Favorite Morning Glory Muffins

Packed with produce, whole grains, and yummy flavor, these Morning Glory Muffins are a perfect way to start the day—or to refuel throughout the day. Try the muffins warm for breakfast or for snack. And know they freeze well so you can add them to your stash!

This post is sponsored by Colavita

Morning Glory Muffins

I love a muffin that’s packed full of produce and these are one of our all-time favorites. They have carrots, apple, chopped nuts, and raisins, so are kind of the best of all muffin worlds. And you can vary them according to the preferences of your kids, which means you can omit the chunkier ingredients and just use ones that blend more finely into the batter.

These are great muffins for kids, and even make a wonderful baby muffin since they are super tender. We love them for breakfast and snack, and sometimes we even have them as a side with soup—like Carrot Soup or Chicken and Stars Soup–for a cozy dinner option.

I’m using Colavita Olive Oil in this recipe for beneficial fats and moisture. I love their products since they are family owned and operated, and the company offers so many delicious and wholesome Italian pantry staples including olive oil, pasta, beans, tomato sauces and pastes, and more. Use my exclusive 25% off code YUMMY25 in their online store, too.

(You may also like my Carrot Cake Muffins and my Applesauce Muffins.)

Ingredients You Need

Below is a look at the ingredients you need to make this muffin recipe so you know what to have on hand and ready to go.

• Applesauce: I use smooth, unsweetened applesauce in this recipe. Use an applesauce that you like the flavor of to ensure the best flavor in the finished muffins.
• Carrots: Shredded carrots cook and soften in the muffins as they bake in the oven. I find it works best to grate them on a hand held or box grater so the texture is soft.
• Apple: You can use any type of apple that you like in this recipe. I tend to bake with Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or another baking type apple.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil is a wonderful way to add beneficial fats and moisture to this recipe, and the one from Colavita is light in flavor and bakes so nicely.
• Eggs: I use eggs in this recipe to ensure that the muffins are light and tender. See the Notes for the egg-free option.
• Whole-wheat flour: I like to use whole wheat flour in this recipe since it absorbs the moisture in all of the produce well and yet still creates tender, light muffins.
• Brown sugar: I like to add just a little brown sugar to this recipe to make sure they are sweet enough.
• Cinnamon and vanilla extract: These two flavorings help ensure that the muffins have plenty of flavor.
• Baking powder and baking soda: A combination of these leaveners ensures that the muffins bake through and rise properly.
• Golden raisins: You can use any type of raisins in this recipe, but I have a preference for golden ones. Use whichever type you prefer.
• Walnuts: Chopped walnuts add beneficial fats and nice texture here. I chop them small so they are a pleasant texture in the muffins. You can omit this ingredient to make these nut-free.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Below is an overview of how to make this recipe so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full amounts and instructions for the recipe.

1. Preheat the oven and coat a muffin pan with nonstick spray. Add the wet ingredients to a large bowl.
2. Stir together the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients, including the flour and sugar.
3. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tin.
4. Bake until the edges are lightly golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Serve at room temperature, warm, or cold.

Other Produce-Packed Muffins to Try

You may also like these muffins which feature a lot of flavorful produce, too:

How to Store

Once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. If it’s very humid in your home, line the container with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Serve cold. You can also freeze muffins, either some of the batch or all of the batch, for a future week.

Best Tips for Success

• Add ½ teaspoon ginger for more spice if desired.
• Gluten-free: Substitute cup-for-cup gluten-free flour in place of the wheat flours.
• If you prefer your baked goods sweeter (or if you leave out the raisins) increase the brown sugar to ½ cup.
• Use all purpose flour and add 2 tablespoons additional flour to ensure that the muffins aren’t too moist.
• Serve at room temperature or warm. Top with butter, nut butter, or cream cheese.
• Use parchment paper liners instead of nonstick spray if desired.
• Nut-free: Use sunflower seeds instead of the walnuts, or use double the raisins and omit the walnuts.

I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please rate and comment below!

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup standard muffin pan with nonstick spray.

• In a large bowl, stir together the applesauce, carrots, apple, olive oil, eggs, butter, and vanilla.

• Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

• Gently stir the carrot mixture into the flour mixture. Stir in the raisins and walnuts.

• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tin, using about ¼ cup per muffin cup.

• Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Serve at room temperature, warm, or cold.

• Once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. If it’s very humid in your home, line the container with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Serve cold. You can also freeze muffins, either some of the batch or all of the batch, for a future week.
• Add ½ teaspoon ground dried ginger for more spice if desired.
• Gluten-free: Substitute cup-for-cup gluten-free flour in place of the wheat flours.
• If you prefer your baked goods sweeter (or if you leave out the raisins) increase the brown sugar to ½ cup.
• You can omit the walnuts and use ½ cup raisins if desired.

Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 189kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 123mg, Potassium: 131mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 940IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 40mg, Iron: 1mg