Pull out your whisks and bowls my friends, this Morning Glory Muffin recipe is going to be your new favorite breakfast muffin to make. It is lightly sweetened with maple syrup and made with whole-wheat flour. And of course it has a touch of warm spices and is loaded with carrots, raisins, oats and nuts.

A bunch of muffins sitting on a table with carrots and nuts on the table

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Why You’ll Love These Whole-Wheat Morning Glory Muffins

If the thought of Morning Glory muffins brings up memories of too-healthy-to-taste-good, dry and gritty muffins, then you need to throw those thoughts right out the window. These muffins are the absolute opposite of that.

They are lightly sweet and tender. They bake up beautifully and are loaded to the gills with fruit, nuts and carrots. They are still light and fluffy.

What Makes These Healthy

  • To keep these Morning Glory Muffins healthy we added in wholesome rolled oats, and used a blend of whole wheat and all-purpose flour.
  • We also swapped out some of the oil and used fat-free yogurt instead.
  • Not only that, we used unrefined maple syrup to add sweetness.

With all that said, these healthy muffins do definitely earn their title of “Morning Glory” because they will make your morning meal so much better!

baking powder, cinnamon and a muffin from the side

Ingredients for This Recipe

  • All-purpose flour: When I bake with whole-grain I like to use a little more than half of all-purpose flour to ensure a lighter texture and to develop the gluten that will make the baked goods rise properly.
  • Whole-wheat flour: To add fiber and nutrition of whole grains, I added 1/2 cup of whole-wheat flour. If you can find it, we love White Whole Wheat flour best.
  • Rolled oats: The rolled oats are added to both the batter and to the tops of the muffins. For best results use old-fashioned or rolled oats instead of instant oats.
  • Baking powder: The key to the light texture of these muffins (even with all the fruit, carrots and nuts) is to use two teaspoons of baking powder It helps them rise, increases the volume in the muffin tins and created a light texture.
  • Cinnamon: I used cinnamon to add classic sweet spice to the batter.
  • Salt: A little bit of salt always helps to bring out the flavors in baked goods. I recommend regular granulated iodized table salt for baking because it blends more evenly into the batter. Do not substitute kosher salt without reading this first.
  • Baking soda: Baking soda acts slightly differently from baking soda in that it is activated by acid. In the case of this batter I used yogurt to provide the acidity for the soda.
  • Allspice: To add dimension to the spice I added a small amount of allspice. A little goes a long way with allspice and I found that 1/4 teaspoon was a nice addition.
  • Large eggs: For the wet mix, I used 2 fresh eggs. They help the muffins rise, stick together and brown.
  • Fat-free plain yogurt: This helps to add moisture and acidity to the batter. I did not use Greek yogurt. It can be subbed in if necessary, but note that the batter will be a bit thicker and a touch heavier.
  • Dark pure maple syrup: As you may know, my husband and I have a small hobby maple sugaring business at our home here in Vermont, and I wrote an entire cookbook (published in 2015) about maple syrup. So of course I had to include maple as the sweetener of choice in these delicious muffins! The taste of the maple comes through and jives well with the spices and nuts. Look for dark robust maple for the strongest flavor.
  • Avocado oil or canola oil: For the fat in these muffins I used oil instead of butter to keep the saturated fat to a minimum.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract:To boost the taste even more I added in a couple teaspoons of vanilla.
  • Carrots: I used two cups of carrots in this batter. To make it easier I actually grated the carrots in my food processor. I peeled them first (the peels are bitter) and then used the grater attachment.
  • Walnuts: You can use any variety of nuts, but my favorites in this recipe is walnuts. Bonus that they are high in Omega 3 fatty acids! Taking the few extra minutes to toast them makes a big flavor difference. Just make sure to let them cool for several minutes before adding them to the batter.
  • Raisins: The sweetness of the maple is heightened from the natural sweetness of the raisins. Paired with the carrots and walnuts, these morning glory muffins have a definite Carrot Cake vibe going on!

How To Make Morning Glory Muffins

This recipe uses the standard muffin method. As I explained in this recipe for Pumpkin Streusel Bread this blending technique is the easiest way to make batter and perfect for muffins. For this technique, you’ll need two separate bowls, one for the dry mix and one for the wet mix.

Before you start

To get the lightest fluffiest muffins, it is important to preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line your muffin tin with paper liners before you stir the batter together. Both baking soda and baking powder work best if activated ust before baking.

Mix Dry Mix

combine the dry mix in a bowl and whisk to incorporate

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, Clabber Girl Baking Powder, Spice Islands Cinnamon, baking soda, salt and allspice. I also stir 1/2 cup of the oats into the dry mix as well.

Mix Wet Mix

the wet ingredients in a bowl

Whisk the eggs, yogurt, maple syrup, oil and vanilla in a large bowl.

Combine the Wet and Dry and Add Stir-ins

the batter after the wet and dry are combined

Add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir it together with a spatula. Do not overwork the batter or the gluten will overdevelop.

Add the shredded carrots, raisins and nuts to the batter and gently combine

Stir the carrots, cooled toasted nuts and raisins into the batter gently without over-blending.

To Bake

fill the muffin tins and add on the oats
  1. Use a spoon to scoop the batter into the paper liners of the muffin tins. They will be pretty full (almost to the top of the well.)
  2. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oats over the top of the muffins.
  3. Bake them in the center of the oven for 32 to 34 minutes. They will dome slightly and spring back to the touch. You can also use a toothpick to check them. It should come out with moist crumbs attached.
  4. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

FAQs and Expert Tips

Are Morning Glory Muffins healthy?

Yes, but not all morning glory muffins are healthy! (They can be more like carrot cake in muffin form.) Look out for those that have a lot of added sugars, refined flours and fats added to them. These have less than a tablespoon of added sugar and are made with a blend of white and whole-wheat flour. They also have only a small amount of heart-healthy avocado oil (no butter or coconut oil which are both high in saturated fat.) To keep them healthy we added yogurt in place of some of the additional oil. We also added in two full cups of shredded carrots in addition to the raisins and nuts. So these can be considered a healthy addition to a diet when consumed in moderation.

Serving Suggestions

This recipe is the perfect addition to an Easter or springtime brunch menu. You could also pair it with the following recipes

Freezing Instructions

These muffins can be frozen for up to one month. Seal them in a gallon freezer bag. Thaw on the counter or you can pop them in the microwave to thaw quickly.

katie webster with a basket of muffins

More Muffins and Quick Bread Recipes

morning glory muffin that has been broken open to reveal the texture inside

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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side view of muffin with pieces of carrot and nuts around it

Whole-Wheat Morning Glory Muffins

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5 from 5 reviews

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Description

These morning glory muffins are lightly sweetened with maple syrup and made with whole-wheat flour. They have a touch of warm spices and are loaded with carrots, raisins, oats and nuts.

Ingredients

Scale

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup rolled oats, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 eggs

2/3 cup fat-free plain yogurt

2/3 cup dark pure maple syrup

1/4 cup avocado oil or organic canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup toasted nuts, such as walnuts

1/2 cup raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper cupcake liners.

2. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, ½ cup oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and allspice in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Whisk eggs, yogurt, maple syrup, oil and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Stir the dry ingredient into the wet mixture. Stir in carrots, nuts and raisins.

4. Divide muffin batter between the prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons oats over the batter. Bake until the muffins spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only moist crumbs attached, 32 to 34 minutes. Cool in the pan about 10 minutes before removing, and cooling on a wire rack.

Notes

These muffins can be frozen for up to one month. Seal them in a gallon freezer bag. Thaw on the counter or you can pop them in the microwave to thaw quickly.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 32 minutes
  • Category: Baking
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 muffin
  • Calories: 226
  • Sugar: 15 g
  • Sodium: 181 mg
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 33 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 5 g

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side view of muffins, baking powder and cinnamon with text overlay