Let’s start this morning with healthy and delicious Morning Glory Muffins! They are made with whole wheat flour, sweetened with maple syrup, and packed with nutritious ingredients; like carrots, apple, orange, walnuts, and raisins! Perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast or a mid-day snack!
I might be a bit biased, but I think these are the best muffins I’ve ever tried! They are so moist and delicious, and packed with all of my favorite ingredients, including lots of carrots! Perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast or a mid-day snack!
You probably already noticed that I love carrots in my baked goods, like Carrot Zucchini Muffins and Carrot Cake Cupcakes. I think they make them hearty and a bit healthier.
Why this recipe works
Morning Glory Muffins are a very popular American treat, usually known for incorporating a number of ingredients… This is where you might run into problems.
When you use a lot of chunky pieces of vegetables and nuts, you may come across a number of problems while baking, like all the heavy ingredients will sink to the bottom, or the middle part will be undercooked while the outside is burnt.
But not in this recipe! I made sure to use the perfect balance of fats, liquids, flour, and chunky ingredients to make these muffins come out perfect every single time!
Plus, they are:
- Healthy and wholesome.
- Packed with nutritious ingredients, like carrots, nuts, apple, etc.
- Deliciously moist and fluffy.
- Perfect as to-go breakfast or a snack.
Also, there is no mixer required! All you need is a mixing bowl and a spatula!
Why is this recipe healthy?
Comparing to many other recipes, these muffins are much healthier and packed with nutritious ingredients. Here’s why:
- Use Whole Wheat Flour instead of bleached all-purpose flour.
- Use Maple Syrup as a sweetener, instead of regular sugar.
- Use Vegetable Oil instead of butter.
- Packed with nutritious ingredients, like carrots, nuts, apple, orange, and raisins.
How to make Morning Glory Muffins
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcakes liners and set aside. Since this recipe yields 16 muffins, I use one 12 muffins pan and one 6 muffins pan (with 4 liners).
To start, let mix the dry ingredients. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and set aside (Photos 1-6).
In a large mixing bowl, mix wet ingredients: vegetable oil, apple sauce, maple syrup, eggs, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined (Photos 7-15).
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and using a spatula, fold it in. try not to over mix the batter (Photos 16-18).
Add grated carrots, grated apple, raisins, and chopped walnuts. Fold everything in. Again, try not to over mix (Photos 19-24).
Using a 3 tablespoons ice scream scoop, divide the batter between 16 muffin liners, filling then all the way to the top.
Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Take them out of the oven and let sit on the counter for 5-7 minutes in a muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool off completely.
Tips for the best results
- Number one baking rule is never over mix the batter. Otherwise, it will be chewy and tough.
- If you decide to bake these muffins without cupcake liners, make sure you grease the pan well enough, so they don’t stick to the bottom.
Options and Substitutions
Whole Wheat Flour. If you don’t have whole wheat flour, you can use all-purpose flour instead. I never tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but can assume that it won’t have the same texture as the original recipe.
Maple Syrup. I love using maple syrup in my baking goods to reduce the refined sugar and make it healthier. If you don’t have it on hands, you can use honey, coconut sugar, light brown sugar, or white sugar.
Walnuts. You can easily replace them with pecans. Although, if you are allergic to nuts, just leave them out.
Raisins. Sometimes, I like to use cranberries instead of raisins. They still provide the sweetness and add a little bit of tart flavor.
Green Apple. You can replace it with any apples you have on hands. Also, feel free to replace it with zucchini. However, if you do so, make sure you squeeze the excess liquid from grated zucchini.
Orange. If you don’t have a fresh orange on hands, feel free to use store bought juice. You also can use pineapple juice instead.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
How to store muffins? The best way to keep muffins is in an air tight container. They will stay fresh t the room temperature for 2 days and in the fridge for up to 1 week.
NOTE: I like to place a paper towel on the bottom of the container, place the muffins on it, place another sheet of paper towel on top and then cover with the lid. Because muffins release moisture when stores, this trick will help the paper to absorb the excess moisture.
Can I freeze these muffins? Absolutely! You can freeze them in an air tight container (without the paper towel) for up to 3 months. To thaw, put them in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for 3-4 hours.
Want More Breakfast Ideas?
- Perfect Buttermilk Pancakes
- French Crepes Recipe
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
- One Bowl Banana Bread
- Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Healthy Morning Glory Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- orange zest, from 1 orange
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups carrots, grated (about 2 carrots)
- 1 cup green apple, grated (about 1 apple)
- ⅔ cup walnuts, chopped
- ⅔ cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcakes liners and set aside. Since this recipe yields 16 muffins, I use one 12 muffins pan and one 6 muffins pan (with 4 liners).
- In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp cinnamon, and ¼ tsp salt, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add wet ingredients: ½ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup apple sauce, ⅔ cup maple syrup, 3 eggs, orange zest, ¼ cup orange juice, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and using a spatula, fold it in. Try not to over mix the batter.
- Add 2 cups grated carrots, 1 cup grated apple, ⅔ cup raisins, and ⅔ cup chopped walnuts. Fold everything in. Again, try not to over mix.
- Using a 3 tablespoons ice scream scoop, divide the batter between 16 muffin liners, filling then all the way to the top.
- Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Take them out of the oven and let sit on the counter for 5-7 minutes in a muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool off completely.
I made the morning glory muffins and they were perfect! I used a mixture of oat flour and almond flour in equal proportions instead of whole wheat and I added coconut flakes (simply because I love coconut).
I made these today and used AP flour with 1/3 c each of white sugar and honey vs maple syrup. Very good
So good! I subbed the maple syrup with 1/2c honey, and used a food processor to chop the apples and carrots and they’re great! I also made them into mini muffins for my daughter. I sprayed the pan and baked them for 15 minutes & they were perfect!
Hi Veronika,
I just made the muffins by using your recipe. I add ginger ground info the dry ingredients and little bit decoration on top of the muffins.
They turned out so delish! Thank you for your nice recipe. Love it!
Thank you so much, Irma! So happy you enjoyed them 😉
A new staple in my kitchen, loved everything about them. I used avocado oil and they were delicious. Do you have any recipes with pumpkin for a pumpkin muffin? Wondering if I could use pumpkin instead of apple sauce?
Thank you, Sue! Glad avocado oil work for you in this recipe! Unfortunately, I don’t have any recipes with pumpkin, but you can easily use it in this recipe instead of apple sauce.
I was hoping someone would have mentioned a gluten-free flour., so is that possible..looks so yummy..
Just made these delicious muffins. Only had two eggs and fresh tangerine juice but still turned out so fluffy and flavorful.
I have an apple tree so always looking for recipes with apples.
Thank you!
Thank you so much, Angela! I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins 😉
I just made this recipe…oh my gosh, it is delicious!!! One of the few times I actually followed the recipe (almost) but…I added about 1/2 cup of sweeten flaked coconut bc I was a little short on carrots AND bc we LOVE coconut. I will definitely make these again.
Thank you so much, Melanie! I’m so glad you liked the recipe 😉
So delicious and satisfying! I love the combination fruits, veggies, and nuts. I will definitely making these on a regular basis!
Thank you so much, Susie! So happy you enjoy them 😉
Hi Veronica! These morning glory muffins were absolutely delicious. It was a fool proof recipe and it came out great. Im surprised by the fact that a muffin made with whole wheat flour can be so light and airy and fluffy !! Thanks a million for sharing it
Thank you so much, Poornima! I’m so happy you liked this recipe!
Fabulous recipe, now a staple! They were a little on the sweet side for my taste, so I cut the maple syrup to half a cup. I also stir the carrot, apple and nuts in with the wet ingredients and then mix the dry ingredients in last, so as not to over-stir the flour and make the muffins tough. Absolutely delivious, thanks Veronika!
Thank you so much, Valerie! So happy you liked them 😉
I’ve made this recipe twice! It’s a hit and now a staple in our family. Love natural sweeteners and whole grain flours. Also packed full of other healthy goodness. I’m no baker, trust me but I feel like this recipe is fool proof. I forgot the olive oil and added it at the end and still came out great.
Thank you so much, Christie! I’m so glad you like the recipe!
Soooo Good! Wondering if anyone has tried making in a loaf pan instead of as muffins?
These are hands down the best muffins ever!! Fantastic with red apples too. FYI, I use ceramic muffin pans and I need to grease and flour the pans if I want perfect looking muffins. Thank you very much for a great recipe.
Thank you so much, Carole! I’m so happy you love this recipe!
Made these today, didn’t have applesauce so used 1/4 cup mashed banana instead. Used dried, unsweetened cherries instead of raisins & cut the maple syrup in 1/2. They were just the right sweetness for me.
I used 1/2 whole wheat flour & 1/2 almond flour.
Yummy!
Thank you, Ollie! It’s a great idea to use mashed banana instead of the apple sauce!
Hello
These sound really good but I was wondering how low I can go with the maple syrup? I am diabetic and can go with as little sweetness as possible
Hi Maha! It really depends on how sweet you want your muffins to be. May be you can use sweeter red apples instead of green ones and reduce the maple syrup by half.
I never leave comments, but I just had to today, because I love these so much that I tripled the recipe to share with others!!! have made these twice, and they are sooo delicious!!! The ingredients are healthy and moist. I grate everything by hand, so a little time-consuming, but well-worth it!! My family loves them, and so do friends who have eaten them as well. I use the juice of the orange, and add chia with the flax seeds. I also soak the raisins in boiling water while I gather all the other ingredients. Other than this, I followed this exactly. Invariably, I forget to add something, so I just throw it in. The recipe is very forgiving. Thank you, Veronica!!! I cannot wait to try your other recipes!!!
Thank you so much, Christine! I’m so happy you, your family, and friends love these muffins! This is the best reward for me 😉
Hello! Those look absolutely gorgeous! I’m gonna give them a try tonight but I can’t find solution for the applesauce-can I sub it with something? In my country it’s not a popular ingredient and I’m going to make myself at some point but currently I don’t think I’ll manage to get my hands on some.
Hi Nelly! You can use some sour cream or Greek yogurt to substitute the apple sauce. Let me know it you try the recipe and how you liked it 😉
Made these for my adult daughter and she gave them two thumbs UP!!!
Thank you, Raffaela! I’m so happy you and your daughter liked them!
I wish people would stop posting their opinions without having made the muffins. Make them, then post!
Could the shredded apple be replaced with crushed pineapple? Same quantity?
I never tried it but I think you can. Let me know how it came out 😉
I used crushed pineapple in lieu of the orange juice. As someone mentioned above, this recipe is forgiving. Veronica’s tips also help guide with substitutions. My family LOVES this recipe! I added unsweetened shredded coconut and half a cup of ground flaxseed. The second time I made them I doubled up the pineapple and left out the shredded apple. They came out just as moist and yummy!
I made the muffins with 2/3rd cup lightly packed brown sugar, as I did not have maple syrup on hand, and they turned out delicious! Not too sweet like a dessert, just the right sweetness and texture for a breakfast muffin. And I don’t feel bad in giving this to my children to snack because of the all great ingredients. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Thank you, Kanchan! I’m so happy you liked these muffins!
Looks yummy.
Can I use olive oil or vegetable oil instead of eggs. We don’t eat eggs but this muffins looks healthy.
Hi Aparna. You need the eggs in baking to bind all the ingredients together. Oil has a different purpose. If you don’t eat eggs, I can suggest you to try to use flax eggs. Although, I did not test this recipe with flax eggs. Hope that helps 😉
I made these muffins and they were delicious but found that they stuck to the cupcake liners. Leaving some of the muffin stuck on the paper. Maybe next time I should bake them without and just greese the tray well. How do you bake yours?
I had the same issue with the paper liners. Muffins were good, but not great. To me they could have used more cinnamon or nutmeg or even a little brown sugar
I had success using the brown parchment/kraft paper liners. No sticking.
These are delicious! I used 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 spelt flour. Next time will toast the nuts before adding and also top with raw pumpkin seeds before baking.
Yaay! So happy you liked it, Kathi! Great idea on adding spelt flour, I should also try it next time!
These look so good and I’m planning on making them for a healthy morning breakfast!
I am on a low/no oil diet and was wondering if I could replace the oil with another ingredient such as yogurt or a banana?
Thank you for your time!
Hi Celeste. You need some “fat” in your muffins or they will come out dry and dense. You can try to use coconut oil if that works with your diet. Just using yogurt or banana won’t work for this recipe.
The name is so apt, so glorious…. so delicious! I want to start my mornings with this delicious muffins. Definitely trying it soon.
Delicious and yet so simple!
I came across these Morning Glory muffins while searching for a healthy muffin for my family. Luckily I had everything thing on hand and made these for my family this morning .muffins. We loved these . They are tender and full of flavor , I loved the hint of maple YUMM!!! Thanks for a fabulous recipe.
These morning glory muffins look so good! I would love to wake up to a warm batch of these in the morning. Perfect for breakfast on the go with coffee!
These looks super moist but also substantial, like something you’d have for breakfast with some yogurt. I’ll def give these a try!
What a great combination of ingredients for a morning muffin. They look so delicious and healthy. Thank you for the great directions.
These are the perfect muffin! Thank you for the step by step instructions, you made it so easy to follow!
I love that these morning glory muffins don’t have any added sugar, making them the perfect breakfast for everyone.
Hello! Those look absolutely gorgeous! I’m gonna give them a try tonight but I can’t find solution for the applesauce-can I sub it with something? In my country it’s not a popular ingredient and I’m going to make myself at some point but currently I don’t think I’ll manage to get my hands on some.
I am sooo ready to start each morning with these cuties – they are just too good. I can’t wait to try this recipe over the weekend. I am sure I will be coming back to it over and over again! 🙂
These Morning Glory Muffins definitely look sooo healthy-licious! I lvoe that it’s packed with nutritious ingredients. These muffins will be perfect for my sons!
Those muffins sound awesome. I stopped eating muffins for breakfast because they’re mostly unhealthy. Now I can have muffins for breakfast again. Awesome.
Amazing muffins recipe, thanks for sharing I will try this tonight at home. 🙂 nice blog!
Thank you, Anne Marie!