These Lightened Up Morning Glory Muffins are incredibly moist and packed with so much deliciousness-shredded carrots, apples, coconut, walnuts and raisins. These muffins make for a quick breakfast or snack!

Makes 12 large muffins

What are Morning Glory Muffins? Where did they originate from?

Morning Glory Muffins are made with a lot of healthy ingredients such: whole wheat flour, raisins, walnuts, carrots, apples, orange juice, coconut, and wheat germ. The name of the muffin comes from the yellow color that it has from the carrots! If you like muffins packed with texture and flavor, than you will truly love these morning glory muffins!

Morning Glory Muffins date back to the 1970s.  They were created by Pam McKinstry owner of the “Morning Glory Cafe” in Nantucket in 1978 and in 1981, Gourmet magazine printed her recipe. It was chosen by the readers as one of the best recipes of the past 25 years in the magazines 1991 edition.

What ingredients do I need to make these Lightened Up Morning Glory Muffins?

• Raisins- you will start by soaking these in water so they are nice and plumply when you bite into the muffin.
• King Arthur White Flour or Whole Wheat Flour or gluten-free flour– spooned and leveled. It is key to measure your flour this way- otherwise you may be left with a dense muffin!
• Zero point brown sugar sweetener – I like to use Lakanto BROWN or golden monkfruit. You can find it HERE online. Save 15% with discount code: POUND15
• Baking soda
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground ginger
• Salt
• Large eggs
• Unsweetened applesauce sauce – I use this in place of vegetable oil to keep the points low. 
• Fresh orange juice (1/2 of a orange)
• Vanilla extract
• Carrots– peeled and shredded
• Granny Smith apple-peeled, cored and shredded
• Unsweetened or sweetened shredded coconut – I like to use unsweetened coconut to keep the points lower. 
• Chopped walnuts
• Wheat germ

How do I make these Lightened Up Morning Glory Muffins?

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non stick cooking spray, or line it with papers and spray the insides of the papers.

In a small mixing bowl, cover the raisins with hot water and let them soak, for at least 10 minutes. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sweetener, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

Stir in the carrots, apple, coconut, walnuts, and wheat germ.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla, and orange juice.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient bowl and stir until JUST combined.

Do NOT over mix the batter! This will result in a very dense muffin.

Drain the raisins and fold them into the batter.

Using a 1/3 cup, evenly distribute the batter among the cups of the prepared muffin pan.

Bake the muffins for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes in their pan, then remove from pan.

Wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, up to 5 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup raisins 
• 2 cups (227g) King Arthur White Flour or Whole Wheat Flour or gluten-free flour, spooned and leveled
• 3/4 cup brown sugar sweetener 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce sauce 
• 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice (1/2 of a orange)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large or 2 cups carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and shredded
• 1/4 cup unsweetened or sweetened shredded coconut 
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp wheat germ

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non stick cooking spray, or line it with papers and spray the insides of the papers.
2. In a small bowl, cover the raisins with hot water and let them soak, for at least 10 minutes. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sweetener, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
4. Stir in the carrots, apple, coconut, walnuts, and wheat germ.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla, and orange juice.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient bowl and stir until JUST combined! DO NOT OVER-MIX! You’ll end up with dense muffins.
7. Drain the raisins and stir them in the batter.
8. Using a 1/3 cup, evenly distribute the batter among the cups of the prepared muffin pan.
9. Bake the muffins for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes in their pan on a rack, then remove from pan.
11. Wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, up to 5 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe adapted from King Authur 

Makes 12 large size muffin

3 WW Points® per serving

How do I track this recipe in my WW app? 

Click the link below to go to the recipe builder. You’ll first need to sign into your WW account and then the recipe builder will upload. The recipe builder is the most accurate way to create, obtain, and track the Points®

The recipe builder link only works for WW members located in the United States. If you are located outside of the United States, you’ll need to access the WW app manually to create the recipe in the recipe builder. 

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