Recipe

Morning Glory Muffins

Cozy, lightly spiced muffins loaded with carrots, apple, coconut, and pecans, with tall tops and a tender, not-too-sweet crumb.

By Matt Campbell

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4.8

A basket of golden morning glory muffins with visible shredded carrot and coconut on a kitchen table

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Morning glory muffins are the extroverts of the muffin world. They show up packed with shredded carrot, juicy apple, coconut, and nuts, then somehow still feel like breakfast and not dessert. The vibe is cozy-spiced, lightly sweet, and actually filling, which is exactly what I want when mornings are moving faster than my brain.

This version keeps ingredients easy to find, skips any fussy steps, and leans into my favorite muffin traits: crisp, domed tops and a tender crumb that stays moist for days. If you want to go full chaos good, add the optional orange zest. It makes the whole batch smell like you have your life together.

Whole carrots, an apple, pecans, and shredded coconut arranged on a counter with small bowls of spices

Why It Works

Big flavor, low drama: warm cinnamon and ginger plus sweet carrot and apple give you that bakery payoff without complicated technique.
Tall, crisp muffin tops: starting hot and then lowering the oven temp helps you get lift and a lightly crunchy edge.
Moist for days: oil, fruit, and carrots keep the crumb tender, even after refrigeration.
Flexible mix-ins: swap nuts, add raisins, or go nut-free. The base is sturdy and forgiving.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Room temp: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days for best quality. Line the container with a paper towel and add another on top to absorb extra moisture, which helps keep tops from getting too soft.

Refrigerator: Up to 5 days (best quality in the first few). Warm for 10 to 20 seconds in the microwave if at room temp, or 20 to 30 seconds if chilled, depending on your microwave. You can also split and toast for crisp edges.

Freezer: Freeze up to 3 months for best quality. Wrap each muffin, then stash in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temp or microwave 30 to 45 seconds. For that just-baked feeling, finish with a quick toast.

Freshly baked morning glory muffins cooling on a wire rack on a counter

Common Questions

Do morning glory muffins have pineapple?

Some classic versions do. I skip it here to keep ingredients simple and the batter less wet. If you want it, add 1/2 cup well-drained crushed pineapple and reduce the grated apple to 1/2 cup. If the batter still looks looser than a thick scoopable muffin batter, add 1 tablespoon flour.

Can I make these whole wheat?

Yes. Use 1 cup whole wheat flour plus 3/4 cup all-purpose for a hearty muffin that still stays tender. Full whole wheat works too, but the crumb is more rustic and less fluffy.

Can I make them nut-free?

Absolutely. Leave out the pecans and use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds if you want crunch without nuts. If skipping all add-ins, the bake time stays the same.

Why did my muffins turn out dense?

The usual culprits are overmixing or packing flour. Mix just until you stop seeing dry flour, and spoon and level your flour instead of scooping straight from the bag. Also, do not squeeze the carrots dry. Their moisture helps the crumb stay tender. If your carrots seem soaked, you can blot lightly, but keep them mostly juicy.

Can I reduce the sugar?

You can drop the brown sugar to 1/2 cup. The muffins will be a little less tender and less caramel-y, but still good. I would not cut it much further unless you add a sweeter mix-in like raisins.

Any easy mix-in swaps?

Yes, and this recipe is very forgiving. Swap dried cranberries for raisins, use walnuts instead of pecans, or add 2 tablespoons ground flax for a little extra heft. If you add flax, the batter will look thicker after a minute. That is normal.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Standard 12-cup muffin tin
Paper liners or nonstick spray
Box grater (or food processor) for carrots and apple
Mixing bowl and whisk
Rubber spatula
Ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure for portioning
Wire rack for cooling

I love a recipe that feels like it’s quietly doing you a favor. Morning glory muffins are that. They are the thing you can grab on your way out the door, eat standing at the counter, or hand to someone who says they are “not really a breakfast person” and then somehow finishes the whole muffin.

They also hit my favorite sweet spot as a cook: practical, flexible, and just chaotic enough. You’re grating carrots, you’re shredding apple, there are nuts flying around, and then 20 minutes later your kitchen smells like cinnamon and you look like a hero. That is the kind of magic I will happily repeat.