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Morning Glory Muffins

These morning glory muffins are hearty, healthy and flavorful! Full of good-for-you ingredients like shredded carrots, grated apples, coconut ,nuts and raisins they make a great breakfast or on-the-go snack!

If you love muffin recipes, other family favorites include banana bread muffins or lemon blueberry muffins and applesauce muffins!

Morning glory muffins.
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My Favorite Morning Glory Muffins

If you’re looking for a healthy snack idea to enjoy throughout the week, these morning glory muffins are perfect for you. I made a big batch over the weekend and my family already devoured them.

A morning glory muffin is customizable and you can add in your favorites or leave out things you don’t like. I usually make half the batch without raisins and walnuts for my kids. They like them plain (yet little do they know, they’re still getting veggies) or with some apple butter.

Morning Glory Muffin Ingredients

If you’ve never heard of morning glory muffins before, they are hearty muffins that are packed with fruits and veggies and have a hint of warm flavor and sweetness.

Ingredients for morning glory muffins on counter.
  • Baking staples: I used a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour and you will also need baking soda, vanilla extract and salt.
  • Sugar: Some granulated sugar and a bit of honey add the perfect sweetness.
  • Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce adds moisture and also keeps these muffins oil-free!
  • Ground cinnamon: Adds warm flavor and spice.
  • Carrots: I prefer to grate my own carrots for moisture and texture.
  • Zucchini: I used shredded zucchini because I had some extra on hand, but grated apples can be used, too.
  • Large eggs: You will need three eggs to bind the muffin ingredients together.
  • Add-ins: Shredded sweetened coconut, chopped walnuts or pecans and raisins.

How to Make Morning Glory Muffins

Morning glory muffins in a muffin tin.
  • Mix. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt). Then mix in the shredded carrots, zucchini, eggs, applesauce, honey and vanilla until just combined. Then gently fold in any extras like shredded coconut, chopped nuts or raisins.
  • Fill. Fill each muffin cup with batter using a large baking scoop or 3 Tablespoons (a little less than 1/4 cup). Each cup should be filled about 2/3 of the way full. It helps to line your muffin pan with liners so that the muffins don’t stick. If you aren’t using liners, make sure to generously spray your pan with nonstick spray.
  • Bake. Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden. To double check if they’re ready, poke a toothpick in the center. The toothpick should come out clean. If it’s not, let them bake for a few more minutes and try again. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Baking Tips + Variations

  • Grating the veggies. I use a food processor to quickly grate the carrots and zucchini.
  • Zucchini. Make sure all of the water is removed from the grated zucchini before mixing it in so that the muffins aren’t soggy. I like to put the zucchini in a paper towel or cheesecloth and ring it out over the sink.
  • Grated Apple. You can substitute grated apple for zucchini if preferred. Both taste delicious.
  • Applesauce. I used applesauce in place of oil to cut back on calories and make them a little healthier. It’s a great substitution and still adds the perfect amount of moisture to the muffins.
  • Orange zest. For even more flavor, add in 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the batter.
  • Extras. I like to sprinkle a few extra nuts and raisins in each muffin cup right before baking.
  • Don’t overmix. Make sure to mix just until combined. Over mixing causes the muffins to dry out and lose their moisture.
Close up of morning glory muffin.

FAQs

What are morning glory muffins?

If you’ve never heard of morning glory muffins before, they are hearty muffins that are packed with fruits and veggies. They were first made by a chef at the Morning Glory Cafe on Nantucket Island, hence the name!

Why did my muffins turn out with a dense texture?

These muffins will be more dense in texture due to all the added ingredients. If they are overly dense, you may have over mixed them when stirring the ingredients.

Why are my muffins wet and sticky?

While these do contain more moisture than a regular muffin, overly wet texture could mean that you underbaked them.

How to store muffins?

Place muffins in an airtight container or zip top bag. The muffins will keep for about 3 days at room temperature, or about a week in the fridge. If your home is overly warm, I would store them straight to the fridge!

Can I freeze morning glory muffins?

Yes! Let them cool completely, then place in an airtight container or freezer bag. They will keep for a couple of months in the freezer. To reheat, place in the microwave or toaster oven and heat until warm.

Morning glory muffin with butter spread on.

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Morning Glory Muffins

5 from 15 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
These morning glory muffins are hearty, healthy and flavorful! Full of good-for-you ingredients like shredded carrots, grated apples, coconut, nuts and raisins they are great for breakfast!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 24

Ingredients 

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour , can sub for all-purpose
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 cups grated carrots
  • 1 cup grated zucchini , water removed (can substitute for grated apples)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2/3  cup applesauce
  • ½ cup honey
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut , optional
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans , optional
  • ¾ cup raisins or dried cranberries , optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners or use a silicone muffin pan.
  • Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the carrots, zucchini (or apple), eggs, applesauce, honey and vanilla. Mix just until combined. Add the coconut, nuts and raisins (or cranberries) if desired.
  • Using a large baking scoop or 3 Tablespoons (a little less than 1/4 cup), fill each muffin cup.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes cleans. Remove from oven and let cool for 2 minutes in the pan. Then remove to a cooling rack.

Notes

Tip: To grate the carrots and zucchini quickly I used a food processor.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 158mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1820IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

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