These moist, delectable, and easy-to-make Morning Glory Muffins are loaded with carrots, raisins, walnuts, and coconut—almost like mini carrot cakes. They are always a hit with family and friends. I love to make a double batch and freeze half for on-the-go breakfasts.
Muffins are always a great addition to hearty weekend breakfasts, busy but fun holiday brunches, or even after-school snacks. If you like these muffins, try cranberry orange muffins, oatmeal muffins, and blueberry muffins.
The Perfect Muffin
Start your day right with these easy and nutritious Morning Glory Muffins. Packed with fruits, vegetables, and nuts, these muffins are a delicious way to fuel your morning and keep you feeling satisfied until lunchtime.
What You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda: for a bit of rise
- Spices: ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
- Salt: just a touch to enhance flavor
- Eggs: large, please
- Oil: vegetable or canola
- Vanilla extract: the pure stuff, please
- Brown sugar: preferably light brown
- Carrots: I like to peel mine for that brght orange color
- Apple: like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji
- Raisins: I like to use golden raisins
- Nuts: chopped walnuts or pecans
- Coconut: sweetened coconut flakes
How to make Morning Glory Muffins
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, stir together the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, brown sugar, carrots, and apple. Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until barely incorporated. Then fold in the raisins, walnuts, and coconut. Avoid over-stirring or overmixing so the dough does not get tough.
Line the muffin pan with muffin liners. Spoon the batter into the muffin liners, filling them up. Bake for about 20-2 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out fairly clean with just a few moist crumbs. Move to a wire rack to cool.
Preparation Tips
- Line the muffin tin with liners. They help keep the muffins from sticking to the pan. I like the unbleached chlorine-free ones. They peel away perfectly from muffins and cupcakes.
- Shred the carrots using the small grate side of a box grater.
- Do not overmix the batter. Mix just until combined and no further. Overmixing the batter can cause overactive gluten, making tough and gummy muffins.
- Do not overbake the muffins. Cook until a toothpick inserted in the top center of one of the muffins comes out fairly clean with just a few moist crumbs.
Recipe Variations
- Flour: Substitute whole wheat flour or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose.
- Fruit: For the raisins, substitute dried cranberries, figs, prunes, cherries, or apricots. For the apples, substitute well-drained crushed pineapple.
- Nuts: Substitute pecans, almond slices or slivers, macadamia nuts, or pistachios
- Seeds: Add sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, or poppy seeds.
Storage
Thoroughly cool the muffins before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 5 days in the fridge. To freeze, fully cool, then place them in heavy-duty freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More Muffins Recipes
Morning Glory Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 1 cup peeled and shredded apple
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, stir together the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, brown sugar, carrots, and apple. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients stirring just until barely incorporated.
- Fold in the raisins, walnuts, and coconut. Avoid any over-stirring or overmixing so the dough does not get tough.
- Line the muffin pan with muffin liners. Spoon the batter into the muffin liners filling them all the way up. Bake for 10 minutes. Then reduce the oven to 350 degrees. Bake an additional 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Notes
- Line the cupcake/muffin tin with liners. They really help keep the muffins from sticking to the pan. I really like the unbleached chlorine-free ones. They peel away perfectly from muffins and cupcakes.
- Shred the carrots using the small grate side of a box grater.
- Do not overmix the batter. Mix just until combined and no further. Overmixing the batter can cause overactive gluten, leading to tough and gummy muffins.
- Do not overbake the muffins. Cook until a toothpick inserted in the top center of one of the muffins comes out fairly clean with just a few moist crumbs.
Nutrition
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Alisa Infanti
I love this recipe. Going to make another batch to freeze so I have them handy for a quick breakfast!
Rachna
These muffins look absolutely delightful. I am sure my kids would love them. Trying them out this weekend.
Gina
These are my favorite breakfast muffins. Slathered with some nut butter, I enjoy them with my coffee!
Tavo
Hey! I made these muffins yesterday and they were absolutely delicious! Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
Adrianne
These muffins look so wholesome and delicious! I love the originality and not your typical vanilla cupcake type muffin. The ingredient combo sounds good to, yum!!
Kylie
Loving these for the morning dash between swimming and band practice. They are so delicious!
Tarragon
What a wonderful way to wrap up a heavy breakfast and have a smile all over for the day. Addition of cranberries make these wonderful.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Tarragon! Fresh cranberries are the best in these if you have any!
Anjali
These muffins were absolutely delicious!! They were moist and chewy, and the carrots, apples and raisins brought a nice natural sweetness to them!
Jess
These are awesome for busy mornings! I like to add pecans to mine!
Patricia
Medically had to use cranberries instead of raisins! Cooling for one & able to freeze extras works beautifully for me! Thank you!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Patricia! So glad that you liked them!!
beth
do you think they would turn out if made with almond or coconut flour? just wondering
thank you for the recipe 😊
Beth Pierce
Not sure. I have not worked with those flours. Maybe the readers will have an opinion.
Sandra
These muffins were really a huge hit at my house!! They’re so good!
Erin
These muffins look fascinating! Wish I had one with my morning coffee.
Vikki
Perfect breakfast! So full of flavor
Jo
My first time making these muffins, it was amazing! My kids love it as well!
Dorothy Reinhold
I love the texture of these muffins. So filling and tasty! Can’t wait to whip a batch!