am runs while we still slept, coming home in time to shower and take us to school.
If you ask my Dad what his favorite cake is, he’ll tell you “Carrot Cake”. As a kid, I never understood this. Why would anyone throw away their chance for dessert on something as healthy as carrots? Only my Dad would choose this – the same dad who would request a “black bean sub without cheese” at Subway long before vegan was a thing. For me, though? I didn’t comprehend. Get rid of those vegetables and make room for more chocolate and fudge, please.
As an adult, though, I get it. The little bits of raisins, grated carrots, and pecans play together with delightful textures. Warming spices like ginger, clove, and nutmeg comfort you to the core. Plus, all of these healthy ingredients make it much acceptable to enjoy it for breakfast 🙂 Yes, learning from my Dad on this one – a slice of carrot cake, warmed slightly in the microwave for 20 seconds makes the best “Breakfast Dessert” ever.
Re-Making His Favorite Dessert into a Plant-Based Muffin
Well, Dad would be proud of this plant-based version of his favorite treat. Whole grain oat flour replaces refined white for a gluten-free option that also creates a fluffy texture. Dates, raisins, and banana are pureed to replace refined syrup or oil. This makes a batter that is sweet and moist – without all of those empty calories.
The spices have been simplified to a blend of Pumpkin Pie Spice. I kept all of the bits and pieces he loves – healthy carrots, raisins, pecans. However, you can add your own beloved variations here. Grated zucchini, dried currants, and sunflower seeds would all work well. There’s even room for vegan chocolate chips.
Portioned into muffins, you can enjoy one or share some – it’s up to you. This batter also works great as a traditional cake. Simply pour it into a 9-inch round cake pan that’s been lined with parchment. Increase the baking time to 50-60 minutes, until it passes the toothpic test.
Slather these with Cinnamon Cashew Cream for dessert. Or make a batch to bring for brunch. Whatever you do, make extra. Just like Dad – they’re irresistible.
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Baking Tips
Grate your own carrots: If you prefer to grate your own carrots, 1 grated carrots yields about ½ cup grated. You’ll need about 3 carrots for the 1 ½ grated carrots in this recipe.
Oat Flour for Baking: Whole Grain Oat Flour is great to use in your plant-based baking! It’s naturally gluten-free. Plus, it has nutty flavor and light, fluffy texture. You can swap out 1/4 of white or whole wheat flour with oat flour in any recipe
Pumpkin Pie Spice: Pumpkin Pie Spice is a blend that contains cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. You can make your own blend, or buy a good-quality organic blend.
Inspired by Susan’s Fat Free Vegan Kitchen recipe on Forks Over Knives: This recipe was inspired by the Easy Vegan Carrot Cake recipe I saw on the Forks Over Knives’ site. You can pour this batter into an 8-inch square or round baking pan for a cake version. Top with Vanilla Cashew Frosting and decorate with chopped pecans. No one will believe it’s gluten-free, oil-free, and vegan!
Other dried fruits: Instead of raisins, you can use other dried fruits like currants, golden raisins, or chopped apricots.
Oil-Free Baking: I’m on a Mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in refined oil. This recipe uses applesauce and whole foods to replace oil. For spray-free baking, use parchment muffin liners.
Baking Without Refined Sugar or Syrup: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories. This recipe doesn’t use any refined sugar, maple syrup, or other refined sweetener. Dried dates provide sweetness, along with healthy fiber and essential nutrients.
Nut-Free Tip: If you need to keep these muffins nut-free, you can swap out the almond milk for a nut-free plant-based milk. Soy milk and oat milk work best to maintain a light, fluffy texture for this recipe. Omit the pecans or substitute with sunflower seeds.
Pumpkin Pie Spice adds a pop of flavor with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground clove 
Dates, raisins, and bananas replace sugar and syrup for healthy, whole food natural sweetness 
This healthy gluten-free batter is made with whole grain oat flour 
Grated carrot and raisins add interesting texture to these muffins 
This healthy gluten-free batter is made with whole grain oat flour 
Decorate the muffins with a pecan half before baking 
Carrots, spice, and pecans – these gluten-free, plant-based muffins are awesome! 
Carrot Spice Muffins – Healthy, Whole Food, Plant-Based, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan Baked Recipe from Plants-Rule
Gluten-Free Carrot Pecan Spice Muffins
- Medium
- Servings: 12
- Ready In: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
If you like these, try: Whole Grain Blueberry Oat Muffins, Zucchini Oat Bread, and Spelt Banana Walnut Bread.
Gluten-Free Carrot Pecan Spice Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups 12 oz unsweetened almond milk
- 3/4 cup 125g pitted dried dates
- ¾ cup 120g raisins, divided
- 1 ripe banana 1/2 cup, mashed, about 110g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups 157.5g oat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ 100g cups finely shredded carrots
- ½ cup 2 ounces pecans pieces + 12 pecan halves, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-count muffin tray with Parchment paper liners**. If using traditional paper liners, you will need to spray them with oil to prevent sticking
- For the wet mixture: In a blender or a deep bowl, combine the almond milk, dates, ½ cup (80g) of the raisins, the banana, and vanilla. Use the blender or use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Be sure the mixture is completely smooth – let your blender run from 45-60 seconds to ensure the dried fruits are well-blended.
- For the gluten-free dry mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, Pumpkin Pie Spice, and salt.
- To make the Gluten-Free Carrot Pecan Spice Muffins: Pour the wet mixture into the dry. Whisk together until well-combined. Add the remaining ¼ cup (40g) raisins, the shredded carrots, and the pecan pieces. Fold together until well-incorporated.
- Portion the batter evenly between 12 muffin tins, filling each one nearly to the top. Garnish each muffin with a pecan half, pressing the pecan into the batter lightly.
- Bake the muffins 30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
- Let cool 10 minutes before serving or storing.
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 12.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 225 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 5 g | 8 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 1 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 2 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 264 mg | 11 % |
| Potassium 339 mg | 10 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 43 g | 14 % |
| Dietary Fiber 5 g | 18 % |
| Sugars 23 g | |
| Protein 5 g | 10 % |
| Vitamin A | 13 % |
| Vitamin C | 3 % |
| Calcium | 54 % |
| Iron | 9 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- Arrowhead Mills Flour Oat Organic, 16 oz
- Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Deglet Noor Dates (Pitted), 2 Pounds
- Standard Paper Cupcake Liners
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