Muffins are perfect for baking and freezing so you always have something on hand if you are running late. Some others you might like are our Easy Streusel-Topped Raspberry Muffins, Easy Apple Oatmeal Muffins, Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins, and One-Bowl Easy Banana Nut Muffins.
Morning Glory Muffins
I’ve mentioned before on the blog how much I love muffins for breakfast. They are just so tasty and the perfect, sweet little treat alongside some scrambled eggs, fruit, and a glass of milk. And since most muffins freeze beautifully, it’s easy to make a batch and throw the extras in the freezer to be pulled out and warmed up for a quick, easy breakfast or snack on busy days. You will love how these carrot zucchini muffins turn a beautiful caramel-brown color and make your kitchen smell heavenly while they are baking. Morning glory muffins are sort of a cross between carrot cake, zucchini bread, and a cinnamon applesauce muffin and oh heavens, they taste divine. My girls especially love when I make morning glory muffins in the mini-muffin pans because then they are just the right size for little fingers. On days when I am baking these fresh, my girls love to sit on the counter and help me measure everything out and sneak bites of the grated carrot, zucchini, and apple. Which makes me so happy that they love those healthy things and know what is going into the foods that they eat.
Original Morning Glory Muffins
From what I read, the reason these are called morning glory muffins is because they were created by former owner and chef Pam McKinstry at the Morning Glory Café in Nantucket, sometime in the late 1970’s. Then in 1981, the original morning glory muffins recipe was published in Gourmet magazine, and chosen ten years later as one of the magazine’s twenty-five favorite recipes from the previous fifty years. The original bakery muffins recipe calls for crushed pineapple and raisins, both of which I omit in my version out of personal preference. I also replaced half of the shredded carrot in the original recipe with shredded zucchini instead, making it more of a carrot zucchini muffin with some added texture and flavor from the coconut and pecans, as well as making some adjustments to the flour, sugar, and oil called for.
Healthy Morning Glory Muffins
I lightened the recipe up a bit by making the morning glory muffins with applesauce in place of half of the oil called for in the original recipe. I find that completely eliminating the oil is going too far as it affects the texture, but half oil/half applesauce is just right for keeping a rich, moist flavor and texture that doesn’t compromise the integrity of the original. I also decreased the sugar a smidge and replaced half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour instead. It takes these from being essentially carrot cake for breakfast in the guise of cream cheese frosting-less cupcakes, to a legitimate portable breakfast food. Albeit still on the sweet side – I’m not a monster after all. And it’s a pretty easy-going recipe as far as measurements of the vegetables go. I hate using just part of a zucchini so if I end up with an extra half cup of zucchini or an extra half cup of grated carrot, I don’t sweat it and just toss it in the mix. Since they are both grated, they kind of just melt into the batter during the baking process and it turns out all good. What is your favorite muffin to enjoy for breakfast?
Morning Glory Muffin ingredients
These Morning Glory Muffins are one of our very favorites. They are loaded with all the best things:
lightly spiced with cinnamon shredded carrots & zucchini grated apple crunchy pecans chewy, sweet coconut whole wheat flour & applesauce!
All of which work together to give morning glory muffins a unique texture and flavor that is perfectly wonderful. Making these healthy morning glory muffins with whole wheat flour makes them just a bit better for you than other muffins that are really just cupcakes masquerading as breakfast food. Not that I have anything against those delicious, streusel laden or chocolate chip studded creations.
How to make Morning Glory Muffins (Healthy!)
Storing this recipe for Morning Glory Muffins
Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container or ziploc bag on the counter at room temperature for 3-4 days. The shredded veggies in this recipe helps keep them tasting moist and fresh for quite a while. If you prefer to store them longer, they do very well in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let them thaw completely on the counter or pop them in the microwave to warm them up.
Can you freeze Morning Glory Muffins?
Yes, absolutely! In fact, I kind of recommend it for fast-paced mornings where you gotta pack a lunch bag and run out the door. Freezing these muffins is incredibly simple–just let them cool completely and place in an airtight container, such as a Ziploc bag and then you can just grab and go as needed. They can last a few weeks in the freezer so there’s no rush to finish the batch quickly.
More Muffin Recipes You’ll Love
Easy Apple Oatmeal Muffins Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins Homemade Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping One-Bowl Easy Banana Nut Muffins Pumpkin Streusel Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling Raspberry Streusel Muffins
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