GLUTEN-FREE CARROT COCONUT MUFFINS

Gluten-Free Carrot Coconut Muffins are a tasty carrot cake copycat in gluten-free muffin form! These healthy veggie muffins are totally delicious and easy to make!

peasandcrayons.com

I did a little muffin experimentation after a super-sweet reader asked if this recipe could easily be tweaked and made gluten-free.  Well it can.  And I did.  And since I was already at it, I took out the butter, increased the carrots and healthified the crap out of it.

I also decided to deviate from the standard plain applesauce swap.

I found little jars of organic granny smith apple applesauce and just had to have it! As a result, I wound up with muffins that taste like the elicit lovechild of carrot cake and apple pie. Um…. yeah I’m pretty freaking impressed too!

Since I was taste and quality testing, I went havesies with the recipe to make 6 muffins instead of the usual 12.  Though next time I’ll be making a larger batch since a certain neighbor of mine [Love you Kristi!] made off with half of them.  Totally a good sign right?

HONEY WALNUT CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

• 3 Tbsp cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1 Tbsp crushed walnuts
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• a dash of cinnamon
• a few drops of vanilla

Whisk together and top with a sprinkle of crushed walnuts

Paired alongside the cinnamon, carrots and coconut it gives the muffins a hint of apple pie flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.

SERVING SUGGESTION

Drizzle with a little bit of honey walnut glaze and top with a sprinkle of shredded coconut and crushed walnuts. peanut butter and honey makes an amazing topping too! Or simply warm them up and enjoy them straight-up for breakfast the next morning.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP gluten-free all-purpose flour (King Arthur is my favorite)
• 1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup finely shredded/grated carrots
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
• 2.5 TBSP applesauce (I used a granny smith applesauce - delicious!)
• 1.5 TBSP extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil
• 1 large egg (or 1 flax egg)
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon plus a little extra if you're a cinnamon nut like I am

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and get to work!
3. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients [flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, + sugar].
4. Next, add your walnuts and coconut to the dry mixture.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together applesauce, oil, eggs, yogurt and lemon zest.
6. Add carrots to wet mixture.
7. Combine both bowls [wet and dry] by folding the carrot mixture into the flour mixture until a batter is formed. Don't over-mix.
8. Next pour your batter into the muffin liners and bake at 350F for 25 minutes.
9. Do the tooth-pick test around 20-24 minutes to see if they cook a little quickly due to oven variations. Once the tooth pick comes out clean pull them from the oven, remove muffins from the tin and allow to cool on a wire cooling rack.
10. Dig in!

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PREP TIME 15 MINUTES              COOK TIME 25 MINUTES           TOTAL TIME 40 MINUTES

   SERVINGS 6 MUFFINS