Tag

carrot

Browsing
Dairy-Free

The BEST Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

By

Carrot cake is my all-time FAVORITE kind of cake! And a few weeks ago I realized – I’ve made healthy carrot cake cookies, gluten-free carrot cake muffins, and even carrot cake baked oats but I’ve never made an actual carrot CAKE before. I know, I was shocked too. So I found the time and started recipe testing!

I knew my carrot cake had to be a few things – one bowl, gluten-free, and easy to make. I also really wanted to keep this gluten-free cake recipe to taste as close to the real thing as possible. I wasn’t willing to compromise on taste or texture, so after a few (failed) tests I finally did it! The BEST EVER gluten-free (and can be made dairy-free) carrot cake, made in one bowl, and oh-SO delicious.

gluten free and dairy free carrot cake ingredients on a table.

Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

  • Moist and Flavorful: This cake boasts a tender crumb, infused with warm spices and the natural sweetness of carrots.​
  • Simple Ingredients: Crafted with everyday items, making it accessible and easy to prepare.​
  • Versatile and Inclusive: Easily adaptable to various dietary needs without compromising on taste.
gluten free carrot cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting cut into on a plate.

Sam’s Recipe Tips

  • Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure eggs and dairy-free alternatives are at room temperature for a smoother batter.​
  • Grating Carrots: Use freshly grated carrots for optimal moisture and flavor.​
  • Frosting Consistency: Adjust the amount of milk in the frosting to achieve your desired thickness.​

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Dairy-Free: Use non-dairy cream cheese, butter, and milk alternatives in both the cake and frosting.​

Vegan Option: Replace eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water per egg) and use all dairy-free substitutes.

Make it Nut-Free: Omit the walnuts and ensure all other ingredients are free from cross-contamination.​

close up image of gluten-free carrot cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting on a plate.

Storage Instructions

  • Refrigeration: Store the frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.​
  • Freezing: For longer storage, freeze unfrosted cake layers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to three months. Thaw and frost before serving.
4.67 from 3 votes

The BEST Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

This gluten-free cake is simply heavenly – and made in just one bowl! It's bursting with warm spices, shredded carrots, and topped with a luscious cinnamon cream cheese frosting. This cake is an incredible treat for any occasion!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 9 servings

Equipment

  • 2 large bowls
  • 1 9×9-inch baking pan
  • 1 hand or stand mixer

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar, or coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil I used olive oil
  • 1/4 cup milk I used non-dairy almond milk
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
  • 1/2 cups walnuts chopped
  • 1/2 cup raisins optional

For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting:

  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened (I used non-dairy cream cheese)
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened (I used non-dairy butter)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk I used non-dairy almond milk
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar or brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
  • Add in the gluten-free all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk everything together into a smooth batter. Then, add in the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts, and use a spatula to fold those ingredients into the batter.
    gluten-free-carrot-cake-step-02
  • Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted down the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool inside the baking pan for 15 minutes then carefully remove the cake from the pan by sliding a sharp knife around the outside edge of the cake. Transfer the cake to a wire cooling rack and let it cool completely before frosting.
  • Once the cake is cool, make the cinnamon cream cheese frosting by adding all frosting ingredients to a large bowl and beating with either a hand or stand mixer until fully combined. Start by using just 3 tablespoons of milk in the frosting, then add an additional tablespoon of milk if the frosting is too thick.
  • Spread the frosting into an even layer over the top of the cooled carrot cake. Either serve cake immediately or cover and store in the fridge for up to 1 week!

Notes

Nutrition info may vary depending on the brand of ingredients used. The above nutrition info was calculated to include the cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Sugar: 26g
View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

By
close-up overhead image of shrimp spring rolls on a plate with peanut sauce.

Fun and delicious shrimp spring rolls with an irresistibly good peanut dipping sauce! These spring rolls are an easy and exciting way to pack veggies into your diet – they’re super healthy and tasty.

overhead image of shrimp spring rolls on a plate with peanut sauce on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Spring Rolls Rice Wrappers – These light little rice-based wraps are what hold these spring rolls together! I’ve had lots of luck finding these at my local grocery store, in the ethnic food aisle. However, if you can’t seem to track these thin rice sheets down, I recommend ordering these on Amazon. Leftover rice wrappers? Try making my summer rolls recipe next!

Cooked Shrimp – Buy pre-cooked shrimp, or quickly boil it yourself before adding to your shrimp spring rolls. The only thing to note here is that you must remove the tails from your shrimp for this recipe! Removing the tails can happen either before or after cooking – it makes no difference.

Fresh Mint and Cilantro – These Asian-inspired rolls taste extra fresh thanks to a few sprigs of fresh mint and cilantro! I highly recommend adding fresh herbs to your rolls. Though if you don’t like cilantro, or don’t like mint, simply swap it out for a different fresh herb.

Peanut Butter – Unsweetened creamy peanut butter is the base to our peanut sauce. However, if you don’t like peanut butter, you can use cashew butter instead. Or, for a nut-free version, try tahini!

Soy Sauce – Found in most Asian recipes, soy sauce adds the perfect savory component to this dish. However, you can certainly swap out the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos if that’s more your thing.

shrimp spring rolls on a plate with peanut sauce and fresh limes on the side.

Tips on Handling Rice Wrappers

  • Submerge one rice wrapper at a time in the water! If you attempt more than one, they’ll stick together and you won’t be able to separate them.
  • Don’t leave the rice wrapper in the water for too long. Just 5 seconds submerged in a shallow bowl of warm water will do the trick. Leaving the wrapper to soak for too long will make it too soft and difficult to handle.
  • Place each rice wrapper (one at a time) on a damp paper towel or dish cloth before filling and rolling. The wrapper will lift easily off the damp cloth, making rolling a breeze. If you place the rice wrapper on a kitchen counter or cutting board, it’ll stick and be a nightmare to remove!
shrimp spring rolls being dipped into peanut sauce.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: For vegan spring rolls, use extra firm tofu cut into strips in place of the cooked shrimp!

Make it Gluten-Free: The only non gluten-free ingredient in this recipe is the soy sauce. Therefore, use tamari instead, which tastes just like soy sauce but is 100% gluten-free!

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
Pin
Print

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainDifficulty: Medium
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

Fun and delicious shrimp spring rolls with an irresistibly good peanut dipping sauce! These spring rolls are an easy and exciting way to pack veggies into your diet – they’re super healthy and tasty.

Ingredients

  • 12 spring roll rice wrappers

  • 1-2 pounds cooked shrimp, shells and tails removed

  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks

  • 2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into matchsticks

  • 1 English cucumber, sliced into matchsticks

  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

  • For the peanut sauce:

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, unsweetened

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

  • 1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced

  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely minced

  • 2-3 tablespoons warm water

Directions

  • Fill a shallow bowl with warm water. Submerge one sheet of rice wrapper in water for 5 seconds, then transfer to a clean, damp dish towel.
  • Place 2-3 shrimp, a small handful of vegetables, and a few fresh mint and cilantro leaves in the center of the wrapper. Then, fold the end closest to you over the filling, tuck sides in and towards the center, and finish rolling to create a sealed spring roll. Repeat this process with remaining rice wrappers.
  • Make the sauce by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking to combine.
  • Serve shrimp spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce on the side.

Recipe Video

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Healthy Carrot Cake Cookies (gluten-free!)

By
Close-up overhead image of carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.

Soft and perfectly sweet carrot cake cookies with a cream cheese icing! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. These healthy carrot cake cookies are the perfect springtime (or anytime) treat!

Healthy gluten-free carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.

What You’ll Need to Make Carrot Cake Cookies

Oat Flour – Either homemade or store-bought oat flour will work in this cookie recipe! Oat flour replaces all purpose flour, making these cookies gluten-free.

Almond Butter – Smooth and unsweetened almond butter helps hold these cookies together. If you don’t have almond butter, you can use any other nut or seed butter you’d like. Cashew butter would make a great substitute here!

Maple Syrup – These healthy carrot cake cookies are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. The maple adds a touch of flavor, and the perfect amount of sweetness.

Shredded Carrots – Wash and peel about three large carrots, then run them down a box grater to make shredded carrots. Or, to make things even easier, simply buy pre-shredded carrots from the store for this dessert recipe!

Overhead image of healthy gluten-free carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.

Tips and Tricks

  • Gently flatten each carrot cake cookie before baking. If you skip this step, they’ll bake up like round little balls. Therefore, for a more classic flat-looking cookie, give them a gentle press right before putting in the oven.
  • Allow your cookies to cool completely before icing! If the cookies are still too warm when iced, the cream cheese icing will melt and slide right off. (I’ve learned from my mistakes here – ha!)
  • These cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. However, if you live in a warm client/are baking these in the summer – it’s best to store them in the fridge instead. If the cookies with cream cheese icing are left in too warm of an environment, the icing may melt and spoil.
close up image of a healthy gluten-free carrot cake cookie with a bite taken out.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Dairy-Free: While the cookies themselves are already dairy-free, make a dairy-free cream cheese icing by subbing your favorite non-dairy cream cheese, butter, and milk.

Make it Vegan: For vegan carrot cake cookies, replace the egg with a flax egg, and take the dairy-free icing option above!

Close-up overhead image of carrot cake cookies on a baking sheet.
5 from 3 votes

Carrot Cake Cookies

Soft and perfectly sweet carrot cake cookies with a cream cheese icing! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. These healthy carrot cake cookies are the perfect springtime (or anytime) treat!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 1 large bowl
  • 1 medium bowl
  • 1 large baking sheet

Ingredients

For the dry ingredients:

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup oat flour made by pulsing rolled oats in a blender until ground into a flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the wet ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup almond butter unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted (or butter)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg at room temperature
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans unsalted
  • 1/4 cup raisins

For the cream cheese icing:

  • 1/4 cup cream cheese softened (I used non-dairy cream cheese)
  • 3 tablespoons butter softened (I used non-dairy butter)
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk (I used non-dairy milk)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Then, in a separate bowl, add all the wet ingredients except the carrots, walnuts, and raisins, and whisk to combine.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use mix until fully combined. Then, fold in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins.
  • Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheet and slightly flatten each ball with the palm of your hand.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Then, transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • While cookies cool, make the cream cheese icing by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking until smooth and well-combined. Then, spread or pipe cream cheese icing on top of each cooled cookie.

Notes

Nutrition info is for one cookie out of 24 cookies and does not include the cream cheese icing.
  • These cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. However, if you live in a warm client/are baking these in the summer – it’s best to store them in the fridge instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Sugar: 5g
View Post
By
Dairy-Free

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing

By
healthy carrot cake muffins with cream cheese icing on top, stacked on top of each other.

Perfect carrot cake muffins, made healthy! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, yet oh-SO delicious. These healthy carrot cake muffins come together in just one bowl, in about 30 minutes!

What You’ll Need to Make Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

Oat Flour – You can either buy pre-ground oat flour, or simply grind oats into a flour yourself. I always make my oat flour myself because it’s cheaper, and super easy. To do this, place rolled oats into a blender and blend until a flour forms, and no large oats pieces remain.

Apple Sauce – If you don’t have any apple sauce, feel free to use 1/2 cup of mashed banana instead! Though if you do use apple sauce, please make sure it’s unflavored and unsweetened for this recipe.

Maple Syrup – These refined sugar-free carrot cake muffins are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. I love the flavor of maple syrup in these muffins, you won’t even miss the sugar. However, if you don’t have any maple syrup, you can use an equal amount of honey instead!

healthy carrot cake muffins with cream cheese icing on top and milk on the side.

Tips and Tricks

  • Avoid over-mixing the muffin batter! If you mix too much, your muffins will turn out tough, instead of soft and tender. Therefore, mix all ingredients until just combined, then stop.
  • Let these healthy carrot cake muffins cool completely before icing. I know it’s tempting to ice and eat these delicious little muffins right away. But if they’re too hot when iced, the icing will melt and slide right off. So practice some self-control, and leave them to cool for at least 20 minutes first!
  • These muffins are best stored at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to three days. However, if you live in a warm climate (or are baking these in the summer), you may want to consider storing them in the fridge. If stored in a very warm place, the cream cheese icing may spoil.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: While I haven’t tested this option myself just yet, you should be able to make these vegan carrot cake muffins by substituting the eggs for flax eggs! Or, use this Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer in place of the eggs in this recipe.

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing
Pin
Print

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing

5 from 2 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: Snacks, DessertDifficulty: Medium
Servings

12

muffins
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

Perfect carrot cake muffins, made healthy! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, yet oh-SO delicious. These healthy carrot cake muffins come together in just one bowl, in about 30 minutes!

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs

  • 1/2 cup apple sauce, unsweetened

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

  • 1/4 cup milk, I used non-dairy milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 cups oat flour

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup shredded carrots

  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

  • 1/4 cup raisins

  • For the cream cheese icing:

  • 1/4 cup softened cream cheese, I used non-dairy cream cheese

  • 3 tablespoons softened butter, I used non-dairy butter

  • 2 cups powdered sugar

  • 2-3 tablespoons milk, I used non-dairy milk

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, apple sauce, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract.
  • Add in the oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until everything is just combined.
  • Then, fold in the shredded carrots, chopped walnuts, and raisins until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  • Bake muffins for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted down the center of one muffin comes out clean. Remove muffins from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • While muffins cool, make the cream cheese icing by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking until smooth and well-combined. Then, spread or pipe cream cheese icing on top of each cooled muffin.

Recipe Video

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Carrot Cake Baked Oats

By
carrot cake baked oats in two mugs

These carrot cake baked oats taste just like eating carrot cake for breakfast! This recipe includes a vegan cream cheese icing and is entirely refined sugar-free. Add a scoop of almond butter and a handful of chopped walnuts for a healthy, well-balanced breakfast.

Close-up image of carrot cake baked oats with cream cheese icing and carrots on top.

What You Need To Make Carrot Cake Baked Oats

Rolled Oats – You can use either rolled oats or quick oats in this recipe. I like to stock up on oats whenever I’m at the store, they’re so versatile and super satisfying. Oats are one of the best gluten-free grains, loaded with vitamins, minerals, and plenty of health benefits.

Apple Sauce – You can swap mashed banana for the apple sauce in this recipe – use whichever you prefer!

Maple Syrup – I love using maple syrup in place of refined sugar in my recipes. Maple syrup not only tastes delicious, but is full of antioxidants and less likely to spike your blood sugar.

Walnuts – Add a much-needed crunch to these carrot cake baked oats. I used raw, unsalted walnuts in my recipe and gave them a quick chop before mixing them in. If you don’t like walnuts, feel free to either swap them with another nut or leave them out!

Non-Dairy Cream Cheese – No carrot cake is complete without the cream cheese frosting. Therefore, I developed a two-ingredient cream cheese icing for these baked oats. My preferred non-dairy cream cheese is Kite Hill’s plain flavor. If you’re not dairy-free, you can definitely use regular cream cheese instead. Just make sure, whatever cream cheese you use, is plain and doesn’t have any added flavors.

Carrot cake baked oats being scooped out of a mug.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

  • Add Protein: Throw one tablespoon of your favorite vanilla protein powder in with the oats and make the rest of the recipe as directed.
  • Make it Nut-Free: Use soy or coconut milk instead of almond milk and leave out the walnuts. If you’re also making the cream cheese icing, make sure your dairy-free cream cheese is nut-free as well!
  • Add Dairy: Swap out the almond milk for cow’s milk and the dairy-free cream cheese for regular cream cheese.

Carrot Cake Baked Oats

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: BreakfastDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1

serving
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

These carrot cake baked oats taste just like eating carrot cake for breakfast! This recipe includes a vegan cream cheese icing and is entirely refined sugar-free. Add a scoop of almond butter and a handful of chopped walnuts for a healthy, well-balanced breakfast.

Ingredients

  • For the baked oats:

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats, see Notes

  • 1/2 cup apple sauce, see Notes

  • 1/4 cup non-dairy milk, see Notes

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 tablespoons grated carrots

  • 1 tablespoon raisins, optional

  • 1 tablespoon walnuts, optional

  • For the cream cheese icing:

  • 1 tablespoon non-dairy cream cheese

  • 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit and lightly grease a oven-safe ramekin.
  • Add the oats, apple sauce, almond milk, maple syrup, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Pour into ramekin and mix in the raisins, carrots, and walnuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  • Whisk together the dairy-free cream cheese and maple syrup in a small bowl. Pour icing over your oats and enjoy!

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Rolled Oats: You can also use quick oats, if you’d like.
  • Apple Sauce: You can swap the apple sauce for 1/2 cup of mashed banana.
  • Almond Milk: Use any non-dairy milk you’d like!
  • Walnuts: Pecans would also taste great, but use whatever nuts you’d like.

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By