- Gather Ingredients
Gather the ingredients.
- Prepare Muffin Tin and Oven
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F.
- Mix Sugar, Oil, and Vanilla
Whisk the brown sugar, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl until combined.
- Add Eggs Gradually
Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
- Incorporate Baking Ingredients
Sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into the bowl one at a time, vigorously whisking after each.
- Fold in the Flour
Gently fold in the flour with a silicone spatula just until a few streaks remain.
- Add Shredded Carrots
Fold in the carrots.
- Fill Muffin Cups with Batter
Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of batter in the bottom of each muffin cup.
- Add Cream Cheese to Muffin Centers
Dollop 2 teaspoons of cream cheese into the center of each cup.
- Top with More Muffin Batter
Place another 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of batter over the cream cheese.
- Sprinkle with Sugar
Sprinkle each muffin with turbinado sugar.
- Bake the Muffins
Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, rotating at the halfway point, until a wooden skewer inserted into the side of one of the muffins comes out with a moist crumb or two attached (you don't want to insert it into the middle, or you'll jab the cream cheese). Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Calories:397 kcal
- Protein:10 g
- Carbohydrates:53 g
- Sugar:40 g
- Salt:g
- Energy:1666 kJ
- Fat:23 g
These delightful little carrot cake muffins could not be tastier or easier to assemble. You make them in a single bowl with a whisk and a spatula, and all the ingredients you need are likely already in your pantry.
Cream Cheese + Carrot Cake = Heaven
We stuff these cuties with tangy, unsweetened cream cheese because cream cheese and carrot cake are a match made in heaven. The cream cheese also provides a nice contrast to the lightly sweet muffin. Think slice of carrot loaf cake with a smear of cream cheese and you’ll understand what you’re getting into here.
Sugar and Spice Swaps
We prefer brown sugar in this recipe for the molasses-like flavor it imparts, but you can substitute granulated sugar if desired. To streamline the recipe, we kept the spices to a minimum—just some cinnamon, in fact—but feel free to add a little ginger or cardamom if that’s how you roll.
How to Grate the Carrots
Using oil instead of butter in a muffin recipe makes them really easy to mix together and keeps them super moist (oil + carrots = moist muffins for days). The most «difficult»—if you can call it that—part of this recipe is grating the carrots. We like to use our food processor’s grater attachment, but you can also use a box grater.
When to Serve These Muffins (Hint: Anytime)
These muffins are obviously perfect for breakfast, but would also make a great late morning snack with a cup of coffee, an after-school snack for the kids (or you), or a lovely late-night treat while binge-watching tv. Bottom line: they are fantastic whenever the craving hits.
Never Lose a Recipe Again!
-
Gather Ingredients
Gather the ingredients.
-
Prepare Muffin Tin
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F.
-
Mix Wet Ingredients
Whisk the brown sugar, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl until combined.
-
Add Eggs
Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
-
Add Baking Ingredients
Sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into the bowl one at a time, vigorously whisking after each.
-
Fold in Flour
Gently fold in the flour with a silicone spatula just until a few streaks remain.
-
Add Carrots
Fold in the carrots.
-
Fill Muffin Cups
Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of batter in the bottom of each muffin cup.
-
Add Cream Cheese
Dollop 2 teaspoons of cream cheese into the center of each cup.
-
Top with Batter
Place another 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of batter over the cream cheese.
-
Sprinkle with Sugar
Sprinkle each muffin with turbinado sugar.
-
Bake Muffins
Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, rotating at the halfway point, until a wooden skewer inserted into the side of one of the muffins comes out with a moist crumb or two attached. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips
- When finely grating the carrots, you can use a food processor or a box grater.
- Do not aggressively pack the measuring cups with the grated carrots. They should be loosely packed.
- Add the carrots when you can still see streaks of flour in the mixing bowl, so you don’t over mix the batter.
- A small 2-tablespoon portion scoop works great for portioning the batter into the muffin cups, if you have one.
- You will know the muffins are done when they are dry to the touch (but don’t burn yourself) and when a wooden skewer inserted into the side comes out with a moist crumb or two attached.
- The tops of the muffins may pucker and dip a little once baked due to the cream cheese filling. If you do not use the cream cheese, they will dome.
How to Store
The muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Due to the cream cheese, they cannot be left out on the counter. These muffins do not freeze well, again, due to the cream cheese.
