Muffins don't always have the reputation for being the healthiest option but when it comes to these Morning Glory Muffins, they definitely have solid healthy breakfast credentials. With ingredients such as apple, carrots, and raisins, they are a healthy and satisfying way to start the day and have a little sweetness, too.

Why are they called morning glory muffins?

There are a lot of stories as to where these muffins get their name but most people seem to think it is because the original creator was Pam McKinstry, the owner of the Morning Glory Cafe in Nantucket. They were very keen on using healthy and wholesome ingredients for their recipes, especially for breakfast and these muffins were one of their early creations.

Plus they are a great way to use up things like apples and carrots that may be in the fridge from other recipes and looking a little short on their lifespan!

What's the best way to grate apple and carrot for the muffins?

I've found that the large holes of a box grater are the best bet when it comes to grating apples and carrots for this recipe. That way, there's plenty of size to them as too fine a grater and they will go a bit mushy. You can leave the moisture with them that comes from grating and add them straight to the batter.

What you need to make morning glory muffins

Whole wheat flour
Unbleached all-purpose flour
Brown sugar
Baking powder
Ground cinnamon
Ground ginger
Salt
Unsweetened applesauce
Coconut oil
Vanilla extract
Grated carrots
Tart apple
Raisins
Flaked or shredded coconut
Chopped walnuts

How to make the recipe

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line either a jumbo or standard sized muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large mixing dish, combine both flours, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

Stir in the applesauce, oil, and vanilla into the dry ingredients until well mixed.

Stir the carrot, apple, raisins, coconut, and walnuts into the flour mixture until just combined.

Fill the prepared muffin cups two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes depending on which size muffin pan you used, or until solid and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Stand the muffin pan on the cooling rack for 5 minutes then remove the muffins and stand on the wire rack again until completely cooled.

Storing the recipe

Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days after cooking them.

You can also freeze the muffins in an airtight container and use them within 2 months. Defrost thoroughly and either enjoy cold or heat up.

Recipe tips

If you want to warm up the muffins after cooking, wrap them in foil and heat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

You can try either drained and crushed pineapple or shredded zucchini in place of the apple if you want to test different flavors.

I like raisins in my muffins but if you aren't a fan, swap them for dried cranberries, other chopped dried fruits, or even something like pecans or sunflower seeds. Or just leave them out entirely.

More muffin recipes

Looking for some other great muffins? Try these Blueberry Buckle Muffins, Spiced Rhubarb Muffins, or these gluten-free Almond Flour Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins from Stacey at Garlic, Salt and Lime!