Morning Glory Muffins

Morning Glory Muffins are as if an apple cake and carrot cake got married, filled with so many goodies, they certainly are a fantastic way to start the day!

Like any old fashioned recipe, these Morning Glory Muffins never go out of style, and are perfect for a Sunday brunch, a holiday get together, or breakfast on the go!

What Is A Morning Glory Muffin?

This muffin is a classic, created years ago by Chef Pam McKinstry, the owner of Morning Glory Cafe on Nantucket Island. The muffin paid homage to the wholesome “back to the land” 70’s hippie movement and was published in Gourmet magazine in 1981, then eventually chosen as one of the magazine’s 25-favorite recipes of the past 50 years.

They certainly live up to their delicious reputation, too, having been replicated so many times in restaurants and by home cooks.

What is in Morning Glory Muffins?

Morning Glory Muffins sure have a lot going on in such a tiny package. There’s your typical muffin ingredients like flour, sugar, and eggs, but then add to that carrots, apple, pineapple, coconut, walnuts, raisins, and spices, you’ve got one amazing baked treat!

Don’t let the long list of ingredients turn you off – these muffins are so easy to make, plus all those amazing flavors and textures together make every bite incredible. They don’t even need the help of butter or cream cheese (although nobody would judge you, if you chose to slather a bit on!)

How to Make Morning Glory Muffins

This morning glory muffin recipe might have more ingredients than a typical muffin, but making them isn’t really any different. Here’s the brief rundown (scroll down for the detailed printable.)

1. Whisk together oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add in the carrots, apple, pineapple, coconut flakes, walnuts, and raisins and mix until thoroughly combined.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined (mixture will be thick – don’t over mix.)
3. Divide batter evenly among the 18 muffin cups, about 3/4-inch full.
4. Bake until tops are golden and springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Morning Glory Recipe Variations

Morning Glory Muffins are moist and filled with flavor, but not overly sweet. For optimal results, follow the recipe as written (below), but you can change the flavor profile and make them a little healthier, if you wish.

• Swap out half of the carrot with zucchini
• Instead of walnuts, try pecans
• Use a 50/50 ratio of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour (however, this will make them more dense)
• Replace 1/4 cup of the oil with apple butter
• Unsweetened coconut can replace the sweetened coconut flakes
• Add in a tablespoon of wheat germ or flax seed

How To Store These Muffins

As with most muffins, these are best enjoyed fresh, but will remain soft at room temperature for a couple days. And they freeze well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and heat up (if you prefer) before serving.

Other Muffins We Love!

• Easy Banana Muffins
• Snickerdoodle Muffins
• Brown Butter Mixed Berry Muffins

Watch them Being Made

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!

Morning Glory Muffins

5 from 9 votes

Morning Glory Muffins are as if an apple cake and carrot cake got married, filled with so many goodies, they certainly are a fantastic way to start the day!

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings: 18

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 3 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 medium apple , grated
• 8 ounce can crushed pineapple , drained
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with a rack in the middle position. Line 2 muffin tins with paper cups for 18 muffins.
• Whisk together oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add in the carrots, apple, pineapple, coconut flakes, walnuts, and raisins and mix until thoroughly combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined (mixture will be thick – don’t over mix.)
• Divide batter evenly among the 18 muffin cups, about 3/4-inch full.
• Bake for about 25-27 minutes until tops are golden and springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Video

Notes

1. For recipe variations, please refer to the full article.
2. Like most muffins, these are best enjoyed fresh, but will remain soft at room temperature for a couple days. And they freeze well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and heat up (if you prefer) before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 2439IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: morning glory muffins, muffins recipe

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