Grain-Free Morning Glory Muffins

In my opinion, the perfect start to a great day looks like this: a dark, quiet house, my Bible app, a cup of coffee and a homemade muffin. I try to keep muffins in the fridge for moments just like this. Aside from the perfect coffee companion, they are also a great lunchbox packer and an easy grab and go snack. Muffins remind me of my mom who used to bake cinnamon and blueberry muffins for my brother and me as snacks!

These days my baked goods look a little different. Our family follows the Specific Carbohydrate Diet to manage my daughter’s Crohn’s Disease. The diet does not allow traditional baking ingredients like wheat flour, sugar or baking powder. Thanks to modern food innovation, we can bake with nut flours, coconut and other whole foods. Fortunately, these ingredients create foods that are superior to their predecessors: more nutrient dense, no refined sugar or flour!

Morning Glory Muffins became popular in the early 1980’s. The original version is loaded with fruit and nuts. Awesome! It is also loaded with refined sugar…not so awesome. This recipe is a whole food adaptation of the original. These Grain-Free Morning Glory Muffins swap refined flour and sugar for coconut flour and dates and honey. Thank you to Comfy Belly who provided the inspiration for this recipe.

Why Make Grain-Free Morning Glory Muffins

While I have several muffin flavors that I enjoy regularly, these fruit and nut packed treats might just be my all-time favorite! They are:

• Perfectly and naturally sweet with almost no added honey
• Spiced with all the warming fall flavors: cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• Hearty and satisfying
• Full of fruits and veggies (I jump at any opportunity to add veggies to my baked goods!)
• Beloved by grain-avoiders and grain-connoisseurs alike!

Looking for other Delicious Creations?

Try these other grain-free recipes or check out my Baked Goods section in the recipes!

Coconut Flour Pumpkin Bread

Butternut Squash Blondies

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Grain-Free Morning Glory Muffins

---

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Kristi McCollom
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 9–10 muffins 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Grain-Free Morning Glory Muffins are a whole food adaptation of the popular original recipe. Free of refined flour and sugar and full of carrots, apples, dates, walnuts and more these delicious, hearty treats make the perfect breakfast or snack!

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

4 Medjool dates- pitted

1 cup carrots (about 1 large carrot)-shredded

1 large apple- peeled, cored and shredded

4 eggs

1/4 cup coconut oil-melted

1/4 cup juice from the shredded apple, almond milk or coconut milk ** (See instructions)

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

5 Tbsp coconut flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional but recommended)

1/2 cup raisins (optional but recommended)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a muffin tin with silicone or parchment paper liners.
2. Peel and core the apple and carrots. Finely shred them with a box grater or a food processor using the grating attachment.
3. After removing the shreds, squeeze as much liquid as you can out INTO A MEASURING CUP!  You will use the apple and carrot juice for the 1/4 cup liquid.  There should be just enough.  But if you do not end up with a 1/4 cup after squeezing, add enough almond or coconut milk to equal 1/4 cup.  Set both the shreds and liquid aside.
4. Place 4 PITTED dates into the food processor and process into a paste.
5. Add all liquid ingredients (eggs, melted coconut oil, juice/nut milk, honey and vanilla) to the food processor and blend until smooth.
6. Add coconut flour, spices, baking soda and salt to the processor and blend until a dough forms.  It will be pretty thick as coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid.
7. Add shredded carrots and apples and pulse to combine.
8. Finally add chopped walnuts and raisins, if using, last.  I like to stir these in by hand.
9. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups until they are at least 3/4 full.  (These muffins do not rise very much.)
10. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.  Just watch the muffins.  When they are slightly firm to the touch and golden brown, they are done.  They will continue to firm up as they cool.
11. Store in an airtight container for 5-7 days in the fridge…if they last that long!

Notes

These muffins freeze well.  I usually make a double batch!

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes