Cottage Cheese Carrot Cake Muffins are moist, packed with 8 grams of protein, and all the carrot cake favorites like raisins and nuts. Naturally sweet and lightly spiced, they’re spring in muffin form!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
After making cottage cheese muffins and seeing how popular my healthy carrot cake became, I knew I had to combine the two. These cottage cheese carrot cake muffins are just in time for Easter and spring baking.
Soft, cozy muffins that have all the flavors of classic carrot cake, but in an easy, everyday version you can enjoy for breakfast, stick in a lunchbox, or savor as a little afternoon pick-me-up with coffee.
They’re easy to make, come together in one bowl, and the blended cottage cheese adds 8 grams of protein and makes the muffins super moist.
Carrot cake muffins with cottage cheese – so delicious, no one will guess what’s hiding inside!
Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Carrot Cake Muffins
- Cottage cheese: Replaces some of the oil, keeps the muffins moist, and adds a protein boost. Any brand and fat percentage will work.
- Egg: Blended with the cottage cheese for structure, moisture, and richness.
- Maple syrup or honey: To sweeten these cottage cheese muffins naturally without refined sugar. You can use any liquid sweetener.
- Oil: I used avocado oil, but you can also go for light olive oil.
- Milk: You can use dairy or plant-based milk, I used unsweetened almond milk to reduce calories.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract will add the best flavor.
- Cinnamon: For that classic carrot cake warmth. You can always add nutmeg, allspice or ginger too. Have fun!
- Baking essentials: Baking powder and baking soda give the muffins their lift and fluff.
- All-purpose flour: I do like to use white flour in cottage cheese muffins because it’s absorbent giving muffins structure and soft texture. See Flour Substitutions below if you want to try other flours.
- Carrots: Finely grated and not squeezed carrots to hide them and add moisture and sweetness.
- Add-ins: Raisins, toasted coconut, and walnuts for extra flavor and crunch.
Recipe Tip
All add-ins are personal taste. Omit raisins or coconut flakes, use all or only nuts. It’s totally up to you, do what you like!
Flour Substitutions
Here are a few flour swaps that work perfectly in this cottage cheese carrot cake muffin recipe.
- Whole wheat flour: Try 1 1/2 cups. You can swap in spelt flour or white whole wheat at the same ratio.
- Gluten-free flour: Gluten-free flour soaks up more moisture than regular flour. It may work here, you might want to add a touch more milk.
- Oat flour: Works well, just measure by weight. This recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups.
- Almond flour or coconut flour: They don’t bake like all-purpose flour, so I wouldn’t swap them in for this recipe.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Carrot Cake Muffins
Prep is easy and only takes 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 F and prep your muffin tin with liners and a light spray.
- Blend the cottage cheese: Toss the cottage cheese and egg in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl. Add maple syrup, oil, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Add the carrots and flour: Stir in the shredded carrots, then gently mix in the flour just until combined. Fold in raisins, coconut, and walnuts.
- Fill and bake: Scoop the batter evenly into your prepared muffin tin. Bake for 23–25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool for about an hour on a wire rack to get the best texture, then enjoy!
Tips for Best Results
Quick tips for perfect cottage cheese carrot muffins every time.
- Muffin batter should be thicker: Should be on the thicker side. Depending on your cottage cheese, you might need to add a splash more milk. Mine is pretty liquid here in Canada.
- Don’t overmix: Just give batter a gentle stir, overmixing will make your muffins tough.
- Don’t overbake: Watch them closely so they stay soft and moist, not dry. Remove as soon as toothpick comes out clean.
- About carrots: Grate them small and don’t squeeze out the moisture.
How to Store
Store: Put your muffins in a bag or container, and they’ll stay fresh on the counter for 2-3 days.
Freeze: Transfer cooled baked muffins to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Carrot Recipes to Try
Healthy Carrot Muffins
Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Carrot Cake Loaf
Healthy Carrot Cake Bars
Cottage Cheese Carrot Cake Muffins
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup maple syrup, or honey
- 1/4 cup oil, I used avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons milk, I used unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes, toasted
- 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped & toasted
- Cooking spray, I use Misto
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin tin with muffin liners and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a blender, add cottage cheese and egg, blend until smooth.
- Pour into a large mixing bowl along with maple syrup, oil, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk well until no white lumps of baking powder are visible.
- Add carrots and mix with spatula. Add flour and gently mix just until combined. Fold in raisins, coconut flakes and walnuts.
- Divide batter evenly between 12 openings of previously prepared muffin tin. Bake muffins for 23-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven, cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 1 hour for the best texture.
Notes
- Store: To prevent muffins from drying out, place in a resealable bag or airtight container and store on a counter for 2-3 days.
- Freeze: In an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
