These morning glory muffins give you a moist, lightly sweet breakfast packed with carrots, apple, oats, and pantry staples — easy to make, practical to store, and reliable for busy mornings.
For more healthy breakfast muffins, check out our blueberry muffins with Greek yogurt, banana oatmeal muffins, applesauce muffins with oats, and banana chocolate chip muffins with Greek yogurt.
Why These Morning Glory Muffins Make a Reliable Breakfast
These morning glory muffins are a practical breakfast you can make once and eat all week. Louise and I bake a batch at the end of the week so we have something ready in the morning without extra work. 🧁
They’re made with carrots, apple, oats, and honey. The texture stays moist and soft for days, and the spice is present but balanced. Nothing overpowering.
Each muffin is fiber-rich and naturally low in saturated fat, thanks to olive oil and whole grains. They’re lightly sweet, satisfying, and fit well within a balanced, Mediterranean-style eating pattern. 🌾
Freeze them, pack them, or warm one in the toaster oven. Simple ingredients. Reliable results. A breakfast that works — or a wholesome snack any time of day. 🍎
P.S. Got leftover carrots or apples? Use them in our oil-free carrot cake muffins or make apple cinnamon overnight oats with Greek yogurt for a ready-to-go breakfast.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Flour: This recipe is designed for whole wheat flour, which absorbs more moisture and gives structure. If using all-purpose flour or a 1:1 gluten-free blend, reduce the orange juice by half so the batter isn’t too wet.
- Rolled oats: Add texture and make the muffins more filling. Quick oats work too. Do not use steel-cut oats.
- Cinnamon: Brings warmth and classic flavor. Substitute with pumpkin pie spice or add a pinch of nutmeg.
- Ground ginger: Adds mild spice. You can skip it or replace with a small pinch of cloves.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help the muffins rise and stay soft. Check that they are fresh.
- Carrots: Finely grate for the best texture. Pre-shredded carrots work, but chop them smaller if they are thick.
- Apple: Finely grate for the best texture. Adds moisture and natural sweetness. Substitute crushed pineapple (well drained) or unsweetened applesauce.
- Egg: Helps bind the batter. Replace with a flax or chia egg if needed.
- Olive oil: Keeps the muffins moist and tender, and helps carry sweetness and the flavor of the spices. A small amount of oil makes a big difference in taste. You can replace it with yogurt or applesauce, but the muffins will taste less rich. If you do, add a little extra honey or some sugar so the flavor doesn’t fall flat.
- Honey: Lightly sweetens the muffins. Swap with maple syrup, or add up to 1 cup of brown sugar for a sweeter result.
- Orange juice: Adds freshness. Use pineapple juice or milk.
- Raisins: Add sweetness and texture. Try chopped dates or dried cranberries.
- Walnuts or pecans: Provide crunch. Use almonds, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, dark chocolate chips, or omit for nut-free.
- Vanilla extract: Enhance flavor. Optional but recommended.
How to Make Morning Glory Muffins
1) Heat the oven and prepare the pan
Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
If you have a good 12-cup nonstick muffin pan, brush it lightly with oil. This gives the best edges and helps the muffins release cleanly.
If using paper liners, place them in the pan and lightly spray them with oil so the muffins don’t stick.
Finely grate the carrots and apple using the small holes of a box grater.
2) Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, olive oil, honey, orange juice, and vanilla until smooth and fully combined. This simple mix keeps the muffins lightly sweet without refined sugar.
3) Add the dry ingredients
Add the flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir gently until you no longer see dry flour. Do not overmix.
4) Fold in the fruit and nuts
Add the grated carrots, grated apple, raisins, and chopped pecans. Stir just enough to distribute everything evenly. The batter will be thick.
5) Fill and bake
Scoop the batter into the muffin cups, filling them almost to the top. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then move to a wire rack and let cool completely before storing.
Tips
- Grate finely: Use the small holes of a box grater for the carrots and apple. Large shreds make the texture uneven and the muffins less moist.
- Do not squeeze the carrots and the apple: The natural moisture helps keep the muffins soft.
- Do not overmix: Stir just until the flour disappears. Overmixing makes the muffins heavy.
- Check your baking powder and soda: If they’re old, the muffins won’t rise well. To test them, stir baking powder into hot water and baking soda into vinegar — both should bubble right away.
- Fill the cups almost to the top: This gives you tall, rounded muffins.
- Test at 22 minutes: Insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, they’re done.
- Cool before eating: Let the muffins cool for at least 15 minutes before eating. They’re very moist straight from the oven, and as they cool, the steam settles and the texture becomes just right.
- Freeze for later: These freeze well. Wrap tightly and thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but adjust carefully. Adding more honey is not the best option. Extra liquid sweetener will make the batter too wet and the muffins too moist in the center. The texture can turn heavy.
If you want sweeter muffins, add brown sugar instead of more honey. Sugar adds sweetness without changing the structure.
– Add ½ cup for a mildly sweeter muffin.
– Add ¾ cup for something in between.
– Add 1 cup if you want them clearly sweet, more like a bakery-style muffin.
For breakfast, we keep the sweetness as written. The honey gives balance without overpowering the spices and fruit.
Yes, but reduce the orange juice by half. Whole wheat absorbs more moisture, so the liquid needs adjusting.
Absolutely. Leave out the pecans or replace them with sunflower seeds for crunch.
Yes. You can skip the raisins or replace them with chopped dates or dried cranberries.
Let them cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Morning glory muffins are fruit-and-vegetable muffins made with grated carrots, apple, whole grains, nuts, and warm spices. They’re lightly sweet, usually made with oil, and known for their moist texture. They became popular in the United States in the 1970s and are often served as a breakfast muffin rather than a dessert.
More Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes
- Blueberry baked oatmeal with Greek yogurt
- Banana oatmeal muffins
- Creamy strawberry overnight oats
- Baked oatmeal cups with Greek yogurt
- Blueberry chia pudding
- Banana chia pudding
- Blueberry overnight oats
- Banana overnight oats
- Baked apple oatmeal
If you try this Morning Glory Muffins Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Morning Glory Muffins (Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast)
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin pan
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup orange juice sub pineapple juice or milk
- ¼ cup olive oil or neutral vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup honey for sweeter muffins, add ½ cup 100 g brown sugar.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract + 1 pinch of salt, optional
Add-Ins
- 2 cups carrots finely grated – about 7 oz
- 1 medium apple finely grated – about 7 oz
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F 180°C. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with oil or line it with paper liners. Lightly spray the liners with oil so the muffins do not stick.Finely grate the carrots and apple using the small holes of a box grater.
- In a large bowl, add 1 large egg, ¼ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup honey, ½ cup orange juice, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Add 1½ cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup rolled oats, 2½ teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Stir gently with a spoon until just combined.
- Add 2 cups carrots, 1 medium apple, ½ cup raisins, and ½ cup chopped pecans.Stir gently until combined. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin cups. Fill almost to the top.Bake at 350°F 180°C for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then move to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Notes
- Flour –> All-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten-free blend (reduce orange juice by half to avoid a wet batter)
- Rolled oats –> Quick oats (do not use steel-cut oats)
- Cinnamon –> Pumpkin pie spice or a pinch of nutmeg
- Ground ginger –> Omit or replace with a small pinch of cloves
- Baking powder & baking soda –> No substitution; ensure both are fresh for proper rise
- Carrots –> Pre-shredded carrots (chop smaller if thick)
- Apple –> Crushed pineapple (well drained) or unsweetened applesauce
- Egg –> Flax egg or chia egg
- Olive oil –> Yogurt or applesauce (add a little extra honey or sugar for richer flavor)
- Honey –> Maple syrup or up to 1 cup brown sugar (for a sweeter result)
- Orange juice –> Pineapple juice or milk
- Raisins –> Chopped dates or dried cranberries
- Walnuts or pecans –> Almonds, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, dark chocolate chips, or omit for nut-free
- Vanilla extract –> Optional; can omit but recommended for best flavor
- Grate finely – Use the small holes for carrots and apple for the best texture.
- Don’t squeeze the produce – That natural moisture keeps muffins soft.
- Don’t overmix – Stir just until the flour disappears.
- Check your leavening – Baking powder + hot water = bubbles. Baking soda + vinegar = bubbles.
- Fill high – Fill cups almost to the top for tall, bakery-style muffins.
- Test at 22 minutes – Toothpick out clean = done.
- Cool first – Rest 15 minutes so the texture sets perfectly.
- Store smart – Keep in an airtight container at room temp for 2–3 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze well, too.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
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Hi Nico
Can I use almond flour for this recipe?
Thanks
Teresa
Hi Teresa,
So, almond flour won’t work as a 1:1 substitute in these muffins. This recipe is designed around whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour, which provides structure and absorbs the moisture from the carrots, apple, orange juice, and honey. Almond flour doesn’t absorb liquid the same way, so the muffins would likely turn out too moist and dense in the center 🙂
If you’d like to include almond flour, you can replace up to about 25–30% of the flour with almond flour, but I wouldn’t swap it completely. I hope this helps.
Kindest, Louise