Think of Morning Glory Muffins as a breakfast-friendly version of carrot cake! They feature grated carrots, apple, raisins, and whole wheat flour.
Photography Credit: Sheryl Julian
A truly great muffin recipe is a must-have, and this one is my personal favorite.
These Morning Glory muffins resemble carrot cake cupcakes, but they’re less sweet and a bit more wholesome. Inside, you’ll find shredded carrots and apple, along with raisins, walnuts, and warm spices.
Ever wondered about the origins of Morning Glory muffins?
Most bakers trace them back to the Morning Glory Cafe on Nantucket, an island off Massachusetts. That was back in the 1970s, when bakers first began experimenting with adding vegetables like grated carrots and zucchini to their baked treats.
This idea wasn’t completely new: during World War II, bakers used grated beets to cheaply deepen the flavor of chocolate cakes.
In these muffins, carrots provide moisture and a vibrant hue, and each bite delivers the familiar, delightful taste of carrot cake.
Morning Glory Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (85g) whole wheat flour
- 3/4 packed cup (160g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (149g) canola oil
- 1/4 cup (85g) honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 medium carrots, grated (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 1 small apple, peeled, cored, and grated (about 1/2 cup)
- Zest from one medium orange
- 1/2 cup golden or dark raisins
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease with butter.
2 Mix the dry components: In a bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice until combined. Use a spoon to break up any remaining brown sugar clumps. (If you gently shake the bowl, the lumps will float to the top.)
3 Prepare the batter: In a large bowl, stir the eggs just to break them up. Add the canola oil, honey, vanilla, carrots, apple, orange zest, raisins, and walnuts. Stir well. Then fold in the dry ingredients until everything is evenly incorporated.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them nearly to the brim. Give the muffin pan one firm tap on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles.
4 Bake the muffins for 22 to 25 minutes, until they feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool. Stored in an airtight container, they stay fresh for several days.
Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to Morning Glory Muffins on Simply Recipes. Thank you!
Sheryl Julian
Sheryl Julian is an award-winning writer, editor, and food stylist. She is the former food editor of The Boston Globe, co-author of The Way We Cook, and editor of The New Boston Globe Cookbook. Her food sections won Best Newspaper Food Coverage from the Association of Food Journalists in 2015.
More from Sheryl
