The first time I used carrots in baking was when my mom requested a carrot cake for one of her birthdays. I didn’t grow up loving veggies, and prior to that I would have said that they don’t belong anywhere near my snacks or desserts. Boy was I wrong! Shredded carrots make an amazing addition to baked goods! Not only do they add a delicious, subtle sweetness to these healthy flourless muffins, but they make them nice and plump as well.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (121 g) rolled oats (quick or old-fashioned)
- 3 tbsp (21 g) ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup (118 ml) pure orange juice
- 6 tbsp (96 g) almond butter
- 6 tbsp (89 ml) maple syrup
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (115 g) shredded carrots
How to Make It
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare a muffin pan by lining the cavities with parchment paper liners. Set aside.
- Add the oats, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a high-speed blender, and process on high for about 10 seconds or until the oats have broken down into the consistency of a fine flour.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the carrots and process on high for about 30 seconds or until the batter becomes smooth and creamy. Periodically stop and scrape down the sides of your blender, if necessary. Finally, fold in the carrots by hand.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 17–19 minutes, until the tops of your muffins begin to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. As soon as they’ve cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
