You’ll be starting your day right anytime you serve your family delicious Morning Glory Muffins. Not too sweet, and packed with fruit and nuts, all it takes is one of these genuinely glorious treats to feel full all morning long!
Combining the best features of apple cake or carrot cake, morning glory muffins are aptly named. It’s amazing how many tasty ingredients get packed into one little muffin!
What’s a Morning Glory Muffin?
I’ve heard many origins for the first copy of the recipe for these famous muffins, most notably it was said to be published in Gourmet Magazine in 1981. Ten years later, it had become an American favorite and readers cited it as one of that magazine’s best-ever recipes of the past 50 years.
This is a slight adaptation of the original recipe but every bit as delicious.
- Grated carrots and apple add moisture
- Shredded coconut, chopped nuts, and sunflower seeds add lots of flavor and texture
Pecans and walnuts are usually the favored nuts for morning glory muffins, but you can substitute what you have on hand. Any cooking oil is also fine, such as canola, sunflower or peanut oil.
Other substitutions or additions include raisins or dried berries of any kind, poppy seeds or wheat germ.
To Make Morning Glory Muffins
The two mantras in muffin batter (or quick breads like banana bread) is “wet into dry,” and “don’t overbeat.”
- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and all wet ingredients in a second bowl.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add wet ingredients.
- Stir just until batter is mixed, but don’t overdo it. It’ll look a bit lumpy.
- Fill wells and bake.
How Long Do They Last?
In my house about one day or less!
Like most muffin recipes, tightly cover them and will remain fresh and moist for up to two days at room temperature, or up to a week in the fridge.
To Freeze Muffins
If you want to store your morning glory muffins for longer, you can keep them in the freezer for up to four months.
To prevent the tops from getting gooey and soggy, make sure you cool them completely before enclosing in a plastic bag or plastic container.
More Delicious Muffin Recipes
- Blueberry Bran Muffins – so moist!
- Blueberry Banana Muffins – full of fresh fruit
- Easy Banana Bran Muffins – healthy and delicious
- Easy Pumpkin Muffins – great for Autumn!
- Banana Muffins – a classic
- Soft & Moist Carrot Muffins – hearty & delicious
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins – favorite
- Banana Nut Crunch Muffins – Popular
- Banana Bread Muffins – moist & delicious
Morning Glory Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple drained and squeezed very dry
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups carrots grated
- 1 apple peeled and grated
- ½ cup coconut
- ½ cup nuts chopped
- 2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a muffin pan (or line with paper liners).
- Combine eggs, oil, sugar, pineapple and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and combine just until moistened. Fold in remaining ingredients except sunflower seeds.
- Divide mixture over 24 muffin cups. Top with sunflower seeds and bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Muffins
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Excellent recipes
Thank you Giselle!
Hello Holly
Can you substitute applesauce for the grated apple? And if so what would be the amount. Thanking you in advance. G
I have only tried this as written so I can’t say for sure.
How long and what temperature would I cook it if I made in a bread loaf pan?
I haven’t tried this in a loaf pan so I can’t say for sure. Generally a quick bread will take 50-65 minutes so I would suggest checking it at about 45 minutes.
What can I use in place of the pineapple, not a big fan of it? Other wise they sound delicious. I have a recipe for zucchini,carrot and apple bread that I sometimes make I to muffins,they are super delicious.
That sounds delicious Renee! As for the pineapple, you could replace it with whatever your favorite fruit it. Just make sure if it’s a juicy fruit that it is drained and squeezed dry!