Delicious and packed with nutrition?!?! Absolutely possible, and it just happened with this morning glory muffin recipe. Warning: I will feel no regret for facilitating your muffin addiction.

These healthy morning glory muffins are loaded with grated carrots, chopped apple and raisins, made with whole wheat pastry flour and olive oil, and sweetened with pure honey or maple syrup instead of sugar. Chia seeds hold them together, so there are no eggs.

The Best Healthy Morning Glory Muffins (No Sugar Added)

A friend emailed me recently with a recipe for “healthy” morning glory muffins. She wanted my opinion on whether or not the recipe was actually healthy. Oh. my. They were made with 1 and 1/2 cups sugar, vegetable oil and white flour. Ugh… definitely not healthy. Just because morning glory muffins have carrots and apples thrown in does not automatically make them healthy.

When I create healthy recipes, I think about each ingredient added. I play around with naturally sweet foods like apples, bananas and of course pure honey or maple syrup instead of adding sugar. I choose oils with rockin’ benefits like coconut and olive oil. White flour? Forget about it. Once you try whole wheat pastry flour, you’ll kiss white flour goodbye forever.

So… I’m loving the health sneakiness of chia seeds. They. are. awesome. Fiber, protein, omega 3s, calcium, and the list of vitamins found in chia seeds continues. They also soak up excess liquid, which creates the much needed fluffiness of a muffin. Someone commented that the batter is really moist. No worries. Between the whole wheat pastry flour and chia seeds, the morning glory muffins will turn out fluffy while staying slightly moist.

Why You’ll Love These Morning Glory Muffins

No sugar added. Apple, raisins and honey or maple syrup do all the sweetening.
Breakfast in one muffin. Carrots, apple, raisins and walnuts make every bite hearty and colorful.
No eggs or butter. Chia seeds and applesauce bind the batter, and olive oil keeps it moist.
Two bowls and a whisk. Stir the dry, stir the wet, fold together and bake.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into these whole wheat morning glory muffins and why each one is there. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

Whole wheat pastry flour: Milled from soft wheat, it has less protein than regular whole wheat flour, so the muffins come out tender and fluffy instead of heavy. Regular whole wheat flour will work, but the crumb will be denser.
Chia seeds: They soak up the extra moisture from the carrots and apple and help bind the batter in place of eggs.
Ground cinnamon: The classic warm spice for morning glory muffins. It pairs with the carrots and apple and makes the kitchen smell amazing.
Aluminum free baking powder: Gives the muffins their lift. Aluminum free baking powder avoids the slightly metallic taste some brands can leave behind.
Salt: A pinch balances the sweetness and makes the spices pop.
Walnuts: Optional, but they add a toasty crunch. Pecans are an easy swap.
Grated carrots: Use the small holes of a box grater or a food processor so the carrots melt into the muffins as they bake.
Apple: Peeled, cored and finely chopped. A sweet, crisp apple adds juicy pockets and natural sweetness.
Raisins: Optional. They add little bursts of sweetness. Leave them out or use dried cranberries if you prefer.
Unsweetened applesauce: Adds moisture and sweetness without butter.
Extra virgin olive oil: Keeps the muffins soft even after they cool, since oil stays liquid at room temperature.
Pure honey or pure maple syrup: The only sweetener. Use whichever you have.
Almond or coconut milk: Loosens the batter just enough. Any milk works.
Pure vanilla extract: Rounds out the cinnamon and fruit.

How to Make Morning Glory Muffins

Heat the oven. Preheat to 375°F so the oven is fully hot when the batter goes in. That first burst of heat helps the muffins rise.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the flour, chia seeds, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and walnuts. Stir well so the baking powder and cinnamon are evenly spread.
Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together the grated carrots, chopped apple, raisins, applesauce, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, milk and vanilla. The mixture will look chunky and juicy.
Combine. Pour the carrot mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. The batter will be thick and moist, with the carrots and apple spread all the way through. A few streaks of flour are fine.
Fill the pan. Lightly spray a muffin pan with olive oil cooking spray and scoop about 1/4 cup of batter into each cup. Even scoops mean even baking.
Bake. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden and spring back when lightly pressed. Let them cool for a few minutes before you lift them out of the pan.

Kami’s tip: If the batter looks really moist, don’t worry. Between the whole wheat pastry flour and the chia seeds, these muffins bake up fluffy while staying slightly moist inside.

Ways to Customize Morning Glory Muffins

Swap the nuts. Use chopped pecans instead of walnuts, or leave the nuts out completely for a nut free muffin.
Change the dried fruit. Dried cranberries or chopped dates work in place of the raisins, or skip the dried fruit and let the apple carry the sweetness.
Add a little coconut. A handful of unsweetened shredded coconut is a classic morning glory addition and adds a chewy texture.
Make mini muffins. Scoop the batter into a mini muffin pan and start checking them early, since smaller muffins bake faster. They are perfect for lunch boxes.

Morning Glory Muffins FAQs

Are these morning glory muffins healthy? They are made with whole wheat pastry flour, fruit, carrots, chia seeds and olive oil, and sweetened with honey or maple syrup only.
Can I use regular whole wheat flour? Yes, but the muffins will be denser. Whole wheat pastry flour is finer and softer, which keeps them tender and fluffy.
Do I need to peel the apple? The recipe calls for a peeled, cored and finely chopped apple so the pieces bake up soft and blend right into the crumb.
Can I make them without nuts or raisins? Yes. Both are optional, so leave out either one or both.
Can I make them vegan? Use pure maple syrup instead of honey and a plant milk like almond or coconut milk. There are no eggs or butter in the recipe.
Can I use coconut oil instead of olive oil? Yes. Melt it first and let it cool slightly so it mixes evenly into the batter.
Why is my batter so wet? The carrots and apple release moisture. The chia seeds and flour soak it up as the muffins bake, so they come out fluffy.
How do I store morning glory muffins? Keep cooled muffins in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze them for up to 3 months.

Once you’ve recovered from DYING over these unbelievable morning glory muffins, come try my Banana Muffins (super popular right now). Love a hearty breakfast muffin? Try the Healthy Pumpkin Muffins on our sister site, Everything Muffins.

Kitchen Tools for This Recipe

Healthy Morning Glory Muffin Recipe

This healthy morning glory muffin recipe packs carrots, apple, raisins and walnuts into a whole wheat batter sweetened with honey or maple syrup. Chia seeds replace the eggs for a fluffy, moist muffin.

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Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tbs chia seeds
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs chopped walnuts optional
2 cups grated carrots
1 apple peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 cup raisins optional
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pure honey or pure maple syrup
1/4 cup almond or coconut milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.
In a large bowl, combine flour, chia seeds, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and walnuts. Stir well.
In a separate bowl, mix together carrots, apple, raisins, applesauce, olive oil, honey, milk, and vanilla. Pour carrot mixture into dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
Lightly spray muffin pan with olive oil cooking spray and scoop about 1/4 cup batter in each muffin.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Made these muffins? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how they turned out in the comments below. Your feedback helps other bakers, and I love hearing about your swaps.