Morning Glory Muffins
These amazing Morning Glory muffins are packed with wholesome goodness that your whole family will absolutely love! They’re bursting with carrots, apples, and raisins, plus they’re heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly. You’ll feel so good serving these nutritious treats for breakfast or as an anytime snack.
Recipe Details
Timing & Servings: Cook Time: 40 minutes, Additional Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour, Serves: 18 people, Yield: 18 muffins.
Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly, Low-Sodium, Heart-Healthy, Low-Calorie.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 162 Calories, 4g Fat, 29g Carbs, 3g Protein.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Whole-wheat flour: You’ll need 1 cup of this nutritious flour, which adds fiber and wholesome flavor to your muffins. It’s what makes these treats so much healthier than regular bakery muffins!
All-purpose flour: One cup of regular flour helps give the muffins their perfect tender texture. This combo with whole-wheat flour is just right for fluffy muffins.
Sugar: Just ¾ cup keeps these muffins sweet but not too sweet. You can use regular white sugar or try coconut sugar if you prefer.
Ground cinnamon: One tablespoon brings that warm, cozy spice flavor that makes these muffins smell incredible while baking. Your kitchen will smell like heaven!
Baking powder and baking soda: You need 1 teaspoon of each to make your muffins rise up nice and fluffy. These are your secret weapons for perfect texture.
Salt: Just ¼ teaspoon enhances all the other flavors. Don’t skip this little bit – it makes a big difference!
Grated carrots: Two cups from about 4 medium carrots add natural sweetness and moisture. Pre-shredded carrots from the store work great to save time!
Apple: One peeled and finely chopped apple gives you bursts of fresh fruit flavor. Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work beautifully here.
Raisins: Half a cup adds chewy sweetness throughout. If you’re not a raisin fan, try dried cranberries or chopped dates instead!
Eggs: One large egg plus 2 large egg whites help bind everything together while keeping the fat content lower. You can also use dried egg whites if you prefer.
Apple butter: Half a cup replaces lots of oil and adds amazing apple flavor. Look for it near the jams and jellies at your grocery store.
Neutral oil: Just ¼ cup of canola or avocado oil keeps these muffins moist. A little goes a long way with the apple butter helping out!
Vanilla extract: One tablespoon makes everything taste more delicious. Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor if you have it.
Chopped walnuts or pecans: Two tablespoons for sprinkling on top add a nice crunch. Toast them first if you want extra nutty flavor!
Toasted wheat germ: Two tablespoons sprinkled on top boost the nutrition and add a subtle nutty taste. You’ll find this in the cereal or health food aisle.
How to Make Morning Glory Muffins
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Coat 18 muffin cups with cooking spray so your muffins won’t stick.
Step 2: Whisk both flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the grated carrots, chopped apple and raisins until everything is well mixed.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, egg whites, apple butter, oil and vanilla. Make sure this wet mixture is smooth and well combined.
Step 4: Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into this well and gently stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Don’t overmix – a few lumps are totally fine!
Step 5: Spoon the batter into your prepared muffin cups, filling them about three-fourths full. In a small bowl, combine the chopped nuts and wheat germ, then sprinkle this mixture over each muffin top.
Step 6: Bake for 15 to 25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and spring back when you touch them lightly. Let them cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Easy and Quick Morning Glory Muffins Version
Want to save time? You can totally prep these the night before! Just mix all your dry ingredients in one bowl and all the wet ingredients in another bowl (keep the wet ones in the fridge overnight). In the morning, simply combine the two mixtures, scoop into muffin cups, and bake. You’ll have fresh muffins in just 30 minutes!
Serving Ideas
These muffins are perfect for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee or tea. They also make a wonderful afternoon snack with some Greek yogurt on the side. Pack them in lunch boxes or enjoy them warm with a little butter spread on top!
Storage
Store your cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap them individually and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, just pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or warm them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
Substitutions
No apple butter? You can use unsweetened applesauce instead! Don’t like raisins? Try dried cranberries, chopped dates, or mini chocolate chips. You can swap the walnuts for pecans, sunflower seeds, or just leave them off completely. If you need these gluten-free, try using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of both flours.
Pro Tips
- Don’t Overmix: Stir the batter just until the ingredients come together. Overmixing makes tough, dense muffins.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Let your eggs and apple butter come to room temperature for easier mixing and better texture.
- Fill Evenly: Use an ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly between muffin cups for uniform baking.
- Test for Doneness: Gently press the top of a muffin – it should spring back when they’re done.
- Make Them Mini: Use mini muffin tins and bake for 10-12 minutes for bite-sized treats!
FAQs
Can I make these muffins without eggs?
You bet! Try using 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed mixed with 9 tablespoons of water (let it sit for 5 minutes until thick) to replace the eggs. They’ll be just as delicious!
Why do my muffins come out dense?
The most common reason is overmixing the batter. Just stir until you can’t see dry flour anymore – lumps are totally fine! Also make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh (replace them every 6 months).
Can I double this recipe?
Sure! This recipe doubles perfectly. You might need to bake in batches depending on how many muffin tins you have. The baking time stays the same.
What if I don’t have apple butter?
No worries! You can substitute the same amount of unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, or even pumpkin puree. Each will give a slightly different but delicious flavor.
How do I know when they’re perfectly done?
Look for golden brown tops that spring back when lightly touched. You can also insert a toothpick in the center – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
I’d love to hear how your Morning Glory muffins turn out! Drop a comment below and let me know if you tried any fun variations. Happy baking, friend!
