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Cream Cheese Swirled Cinnamon Carrot Cake Muffins. Better than you could get at any coffee shop, these muffins melt in your mouth. Soft carrot cake made with shredded carrots, sweetened with maple syrup, swirled with cream cheese, topped with sweet cinnamon sugar, and served warm. Enjoy these just as they are, or serve with a smear of sweet butter and sea salt. Perfect for all of the spring weekends, especially Easter Sunday!
I probably have well over a dozen cookie recipes, multiple pumpkin muffins, many types of banana breads, and far too many blueberry muffins. But carrot cake? I think I have 2 or 3 variations of carrot cake.
I’m sure I’ve shared this before, but I didn’t grow up with carrot cake. Everything sweet in my house was chocolate-focused. Well, other than my dad’s cinnamon toast that he’d often make us for breakfast.
Everything was CHOCOLATE.
Zero complaints, of course, but this means I missed out on every other type of sweet. We definitely did not venture over to carrot cake territory.
In the 10+ years of creating new recipes daily (that’s not too many, right?) I’ve occasionally strayed away from chocolate treats. I certainly have a decent amount of fruit-based desserts. But still, I haven’t really gotten into carrot cake.
So when I had this idea for a carrot cake muffin, I was excited to test it out. Especially after my cousin Abby confirmed she’d definitely be into a carrot cake muffin.
I am so glad I made these!! We’ve been loving them, and they’ll be great for upcoming spring gatherings, and then, of course, Easter!
Here are the details
This is all made in one bowl. Simply mix the wet ingredients with the dry and that’s it. Use avocado oil or melted coconut oil, then mix in maple syrup as the sweetener. Mostly because I LOVE the warming flavor that the maple syrup adds to baked goods. Now mix in the eggs and lots of vanilla.
And then the carrots! I used a good amount of freshly shredded carrots, which keep the muffins sweet and moist.
For the dry ingredients, you’ll need whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and then the spices. Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg for a touch of cozy flavors.
Mix everything together, then divide the batter between muffin cups. Add a cube of cream cheese to each muffin. If you don’t love cream cheese, you can omit it, but I think it works well with the flavors in the carrot cake.
And then, the secret to these muffins, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar over each unbaked muffin.
As the muffins bake, oh my gosh, your kitchen will smell incredible. It’s the cinnamon that always does it. Just like your favorite bakery. A little butter and sea salt on top is the perfect way to enjoy these muffins. It melts deliciously into every nook and cranny.
Of course, it’s not needed, but it sure makes every warm bite just that more delicious.
Looking for other sweet recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Blender Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Giant Double Blueberry Muffin Cookies
Bakery Blueberry Vanilla Crunch Muffins
Blueberry Swirl Coffee Cake Muffins
Baked Chocolate Fudge Glazed Doughnuts
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Lastly, if you make these Cream Cheese Swirled Cinnamon Carrot Cake Muffins be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Cream Cheese Swirled Cinnamon Carrot Cake Muffins
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories Per Serving: 255 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 cubes
- 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.2. In a large bowl, stir together the oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Stir in the shredded carrots. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until just combined. 3. Divide the batter among the prepared pan. Push 1 cube of cream cheese into each muffin, using a spoon to cover the cube. It's OK if not all the cream cheese is covered. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over each muffin. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until just set. Serve with butter and sea salt (if desired) on top.
Hi! Did you let the cream cheese sit out so that it softened before putting in the middle of the muffin? Recipe says cubed, but in your video it looks very creamy.
Hi Alexia,
I did! It’s always important for your ingredients to be at room temp when baking:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Hi there,
I live in Europe and can’t access solid cream cheese – can I sub for regular Philadelphia or the like? Many thanks!
Hi Magda,
Totally, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
They were okay, the cream cheese didn’t really spread out and was just a huge chunk in the middle. My kids wouldn’t even eat them. Better off just make a cream cheese frosting.
Hi Natalie,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! Please let me know if I can help in any way! xx
These muffins are great!!! moist and not to sweet. I used organic unbleached flour, instead of pastry and they turned out perfect. I only made 1/2 a batch and the recipe worked out perfect cut in half.
Hi Pattie,
Happy Monday!! ☀️⛅️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
These are delicious!👍
Hi Catherine,
Happy Monday!! ☀️⛅️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Wondering if you can freeze these muffins?
Hey Corey,
Sure, that would work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I made these for my step son, who is away at college, and they were so yummy my husband asked for a batch of his own. They were easy to make and very good!
Hey Kristen,
Happy Friday!!☀️🐰 Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was delish! xT
Wow these muffins are so delicious!
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks so much Monica!! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! xT
Made these today and they came out perfect! They’re moist and not overly sweet, will definitely save this recipe to make again! Thanks
Hey Amber,
Fantastic!!🐣 Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
How would we adjust baking time for mini muffins?
Hi Julia,
These are mini muffins:) Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Just like every other recipe I’ve tried by you, these are amazing!
I cut the fat down and subbed with apple sauce. Definitely can eat it without guilt now😁
How do you store them? I’d like to think we have some self control and won’t inhale them!
Hey Nadia,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for trying it out! You can store in an airtight container at room temp. xx
Did you use 1/2 cup apple sauce in place of the coving oil?
Opps coconut oil!*
Make these this morning with gf flour. They turned out great! Probably should have made a double batch they are almost all gone.
Hey Brittney,
Happy Sunday!💐 I really appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was a hit! xT
I love these muffins!! I switched some of the whole wheat flour out for oat flour and added turbinado sugar on top for an extra crunch. It turned out delicious and I even got my dad to eat some extra carrots! Thanks for the great recipe!
Hey Emma,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad it was a hit! Have a great weekend:)
Looking for a new healthy carrot type muffin recipe for school snacks and wanted to leave the cream cheese out… should I add extra oil or anything to keep them moist? Thanks
Hey Elisabeth,
Nope, you can just skip the cream cheese, no big deal:) I hope you love this recipe, let me know how it turns out! xx
Made these last night…just happened to have everything on hand and they did not disappoint! Super yummy! Absolutely loved them! Brought one to work today to have with my morning coffee and can’t wait! Thank you for another yummy recipe 🙂
Hey Debbie,
Fantastic!!🌻 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for trying it out! xT
I have been dreaming about these since I made them last weekend – they are SO GOOD. I’m making a special trip to the grocery store tonight to get carrots so I can make more!
Hey Lindsey,
Fantastic!!🌻 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for trying it out! xT