Gluten Free Morning Glory Muffins – Easy Recipe

Gluten Free Morning Glory Muffins are hearty muffins from a traditional, old fashioned recipe. These delicious muffins are a great way to start the day!

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Gluten Free Morning Glory Muffins

Gluten Free Muffins are an easy way to jump into gluten-free baking.

And even though this recipe looks like it’s involved due to the list of ingredients, it’s actually a very easy gluten free muffin recipe!

Please don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. Most of them are your typical muffin ingredients with the addition of some healthy mix-ins. 

It’s a great recipe to have on hand for breakfast or afternoon snack.

What is a Morning Glory Muffin?

Morning Glory Muffins are an American muffin that was an original recipe created in 1978 by Chef Pam McKinstry at the Morning Glory Café in Nantucket, Massachusettes. The recipe became nationally known when it was printed in Gourmet Magazine in 1981. It’s been a household breakfast staple since!

The Morning Glory Muffin is known for its rough tops and healthy ingredients like coconut, carrots, raisins, and apples mixed into the batter. Some variations include sunflower seeds, orange zest, or other dried fruit.

The flavor is similar to carrot cake + apple muffins + bran muffins and just sweet enough. 

Did you make this morning glory muffins recipe? Leave a star rating and let me know in the comments! You can also leave a photo/comment on this pin for others to see.

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Ingredients for Morning Glory Muffins

• Gluten Free Flour – I use my Nightshade Free Gluten Free Flour Blend
• Xanthan Gum – omit if the flour blend you use contains it
• Baking Powder, aluminum-free
• Baking Soda
• Fine Sea Salt
• Ground Cinnamon
• Chopped Walnuts (omit for nut-free)
• Shredded Coconut – sweetened or unsweetened. I use sweetened.
• Eggs
• Light Brown Sugar
• Milk – regular milk or plant-based milk for dairy free
• Oil – avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Raisins – I used regular but golden raisins would be good too
• Grated Carrots
• Grated Granny Smith Apple

*Be sure to read the full recipe card below for exact measurements.

Equipment Needed to Make Gluten Free Morning Glory Muffins

• Standard Baking Tools – measuring cups, measuring spoons, mixing spoon, spatula, wooden spoon
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 medium bowl
• Box Grater
• Vegetable Peeler
• Paper Liners
• Large Scoop
• Standard 12-cup Muffin Tin
• Cooling Rack

How to Make Morning Glory Muffins

Step 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners or spray generously with non-stick spray.

Step 2. Add the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the walnuts and coconut to coat in the flour.

Step 3. Add the eggs, brown sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla to a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Step 4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir together until the flour mixture is incorporated. Fold in the raisins, grated carrot, and grated apple. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Step 5. Transfer the muffin batter to the prepared muffin pan, dividing the batter evenly between the 12 cups. Spread the muffin batter out on top to help with even baking.

Step 6. Bake the muffins for 16-20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Mine baked in exactly 18 minutes.

Step 7. Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. You can cool them completely or serve them warm.

Tips for Making Gluten Free Muffins

• Be sure to measure your flour correctly if you’re not using a digital scale. Get my free guide to measuring flour here.
• Bring your cold ingredients to room temperature. Muffins that go into the oven with room temperature ingredients will rise better and bake more evenly.
• If your raisins are really dried out, soak them in a tablespoon of hot water before adding them to the batter. There’s no need to discard the water, just add it right in!
• Store muffins at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. You can also freeze the muffins for up to 3 months.
• Read below for recipe substitutions.

Recipe Substitutions

I have not tried this recipe other than as written and with the included dairy-free and nut-free suggestions. I have also tested this recipe with various natural oils, which are listed in the ingredients above. 

While melted coconut oil would work in this recipe, it will alter the flavor of the muffins and give them a strong coconut flavor.

However, I have not tested this recipe with flax eggs or with unsweetened applesauce as an egg or oil replacement. I also haven’t tested this recipe with coconut sugar in place of brown sugar. I wouldn’t recommend it as coconut sugar has a tendency to make baked goods a little drier.

Other Gluten Free Muffin Recipes to Try

• Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins (pictured below)
• Gluten Free Corn Muffins
• Gluten Free Banana Oat Muffins
• Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

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Gluten Free Morning Glory Muffins

5 from 7 ratings

Gluten Free Morning Glory Muffins are hearty muffins from a traditional, old fashioned recipe. These delicious muffins are a great way to start the day!

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes minutes

Total Time: 38 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 dozen

By: Sharon Lachendro

Print Rate Pin

Ingredients

• 2 cups 260 g Gluten Free Flour (see notes)
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend contains it
• 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons 5 g ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup 39 g chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 2/3 cup 149 g light brown sugar, packed
• 2/3 cup milk room temperature (see notes for dairy free)
• 1/3 cup avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup 51 g raisins
• 1/2 cup 55 g grated carrot
• 1/2 cup 47 g grated Granny Smith Apple

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners or spray generously with non-stick spray.
• Add the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the walnuts and coconut to coat in the flour.
  
• Add the eggs, brown sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
  
• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir together until the flour mixture is incorporated.
  
• Fold in the raisins, grated carrot, and grated apple. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  
• Transfer the muffin batter to the prepared muffin pan, dividing the batter evenly between the 12 cups. Spread the muffin batter out on top to help with even baking.
• Bake the muffins for 16-20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Mine baked in exactly 18 minutes.
• Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely or serve warm.

Notes

1. I used my Nightshade Free Gluten Free Flour Blend in this recipe. I highly recommend it for muffins.
2. You can omit the walnuts to make these muffins nut-free.
3. Use unsweetened coconut milk beverage or plain, unsweetened plant milk of your choice to make dairy-free morning glory muffins.
4. Store these muffins in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2 days or freeze for 3 months.

Recommended Products

Box Grater

OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler

OXO Good Grips Large Scoop

Standard Paper Cupcake Liners/Baking Cups

USA Pan Cupcake and Muffin Pan

Cooling Rack 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 208mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g

Disclaimers

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Facts are estimated and aren't always accurate. Please consult a doctor or nutritionist if you have special dietary needs.

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Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and let me know in the comments! You can also leave a photo/comment on this pin for others to see.