Embark on a culinary journey to a healthier lifestyle with our exceptional Vegan Morning Glory Muffins. These aren’t just any muffins; they are a delightful fusion of taste and nutrition, meticulously crafted to provide a truly satisfying breakfast or snack experience. Bursting with wholesome goodness, these muffins redefine what ‘healthy’ can taste like, proving that mindful eating doesn’t mean compromising on flavor or enjoyment. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of natural sweetness, rich textures, and a subtle spice that will awaken your palate and energize your day.
Our recipe champions the art of baking with no added sugar, relying instead on the inherent sweetness of fresh applesauce and other natural ingredients. This makes them an ideal choice for anyone looking to reduce their sugar intake without sacrificing the joy of a sweet treat. Preparing these healthy applesauce muffins is surprisingly straightforward, designed for ease and convenience. They are perfect for those busy mornings when time is a luxury, as they can be prepared in advance, making them the ultimate grab-and-go solution for a nutritious start or a midday energy boost. Imagine waking up to a ready-made breakfast that not only tastes incredible but also fuels your body with essential nutrients. Start your day the right way with these wonderfully wholesome, sugar-free morning glory muffins, packed with hidden veggies!
These healthy Morning Glory Muffins are designed to elevate your daily routine. They are brimming with nourishing ingredients, baked to perfection to create a light, fluffy, and incredibly tasty texture. Beyond their deliciousness, they offer a substantial nutritional punch, making them an ideal choice for breakfast, a fulfilling snack, or even a guilt-free dessert. The secret to their irresistible moistness and tender crumb lies in a few clever vegan baking tricks, ensuring a perfect texture every time. Despite being remarkably healthy, these muffins are so scrumptious that they are guaranteed to be a hit with everyone, regardless of their dietary preferences. And the best part? The recipe is so incredibly simple, you’ll find yourself baking them again and again.
The original Morning Glory Muffins were a culinary creation of Chef Pam McKinstry, developed for her renowned restaurant on Nantucket Island. While paying homage to her classic blend of carrots, pineapple, apples, and walnuts, our adaptation takes a modern, healthier approach by entirely omitting added oil and refined sugar. The result is a muffin that not only preserves the spirit and flavor profile of the original but also aligns perfectly with contemporary health-conscious eating. This thoughtful reinterpretation ensures you can enjoy a beloved classic with all the taste and none of the guilt.
Wholesome Ingredients for the Best Vegan Morning Glory Muffins
Don’t be daunted by the comprehensive list of ingredients; most are likely already staples in your pantry. We’ve also included a variety of substitutions to make this recipe as flexible and accessible as possible, ensuring you can whip up a batch no matter what you have on hand. Each component plays a crucial role in creating the perfect flavor and texture of these delightful muffins.
- CARROTS: Shredded carrots provide natural sweetness, moisture, and a beautiful color. For a delightful twist or if you’re out of carrots, consider using shredded parsnips or beets. They offer a similar texture and earthy sweetness that complements the muffin’s profile.
- ZUCCHINI: This versatile vegetable adds incredible moisture without altering the flavor, making the muffins wonderfully tender. If using yellow summer squash as a substitute, remember to scoop out the seeds before shredding to prevent excess moisture.
- APPLE: Any variety or color of apple will work splendidly, contributing a pleasant tartness and natural sweetness. Firm pears that hold their shape well when grated also make an excellent alternative, adding a slightly different fruity note.
- WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR: For a hearty and nutritious muffin, we recommend a blend of sprouted spelt and whole wheat flour. This combination offers a rich, nutty flavor and a satisfying texture. This recipe has also been successfully tested with a Gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend, yielding excellent results with good rise and texture for those with dietary restrictions.
- GROUND FLAX SEEDS: These tiny powerhouses serve multiple purposes: they impart a subtle nutty flavor and act as a natural binder, replacing eggs in this vegan recipe. Ground chia seeds are a fantastic alternative. In vegan baking, the natural moisture from shredded zucchini, apples, and applesauce often helps the flax seeds gel effectively without needing to pre-make “flax eggs.” This technique is also used in many other successful recipes, like our healthy zucchini bread.
- BAKING POWDER & BAKING SODA: The precise combination of these leavening agents is crucial for achieving the perfect rise and a light, airy texture in these vegan muffins. They work together to create the signature domed tops we all love.
- CINNAMON: A generous amount of cinnamon provides that warm, inviting flavor characteristic of classic morning glory muffins. If you enjoy a richer spice profile, feel free to add a pinch of allspice, cloves, or nutmeg for an extra layer of warmth and complexity.
- APPLESAUCE: This is a key ingredient for keeping these muffins vegan and completely sugar-free, contributing natural sweetness and essential moisture. If you need a substitute, ripe bananas, pears, peaches, or mangoes can be blended until smooth to achieve a similar applesauce-like consistency.
- MAPLE SYRUP: While maple syrup is our preferred liquid sweetener for its distinct flavor, this recipe was also tested with date syrup, which resulted in a slightly sweeter taste and equally perfect texture. Choose based on your preference for sweetness and flavor.
- VANILLA EXTRACT: Vanilla enhances all the other flavors, adding a touch of aromatic sweetness. If you don’t have it on hand, you can skip it without significantly compromising the overall taste.
- FRESH GINGER: The zing of freshly grated ginger provides a wonderful brightness and warmth to the muffins. If fresh ginger is unavailable, simply use ½ teaspoon of ground ginger for a similar, though slightly less intense, flavor.
- UNSWEETENED DRIED CRANBERRIES: Always opt for unsweetened and unsulfured dried fruit to avoid unnecessary sugars and additives. Dried cranberries add a delightful chewiness and bursts of natural sweetness. Excellent substitutes include raisins, dried cherries, or finely chopped apricots or figs. If you’re looking for another delicious way to use dried cranberries, be sure to check out these yummy gluten-free vegan cookies.
- CHOPPED WALNUTS: Walnuts contribute a satisfying crunch and a dose of healthy fats. Feel free to substitute with any other nuts you prefer, such as pecans, almonds, or pistachios. For a nut-free option, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or hemp seeds work wonderfully, offering a similar textural contrast.
- FROZEN PINEAPPLE: The addition of small diced frozen pineapple is what makes these Morning Glory Muffins with pineapple truly exceptional and naturally sweet, requiring no extra sugar. Frozen mango, peaches, or finely diced firm pears can also be used as sweet fruit alternatives, adding their unique juicy touch.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Bake Perfect Morning Glory Muffins
Baking these wholesome vegan muffins is a straightforward process, designed to be enjoyable and efficient. Follow these simple steps to create a batch of perfectly moist and flavorful Morning Glory Muffins that will impress everyone.
First, begin by preparing your vegetables and fruit. Shred the carrots, zucchini, and apple. This can be done quickly and easily using either a box grater for a more rustic texture or a food processor for speed and consistency. There’s no need for peeling any of these ingredients, which saves you precious time. Additionally, don’t worry about washing the food processor bowl between shredding different vegetables – it’s an easy muffin recipe, and we want to keep it simple and minimize extra cleanup!
- Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine all the shredded vegetables and fruit (carrots, zucchini, and apple) with the wet ingredients: applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and grated fresh ginger. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the whole grain flour, ground flax seeds, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and coarse sea salt. Ensure all dry ingredients are evenly distributed to allow for proper leavening.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter, as this can lead to tough muffins. A few lumps are perfectly fine!
- Fold in Add-ins: Finally, gently fold in the unsweetened dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, and diced frozen pineapple. Distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
Once your batter is ready, use a cookie scoop or a large spoon to evenly divide the batter among the 12 lined muffin cups. It might seem like the cups are a bit full, perhaps slightly more than three-quarters, but rest assured, the muffins will rise beautifully without overflowing, resulting in perfectly domed tops and a delightful texture.
You’ll want to use all the batter for your 12 muffins. Don’t be concerned if the muffin cups look a bit fuller than ¾; this recipe is designed to yield generous, perfectly sized muffins. They will rise beautifully during baking, creating a magnificent dome and a satisfyingly crisp top without spilling over. The result will be absolutely perfect every time.
For best results, place the filled muffin tin into a preheated 425°F (220°C) oven. This initial high heat is a clever trick that helps the muffins achieve a rapid rise and develop a deliciously crisp, golden-brown top. After 10 minutes, without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes. This two-stage baking process ensures the muffins cook through evenly while maintaining their moist interior. Once golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, your muffins are ready. Allow them to cool slightly in the tin before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Why These Healthy Morning Glory Muffins Are Your New Favorite
There are countless reasons why these vegan, sugar-free Morning Glory Muffins are poised to become a staple in your kitchen. From their incredible taste to their ease of preparation and impressive nutritional profile, they offer a perfect solution for anyone seeking delicious and healthy food options. Discover the benefits that make these muffins truly special.
- Irresistibly Tasty & Truly Satisfying: These muffins strike the perfect balance between sweet, savory, and spicy, ensuring every bite is a delightful experience. They are genuinely satisfying, leaving you feeling full and content.
- Excellent for Meal Prep & Freezer-Friendly: Prepare a larger batch on the weekend, and you’ll have healthy breakfasts and snacks ready for the entire week. They freeze beautifully, making them ideal for long-term meal planning.
- Effortless to Make with Wholesome Ingredients: This recipe prioritizes real, whole foods and simple steps, making healthy baking accessible to everyone, even beginner bakers.
- Perfectly Sweet, Naturally: Enjoy the sweet taste you crave without the guilt. These muffins are sweetened solely with natural ingredients like applesauce and pineapple, ensuring they won’t cause a blood sugar spike.
- No Added Sugar: A major highlight of this recipe is the complete absence of refined or added sugars. All the sweetness comes from fruits, making them a healthier choice for the entire family.
- Hearty Yet Light Texture: Experience a delightful textural contrast with every bite – the soft, moist crumb perfectly complemented by the crunchy walnuts and chewy dried cranberries.
- Ideal Grab-and-Go Breakfast: Life gets busy, but breakfast shouldn’t be sacrificed. These make-ahead muffins are the ultimate convenience, allowing you to grab a nutritious meal on your way out the door.
- Deliciously Healthy: They are genuinely delicious, satisfying your cravings for a baked treat while providing significant nutritional benefits. It’s a win-win for your taste buds and your body!
- A Smart, Nutritious Choice: Packed with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, these muffins offer a powerful boost of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, contributing positively to your overall well-being.
- Wholesome Goodness for Any Time: Versatile enough for breakfast, a fulfilling afternoon snack, or even a healthier dessert option, these muffins fit seamlessly into any part of your day.
- Start Your Day with Veggies (the YUMMY Way): Sneaking vegetables into your diet has never been so enjoyable! Carrots and zucchini blend seamlessly into the deliciousness, giving you a head start on your daily veggie intake without even noticing.
Storage and Freezing Tips for Morning Glory Muffins
To ensure your delicious Vegan Morning Glory Muffins stay fresh and enjoyable for as long as possible, proper storage is key. Whether you plan to savor them over a few days or save a batch for future convenience, these tips will help maintain their perfect texture and flavor.
- Room Temperature Storage: For immediate consumption, store your muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To prevent them from becoming soggy, you can place a paper towel at the bottom of the container to absorb any excess moisture.
- Refrigeration: If you want to extend their freshness a bit longer, transfer the muffins to an airtight container and refrigerate them. They will stay fresh and moist for up to a week in the fridge.
- Freezing for Long-Term: These muffins are incredibly freezer-friendly, making them perfect for meal prepping. Once completely cooled, place the muffins in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour until solid. This prevents them from sticking together. Then, transfer the frozen muffins to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They will maintain their quality for up to 3 months.
- Reheating Frozen Muffins: When you’re ready to enjoy a frozen muffin, simply remove it from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for an hour, or warm it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds for a quick, warm treat. You can also briefly warm them in a toaster oven for a slightly crisper exterior.
Frequently Asked Questions About Morning Glory Muffins
Here are some common questions about making and enjoying these healthy and delicious Morning Glory Muffins, providing extra tips and clarity to ensure your baking success.
- Can I make these muffins gluten-free? Yes! This recipe has been tested with a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and yields excellent results. Make sure your blend contains xanthan gum or add ½ teaspoon per cup of flour if it doesn’t.
- Do I need to peel the carrots, zucchini, or apple? No, peeling is not necessary. The skins soften during baking and add extra fiber and nutrients. Just give them a good wash before shredding.
- What if I don’t have fresh ginger? You can substitute fresh grated ginger with ½ teaspoon of ground ginger. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
- Can I use fresh pineapple instead of frozen? Absolutely! Just make sure to dice it into small pieces. Frozen pineapple is often easier to dice and adds a nice chill to the batter, but fresh works perfectly fine.
- How can I ensure my muffins rise high? The initial blast of high heat (425°F/220°C) for the first 10 minutes is key! It creates a rapid rise and a beautiful, crusty top. Also, avoid overmixing the batter, as this can develop the gluten too much and result in denser muffins.
- Are these muffins suitable for kids? Yes, they are! They’re naturally sweetened and packed with fruits and vegetables, making them a fantastic healthy snack or breakfast option for children. The veggies are well-hidden, so even picky eaters often love them.
- Can I add other fruits or nuts? Definitely! Feel free to experiment with other dried fruits like chopped dates or figs, or different nuts like pecans or almonds. Just keep the total quantity of add-ins similar to the recipe to maintain the right batter consistency.
More Delicious & Healthy Muffin Recipes to Try
If you loved these Vegan Morning Glory Muffins, you’re in for a treat! Explore more of our favorite healthy and plant-based muffin recipes, perfect for any time of day. Each recipe offers a unique flavor profile while maintaining a focus on wholesome ingredients and delicious taste.
- Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Grain-free Pumpkin Muffins
- Vegan Oatmeal Muffins with Jam
- Grain-free Blueberry Muffins
- Gluten-free Vegan Apple Muffins
- Dairy-free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Gluten-free Carrot Muffins
📖 Recipe: Vegan Morning Glory Muffins
Morning Glory Muffins
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Equipment
- Cookie scoop set
- Cupcake liners
- Glass Mixing Bowls with Lids
- Microplane Grater
- Food Processor
- Box Grater
- Muffin Pan
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini* (shredded)
- 2 medium sized carrots* (shredded)
- 1 green apple* (shredded)
- 2 cups whole grain flour*
- â…“ cup ground flax seeds
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
- ½ cup maple syrup*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger*
- ½ cup chopped walnuts*
- ½ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
- ½ cup small dice frozen pineapple*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line muffin tins with paper liners.
- Shred zucchini, apple, and carrots. You can use a box grater to do this by hand, or use a food processor with the shredding disc. There is no need to wash out the bowl in between. You should have about 3 cups in total of shredded produce.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, ground flax seeds, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well to combine all dry ingredients.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the shredded vegetables and fruit, plus applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla, and grated ginger. Ensure all wet ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
- Gently fold in the chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, and diced pineapple into the batter until evenly distributed.
- Using a medium-sized scoop or a large spoon, scoop the batter evenly into the 12 prepared muffin cups. The cups will be quite full, but they will not overflow.
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven and set a timer for 10 minutes. Do not open the oven door. After 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and reset the timer for an additional 15 minutes. Starting at a higher heat allows the muffins to rise quickly and develop a crisp top.
- Muffins are done when they are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the tin before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months for longer storage.
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Notes
FLOUR: It’s recommended to use a whole grain flour for optimal nutrition and flavor. The muffins in these photos utilized a combination of 1 cup sprouted spelt flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour. The recipe was also successfully tested with a gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend, all whole wheat flour, and all spelt flour. While spelt flour offers a lovely nutty flavor, an all-spelt version didn’t rise quite as well as the other tested combinations, leading to the recommendation of the combo. Both the gluten-free flour and the all-whole wheat versions rose well and had a texture similar to the recommended blend.
SWEETENER: The recipe was tested with both maple syrup and date syrup. Both yielded muffins with perfect texture. The date syrup version was noted to be slightly sweeter, so choose according to your preference for sweetness.
NUTS: Feel free to substitute the chopped walnuts with other nuts like pecans, pistachios, or almonds. If nuts are not an option due to allergies or preference, seeds such as sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds are excellent alternatives for adding crunch.
CRANBERRIES: If unsweetened dried cranberries are hard to find, suitable substitutes include raisins, unsweetened dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots or figs. These alternatives will provide a similar chewy texture and natural sweetness.
PINEAPPLE: Cutting frozen pineapple into small dice is surprisingly easy. You can mix the pineapple into the batter either while it’s still frozen or after it has thawed, whichever is more convenient for you.
Nutrition
Calories: 211kcal
Carbohydrates: 32g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 5g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g
Sodium: 347mg
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 19g
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.