Name: Morning Glory Muffin Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3 large eggs; ½ cup vegetable oil (4 ounces); ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (4 ounces); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10); 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 grams); ½ cup brown sugar (105 grams); ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams); 2 teaspoons cinnamon (2 grams); 2 teaspoons baking soda (12 grams); ½ teaspoon salt (3 grams); 2 cups carrots (grated); ½ cup raisins; ½ cup walnuts (chopped); ½ cup coconut flakes; 1 apple (peeled and finely diced); coarse sugar for topping (optional)

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This morning glory muffin recipe makes the perfect muffins in 35 minutes! An old fashioned recipe loaded flavors of carrot, raisin, walnut and apple.

overhead view of a bowl of morning glory muffins

If you love carrot cake, apple muffins, oatmeal raisin cookies and coconut carrot bread, these kitchen sink muffins will be a new favorite!

This morning glory muffin recipe came from an old church cookbook (the best recipe source, right?!) and I’ll be honest. I was a little concerned about all of the shredded fruits and veggies inside.

But ohhh myyy…for someone who doesn’t love raisins in muffins, I instantly fell in love. One bite quickly turned into eating a whole muffin. You’ll love them!

This recipe is inspired by the original 1970’s Morning Glory Muffins, which was created by Pam McKinstry and famously served at Morning Glory Cafe in Nantucket. The cafe closed its doors in 1994, but this classic morning glory muffin recipe will forever live on!

What is the secret to moist muffins?

There are 4 key tips and ingredients that make moist muffins.

Brown sugar. Brown sugar has more moisture than granulated sugar.
A mix of oil and applesauce. Making morning glory muffins with applesauce adds so much moisture to the muffin without adding fat.
Measure the flour. Use a scale to weigh the flour before adding it to the muffin. Or spoon it lightly into the measuring cup and level it with a knife. Don’t pack the flour in the cup.
Don’t over mix the batter. Overmixing can develop gluten and cause the muffins to be tough. Mix just until combined.

What is a morning glory muffin made of?

morning glory muffins ingredients on a table

I know. It looks like a lot of ingredients and you’re right. There are 15. But these are ingredients that you most likely already have in your home. And they are ingredients that you often want to use up! A little box of raisins, a small bag of walnuts.

This loaded muffin recipe is 100% worth your time prepping the ingredients. See the recipe card below to get full ingredients and amounts.

How to Make Morning Glory Muffins

Prepare. Preheat oven to 375º Fahrenheit. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, applesauce and vanilla.
Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and stir well.

muffin batter with coconut, carrots, raisins and walnuts on top

Fold in the fun ingredients! Add in the carrots, raisins, walnuts nuts, coconut and apple and stir to combine.

Bake the muffins. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Recipe Variations

Make them gluten-free. Use gluten-free flour in this recipe.
Switch out the nuts for pecans or even sunflower seeds.
Don’t have applesauce? Use the same amount of crushed pineapple.
Swap out one cup of flour for whole wheat flour to add fiber and nutrients.

morning glory muffin broken in half in a pan

Storage Instructions

Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze morning glory muffins? Muffins are amazing for batch freezer cooking for future breakfasts ready in minutes.

You can freeze morning glory muffins for up to 3 months, if stored correctly. (Flash freeze them in a pan and then store them in an airtight container or a large freezer gallon ziploc bag.)

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