These high altitude morning glory muffins are so moist, hearty with whole wheat flour, and flavorful with plenty of spices and mix-ins. With grated apples and carrots, raisins, walnuts, brown sugar, and cozy spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice, they taste like loaded carrot cake that you can enjoy for breakfast. They’re fantastic served warm with plenty of soft butter and a cup of hot coffee!
You might also love these high altitude recipes for carrot crumb coffee cake, pumpkin pecan muffins, and spiced pear crumble muffins.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy to Make. This is a simple, mix-and-bake recipe that comes together in minutes.
Soft and Moist for Days. These morning glory muffins are still so good several days after baking, especially when they’re slightly warmed.
Packed with Flavor. There are just so many good things happening in these muffins, and this is a completely customizable recipe where you can change up the mix-ins and spices to suit your own taste. Instead of raisins, try dried sweetened cranberries. Or swap the walnuts for pecans or macadamia nuts. Some people even add flaked coconut, pineapple, orange juice or wheat germ. And besides the spices that I used, you could also add cloves or cardamom for more warmth and flavor. Just be sure that with any substitution, you maintain the ratio of dry to liquid ingredients for the best results. If you love carrot cake, you’ll love today’s muffin recipe!
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Carrots and Apples. These add moisture and flavor to the muffins. Since apples and carrots vary so much by size, I include the weight that you’ll need of each in the recipe card. You can use any apples you like, but I prefer Honeycrisp. Be sure to peel everything first, before grating them. A small Ninja makes the grating/chopping job super quick and easy!
- Sugar. A combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar adds sweetness, moisture, and those lovely caramelized edges on the muffins.
- Vegetable Oil. Moisture. It’s possible you could use melted butter instead of the oil, but I haven’t tested this substitution.
- Eggs. Moisture and strength. Eggs keep the muffins from just crumbling to pieces.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Flour. A blend of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour gives the muffins structure, strength and a hearty, wholesome flavor.
- Corn Starch. Keeps the muffins tender and soft.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda. Leavening agents, so the muffins rise.
- Salt. Flavor.
- Spices. I used a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Cloves and cardamom would also be great.
- Walnuts and Raisins.
- Turbinado Sugar. Also known as “sugar in the raw”, this adds a crunchy finish to the muffin tops.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Lightly spray the top of the pan and the liners with non-stick baking spray.
- In a bowl, whisk together the grated carrots, apples, sugars, oil, eggs and vanilla extract, until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices, then whisk until evenly distributed.
- Add the flour mixture, chopped walnuts and raisins to the wet ingredients, and mix everything together with a spatula, just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling them full. Sprinkle the batter with the coarse Turbinado sugar.
- Place the pan in the oven, and reduce the temperature to 375 F. Bake the muffins for about 22-25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and caramelized, the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a cooling rack. Cool for several minutes, then serve warm with soft butter.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are they called morning glory muffins?
These muffins got their name from the Morning Glory Cafe in Nantucket, where they were created by the cafe owner in 1978.
Will this recipe work with crumb topping?
Crumb topping would be wonderful on these muffins instead of the turbinado sugar. Instead of making 12 muffins, divide the batter between 15 muffin cups. Sprinkle the batter with the crumb topping recipe from these spiced pear crumble muffins.
How long do these muffins stay fresh?
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat muffins in the microwave for 30-45 seconds at 50% power for a soft, just-baked texture.
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High Altitude Morning Glory Muffins
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Cheese Grater or Small Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup (5 oz) peeled and finely grated carrots (3 medium carrots)
- 1 cup (7 oz) peeled and finely grated apples (1 large or 2 medium Honeycrisp apples)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
- ½ cup raisins
- 2 tbsp coarse Turbinado sugar ("sugar in the raw")
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Lightly spray the top of the pan and the liners with non-stick baking spray.
- In a bowl, whisk together the grated carrots, apples, sugars, oil, eggs and vanilla extract, until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices, then whisk until evenly distributed.
- Add the flour mixture, chopped walnuts and raisins to the wet ingredients, and mix everything together with a spatula, just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling them full. Sprinkle the batter with the coarse Turbinado sugar.
- Place the pan in the oven, and reduce the temperature to 375 F. Bake the muffins for about 22-25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and caramelized, the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a cooling rack. Cool for several minutes, then serve warm with soft butter.
- Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat muffins in the microwave for 30-45 seconds at 50% power for a soft, just-baked texture.
The Morning Glory Muffins are fabulous. They disappeared so fast, I had to make another batch. I didn’t bother to peel the apples or carrots and they were fine. I hope you continue to put healthy, whole grain recipes on your wonderful website.
Can you half this recipe with no changes ?
Can you do this with only all purpose flour? I don’t have any whole wheat on hand and it looks delicious!
Yes, you can.
Could I make these mini muffins and not cook for as long?
I don’t see why not!
Could this be made as a loaf?
I suppose it’s possible, but I haven’t tested it. If you try it, please let me know if it works out!
These are now in my regular muffin rotation. They are fluffy and delicious. The King Arthur morning glory muffins, while very good, are stodgy in comparison. My husband: These are really good! (four muffins later). Make them exactly as written!