If you’ve ever wished you could have carrot cake for breakfast, get ready to fall in love! This Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe delivers all the nostalgia, coziness, and spicy-sweet flavor of your favorite dessert—tucked into a tender, bakery-style muffin with a dreamy cream cheese swirl. Perfect for brunches, snacks, or gifting to friends, this treat wraps everything you love about classic carrot cake into a handheld, make-ahead delight that just begs to be shared.

Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

Every element in this Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe serves a delicious purpose. From the sweet, earthy carrots to the tangy cream cheese and heady spices, you’ll love how simple pantry staples layer up to create incredible flavor, texture, and that irresistible carrot-cake color!

All purpose flour: The foundation for light, fluffy muffins that hold everything together beautifully.
Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and also helps with that perfectly golden muffin top.
Brown sugar: Provides extra moisture and a hint of molasses richness—key for that true carrot cake flavor!
Baking powder: Ensures these muffins rise nice and tall.
Salt: A must for balancing sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors.
Ground cinnamon: The quintessential carrot cake spice, giving warmth and depth.
Ground ginger: Adds subtle zing to complement the sweetness.
Ground nutmeg: Brings a gentle nuttiness to the spice mix.
Ground cloves: Just a pinch! It lends an unmistakable aromatic touch.
Eggs: Bind the batter and give it structure and richness.
Buttermilk: Makes the muffins lusciously tender and gives a tangy undertone.
Vegetable oil: Keeps the crumb ultra moist (no dry muffins here!).
Vanilla extract: Enhances the sweet and spicy flavors – a bakery must-have.
Grated carrots: The star of this Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe, they add color, sweetness, and that essential carrot cake vibe.
Cream cheese: Softened and swirled in for that rich, decadent cheesecake-like surprise inside.
Egg yolk: Gives the cream cheese layer extra richness and helps it set inside the muffin.
Granulated sugar (for filling): Sweetens the swirl and keeps it creamy-dreamy.
Vanilla extract (for filling): A double-dose of vanilla takes these muffins over the top.

How to Make Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the Cream Cheese Layer

Begin by placing your room temperature cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Beat it with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until it’s completely smooth and creamy. Add in the egg yolk, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract, then beat again to combine everything evenly. Once your filling is silky and luscious, tuck the bowl into the freezer while you assemble the rest of your batter. This quick chill helps keep your cream cheese swirl from seeping into the muffins during baking—so you get a beautiful ribbon of tangy filling in every bite!

Step 2: Prep the Carrots

Using a box grater or cheese grater, freshly grate two cups of carrots. Go for the thin, even shreds—they blend in seamlessly and deliver that iconic carrot cake flavor. Avoid pre-shredded carrots, as they tend to be drier and don’t quite give you that tender bite.

Step 3: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir with a spoon until everything is well mingled. Pre-mixing the dry ingredients means your spices and leaveners distribute evenly, so each muffin emerges with perfectly balanced flavor.

Step 4: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Use a spatula or an electric mixer on low speed (about 30 seconds) just until the mixture is smooth and the eggs are well incorporated. This creamy base ensures the muffins are light and fluffy—not heavy or dense.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry, Then Add Carrots

Gradually add your dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Don’t overdo it! Then, gently fold in the grated carrots. The batter will be quite thick, but that’s exactly what you want—it bakes up into muffins with a bakery-style crumb and plenty of carrot flavor.

Step 6: Rest the Batter and Preheat Your Oven

Cover your mixing bowl with a kitchen towel and let the batter rest for 15 minutes. This little rest helps the flour hydrate and makes for a fluffier, higher-rise muffin. During this time, preheat your oven to 425ºF. Line your muffin tins and get everything ready for assembly!

Step 7: Assemble with Cream Cheese Filling

After the batter has rested, you’ll start layering: Add 1-2 tablespoons of thick muffin batter to each liner, then plop 1-2 tablespoons of your cold cream cheese mixture right in the center. Cover with more carrot cake batter, filling the muffin cups all the way to the top—they should look generously full! A tip: Make sure the cream cheese is nestled in the center, not too close to the top, or it might bubble out during baking. For a bakery touch, sprinkle each muffin with a little sanding sugar before they go in the oven.

Step 8: Bake to Perfection

Bake the muffins at 425ºF for the first 7 minutes—this creates a tall, domed top. Then, without removing them from the oven, lower the temperature to 350ºF and continue baking for another 12 to 15 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the muffin (avoid the cream cheese center); it should come out clean. Let your Carrot Cake Muffins cool in the pan for about 15 minutes to set up, then transfer to a rack. Repeat the process for any remaining batter, remembering to bring the oven heat back up for the next batch!

How to Serve Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe

Garnishes

A simple dusting of powdered sugar makes these muffins look like they came straight from a bakery window. For special occasions, try a drizzle of quick vanilla glaze or scatter some finely chopped toasted pecans on top. If you’re feeling fancy, a sprinkle of cinnamon or a few shreds of fresh carrot brighten up the presentation and call out those classic carrot cake cues.

Side Dishes

The Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe is delightful with a steaming mug of coffee or a cold glass of milk, making them the star of a relaxed breakfast. For brunch, serve with a spread of fresh fruit, creamy Greek yogurt, or a platter of crisp apple slices. Pairing with savory egg dishes—think a fluffy scramble or frittata—makes for a balanced meal that’s sure to please a crowd.

Creative Ways to Present

For gifting, pile the muffins into a rustic basket lined with a gingham napkin, and tuck in a small jar of honey or homemade jam. Set up a “build-your-own” muffin bar with bowls of cream cheese, honey butter, and fruit preserves for guests to slather on as they please. Or display on a cake stand at your next celebration—no one will ever guess how simple the Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe is to pull off!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Allow the muffins to cool completely before storing to keep them from getting soggy. Pop them into an airtight container, and they’ll stay moist and fresh at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want them to last longer—especially with the cream cheese filling—store in the fridge, where they’ll keep beautifully for up to 5 days.

Freezing

You can absolutely freeze leftover muffins for quick treats later! Once cooled, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap, then tuck into a freezer bag or airtight container. They’ll keep their flavor and texture for up to 2 months, so it’s easy to stash a batch for busy mornings or surprise guests.

Reheating

For that fresh-from-the-oven taste, pop refrigerated or thawed muffins in a preheated 300ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes—or give them a 20-second zap in the microwave. If rewarming from frozen, thaw at room temperature overnight or use the microwave’s defrost setting. The cream cheese swirl softens right up, just like fresh!

FAQs

Can I use pre-shredded carrots for this Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe?

Freshly grated carrots are best, as they’re softer and release moisture that keeps muffins tender. Pre-shredded carrots don’t break down as well and can leave the muffins a bit dry.

What’s the secret to getting a high-domed muffin top like a bakery?

Baking your Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe first at a high temperature (425ºF), then lowering it, gives the muffins an initial boost of steam. This rapid lift helps them rise tall and get that gorgeous domed look!

Can I add nuts or raisins to the Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe?

Absolutely! Feel free to fold up to 1 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or golden raisins into the batter with the carrots. It adds great texture and flavor—just like classic carrot cake.

Can I make these muffins gluten-free?

Yes, simply substitute your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend for the all purpose flour. Just be sure to check all your other ingredients for potential gluten sources.

How do I know the cream cheese filling won’t sink or melt into the muffins?

Chilling the cream cheese layer in the freezer before assembling helps keep it in place. If you layer it deep in the center of the muffin and bake as directed, you’ll get a beautiful ribbon of filling right in the middle!

Final Thoughts

If you’ve never tried a Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe before, now’s the time to let this sweet, spiced, creamy treat win your heart! Whether you’re baking for family, friends, or just a little afternoon pick-me-up, these muffins capture everything you love about classic carrot cake in a portable, joyful package. Go ahead—preheat that oven, grate some carrots, and make your morning a little more magical!

Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe

★★★★★

5.1 from 11 reviews

Author: lilan
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: Makes 12 muffins 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

Delicious and moist Carrot Cake Muffins with a surprise cream cheese filling. These muffins are perfect for breakfast or as a sweet treat any time of day.

Instructions

Cream Cheese Layer: Place cream cheese in a mixing bowl, beat until smooth. Add egg yolk, sugar, vanilla extract; beat until combined. Chill in freezer.
Muffins: Grate carrots. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. In a larger bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients. Fold in grated carrots. Rest batter for 15 mins.
Assemble: Fill liners with batter, add cream cheese mixture, top with more batter. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
Bake: Bake at 425ºF for 7 mins, then reduce to 350ºF for 12-15 mins. Cool in pan for 15 mins before removing.

Notes

Freezing the cream cheese filling helps prevent it from melting into the muffins.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Breakfast, Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 muffin
Calories: 320
Sugar: 24g
Sodium: 280mg
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 65mg

Keywords: Carrot Cake Muffins, Cream Cheese Filling, Breakfast, Baking, Muffin Recipe