Vegan Carrot Coconut Muffins

Easy, perfectly spiced vegan carrot coconut muffins that are soft, fluffy, and moist. The texture is further elevated with the addition of shredded coconut.

Bake and serve at breakfast or for snacks and you can make them plain or customize with the add-ins of your choice. These easy vegan muffins are simple to make, dairy-free, egg-free, and can be made gluten-free if needed.

Everyone will love these flavour-packed vegan carrot coconut muffins based on my carrot muffins but with a little twist! They're quick and easy to make and you'll thank yourself for making them this weekend so you can enjoy them throughout the week.

And that doesn't just apply to this recipe, it applies to all of my vegan muffin recipes, they make the perfect grab-and-go snacks.

I like to make them just as the recipe is written, but you'll also love that they're customizable, allowing you to include your favourite add-ins, I give some ideas below.

Let's go through the details so you too can have something delicious to snack on this week!

Ingredients You'll Need

Ingredient and Substitution Notes

Flour - You'll need to use all-purpose white flour for this recipe.

Make it gluten-free: Use Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend in the RED bag for vegan gluten-free carrot coconut muffins. Any other gluten-free flour on its own, like almond, oat, or coconut flour, will NOT work, it must be this specific blend to get the same results I do. This version requires a shorter baking time, see the notes in the recipe below.

I haven't tested this recipe with any flour other than the two listed above.

NOTE: To ensure your muffins turn out perfectly, it's important to measure your flour accurately. Check out this article "How to Measure Flour Correctly" before you start baking.

Shredded Carrots – You'll need freshly grated carrots. Grate the carrots finely using the smallest holes on your box grater or the smallest shredding blade on your food processor. I know taking a shortcut is tempting, but don't use pre-grated or matchstick store-bought carrots. These carrots have lost most of their moisture so they're too dry for this recipe.

Sugar – You can use either brown sugar or coconut sugar, but take note that each requires a different amount. I haven't tried using liquid sweeteners like pure maple syrup, agave, or any other sugar alternatives.

Applesauce - Use unsweetened, unflavored applesauce. It keeps the muffins moist and acts as a substitute for some of the oil, reducing the amount of oil needed.

Oil - Use a neutral-flavored vegetable oil like refined avocado, safflower, or sunflower oil. You can also use melted coconut oil, but make sure the other ingredients are at room temperature to avoid it solidifying. I haven't tried making these muffins without oil.

Flax Eggs – This recipe is made without eggs, so ground flax seeds and water are used to make a vegan egg replacement. Chia eggs can be used instead of flax to keep the recipe eggless.

Spices – The spices are essential for flavour, I don't recommend leaving any of them out.

How to Make Them

(Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions in the recipe card at the end of this post.)

Make the muffin batter by mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl, and mixing the wet ingredients in another. Combine the two mixtures, then stir in the shredded coconut.

If you'll be using an add-in, fold it into the batter when you add the coconut, and take care not to overmix.

Use a spoon or a trigger ice cream scoop to distribute the muffin batter into a prepared muffin pan. This helps ensure that all muffins are the same size and finish baking at the same time.

Carefully remove the muffins from the pan and place them on a cooling rack.

Enjoy them warm or fully cooled!

TIP: Treat yourself and enjoy your muffin with a homemade hot drink like an almond milk latte or a creamy vegan hot chocolate!

Storing and Freezing

Store your muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for up to four days.

Freezing

After they've cooled, wrap them individually, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze them for up to two months.

Thaw them at room temperature and enjoy. They can be warmed up a little before serving if you prefer.

Craving more muffins? Check out these other muffin recipes for inspiration!

Tips for Success

• Measure and have all your ingredients ready to go before starting. This will make the process run smoothly, quickly, and easily.
• Measure your ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a scale (this is the one I have) and my weight measurements. Please read my article about how to measure flour correctly.
• Avoid using store-bought shredded carrots, instead, start with fresh carrots, peel and shred them yourself. Pre-shredded carrots lack moisture and won't work well in this recipe.
• Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. If they aren't fresh, your muffins will not rise properly and will have a dense texture.
• Use a trigger ice cream scoop to distribute the batter into the muffin pan. This ensures that each muffin will be nearly identical in size and will finish baking simultaneously.
• Take extra care not to over-bake or your muffins will dry out and be crumbly.
• Read this post from top to bottom before you start. I’ve shared many tips throughout so you get everything right. Also, read through the full recipe before getting started.
• Follow the recipe exactly as it’s written for the very best results.

If You Make This Recipe...

Please leave a comment and star rating below; I'd love to hear how the recipe worked for you and what you think about the muffins.

You can also pin this recipe on Pinterest or share a photo on Instagram and tag me (I’m @delightfuladventures over there!)—I enjoy seeing your remakes!

If You Like This Recipe...

Try these next!

• Vegan Banana Oat Muffins
• Vegan Oatmeal Muffins
• Vegan Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
• Vegan Applesauce Muffins
• Vegan Sweet Potato Muffins