These Paleo Morning Glory Muffins are perfect for breakfast and snacking! Loaded with goodies like apples, carrots, raisins and pecans and flavored with orange zest, these tender and moist muffins absolutely delicious, healthy, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and refined sugar free.
Morning glory muffins really have the best of everything when it comes to muffins!
Fruit + veggies, warm spices, moist, tender, and healthy!
They’re the best combination of my apple muffins, orange pecan muffins and carrot cake.
Hmmm, does that sound just a little bit strange? Let me tell you – it’s delicious!
The orange zest combined with the raisins and pecans is soooo good.
The apple and carrot make the muffins moist but definitely not TOO moist (as paleo muffins can sometimes be).
Whether you grab one for breakfast or a snack, they’re the perfect grain free bite to satisfy a sweet tooth.
What You Need to Make Paleo Morning Glory Muffins
This recipe is loaded with real-food goodies! Which DOES mean there are a few more ingredients in here than many of my muffin recipes.
But well worth it for the nutrition AND flavor.
Here’s what you’ll need to prepare the muffins:
- blanched almond flour
- flaxseed meal or golden flaxseed meal
- baking soda
- baking powder
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- fine sea salt
- eggs
- maple sugar or coconut sugar
- pure maple syrup or raw honey
- refined coconut oil
- unsweetened applesauce
- orange zest
- fresh orange juice
- pure vanilla extract
- grated carrots
- grated apple
- raisins
- pecans
How to Make Paleo Morning Glory Muffins
Preheat your oven to 350° F and line 2 muffins pans with 15 parchment liners. In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, syrup or honey, coconut oil, applesauce, orange zest and juice and vanilla until smooth.
Fold in the grated carrots and apples (after squeezing out as much water as possible) then gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet until no flour spots show.
Fold in the raisins and pecans, then fill the muffin liners just above the top, (batter will be thick). You will make 14-15 muffins.
Bake for 23-28 minutes, until golden brown on top and set in the center. A toothpick inserted near the center of a muffin should come out with a few crumbs.
Allow the muffin pan to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the muffins from the pan (in their liners) and continue to cool to room temperature.
Store muffins at room temperature for the first day (loosely covered) then in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Tips for the Perfect Paleo Morning Glory Muffins
Paleo baked goods can get soggy – yes, it’s true! Especially when baking with fruits and veggies.
Because the flours used are high in fat and can be dense, even a little bit of extra water from ingredients can weigh the muffins down and create a less than ideal level of moistness – ugh – not my favorite!
Since you have carrots, apples and applesauce in this recipe you need to be extra careful about removing excess moisture from the apples and carrots.
Don’t just drain on paper towels, make sure you squeeze out as much water as possible before adding to the batter.
Grain Free Baking Powder
Now, for baking powder! I am okay to use an aluminum free baking powder, which is not technically paleo due to the corn starch.
If you want to make your own grain free and paleo version, it’s actually really easy.
Simply mix 1 tsp baking soda with 2 tsp cream of tartar.
For this recipe, you will need just 1 tsp total of this mixture.
Storing Paleo Morning Glory Muffins
I kept my muffins out on the countertop, loosely covered, for the first day and they were perfect. After that, I placed them in a sealed container and kept them in the refrigerator for the next few days.
They should last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I like to pop them in the toaster oven to warm them up a little after they’ve been refrigerated.
They’re so good with a little extra ghee or grass-fed butter and honey!
I hope you’re ready for a delicious addition to your mornings with these paleo morning glory muffins! Grab your ingredients and preheat your oven – it’s time to bake!
Paleo Morning Glory Muffins {Gluten Free, Dairy Free}
Paleo Morning Glory Muffins {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup flaxseed meal or golden flaxseed meal
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or raw honey
- 1/4 cup melted refined coconut oil
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated carrots about 2 large
- 1 cup grated apple about 1 large, squeezed with paper towels to remove excess water
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350° F and line 2 muffins pans with 15 parchment liners.
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In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, set aside.
-
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, syrup or honey, coconut oil, applesauce, orange zest and juice and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the grated carrots and apples (after squeezing out as much water as possible) then gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet until no flour spots show.
-
Fold in the raisins and pecans, then fill the muffin liners just above the top, (batter will be thick). You will make 14-15 muffins. Bake for 23-28 minutes, until golden brown on top and set in the center. A toothpick inserted near the center of a muffin should come out with a few crumbs.
-
Allow the muffin pan to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the muffins from the pan (in their liners) and continue to cool to room temperature. Store muffins at room temperature for the first day (loosely covered) then in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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Want More Paleo Muffin Recipes? Try One of These!
Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins
Blueberry Muffins with Almond Streusel
Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Muffins
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I can’t wait to make these muffins!
When your recipe arrived in my mailbox I immediately knew it would be great. My daughter and grandson are here and circling the kitchen as they bake. I love the sweet potato muffins so I know these will be another favorite
Flavor is fantastic. Don’t skip the orange zest! Texture was great! However, mine did not rise at all. Followed the recipe as written. I will definitely make again!
your leavening agents may have been expired.
So very good! After lots of Paleo baking fails this is definitely a keeper!
Delicious muffins. All my kids loved them. I blended the raisins & the nuts so it would be all blended in and smooth. It is naturally sweet and it is a good chance of all the chocolateship recipes I do. Will do it again.
Morning glory muffins are my all-time favorite! I wanted to make them nut-free so that my 7 year old could have them at school. I left out the pecans and replaced the almond flour with coconut flour and arrowroot powder, and added in some pineapple. They are amazing! He gave the smell a 10/10 and the taste 8/10?
LMBD, any chance you recall the ratios of the coconut flour /arrowroot powder with your substitutions?! Would love to try this!
These muffins are really, really good! Need proof? Well my six year old after first spying them said…”Yuck! These have carrots AND raisins in them!” After sharing a bite of mine with her, she proceeded to eat 2 on her own. Yup, if that doesn’t convince you I don’t know what will! Thanks for the great recipe!
These are fantastic!! I was looking for a paleo Morning Glory muffin recipe and was going to try and figure out my own version but then I found this. The orange zest gives it an extra delicious flavour! I used pumpkin seeds instead of pecans so my kids can take them in their school lunches. LOVE these!
Really nice moist muffins. I didn’t have apple at home so I doubled up on the carrots. Instead of raisins I used cranberries. I didn’t have flaxseed meal but I had pysllium powder. I’m that kind of cook that just always improvises but the muffins are great.
Very very good! Thank you for teaching me on way through my journey!
Followed the recipe exactly and these are INCREDIBLE!!! Wow, wow, wow! 5 stars!!
Made the muffins and they turned out great. Anyone know if I could substitute zucchini for the carrot or apple? Thanks.
Could this be turned into bread?
I typically don’t comment if I have made changes to the recipe, but since running out to the store is not as fun as it used to be and we are all making do with what we have as much as possible, I thought I would share my success story. I subbed the applesauce for butternut squash purée, 1 smallish carrot, added ginger & used raisins, almond and apricots as the mix-ins. So good! Moist, but not the weird custardy consistency you sometimes get with too much liquid in paleo baking. Or at least I have gotten. Definitely a good mix up for breakfast muffins!
these muffins are amazing! I”ve made them a dozen times already–they are always excellent! I agree with squeezing out as much of the liquid as possible from apples and carrots.
Hi! I have a question about the recipe — is there any way to reduce the sugar without compromising the texture? Could I maybe sub in a mashed ripe banana for the maple syrup? Thanks!
I’ve made these twice now. First with the full amount of coconut sugar and maple syrup, and the second time with 1/2 the suggested amounts of both sweeteners. My preference is for the lower sugar but they were both awesome. I added a tablespoon of micro-planed ginger and 2 tablespoons of water the second time to offset the liquid from the maple syrup. They turned out great.
I also used homemade rhubarb sauce instead of applesauce because I didn’t have the applesauce. Great recipe. I gave some as gifts and everyone raved about them.
Hi, I would really like to try these but I cant find flaxseed meal where I am staying, is there an alternative. Thanks.
I consider myself a bit of a morning glory muffin connoisseur and this is the best recipe I’ve found yet! I’ve also never left a comment on a recipe before but they’re that good.
We love these muffins. I’m considering making a double batch and baking in 9” pans for a carrot cake for Easter dessert (making a swerve cream cheese frosting). I’m hoping it works in this form!
These are amazing!! I used craisins and subbed 1/4 honey instead of the coconut sugar. I will be making these often!!
Loved this! So delish! Wasn’t sure how the Orange would be but turned out great.
Love the combo of orange zest grated apple and grated carrot! Tastes great but has trouble holding together. They get messy and crumbly quick. Refrigerating does help. Thanks for sharing/creating! One of my sons is grain free and I love finding baked goods I can feed him. Scaled way back on maple syrup and only added half of recommended coconut sugar. I subbed walnut, butter and coconut flour for the pecans, coconut oil and flaxseed meal and all turned out just fine. Anyone try to do this completely vegan?
Does anyone have any substitution suggestions for the apple sauce?
I used banana instead!
Just ate one warm from the oven because I couldn’t wait. 🙂 Delicious flavor! I made a half batch and used two eggs, went the maple syrup route, and had to used cane sugar because I didn’t have another option. They didn’t rise as much as I hoped, but they’re not stodgy in texture like a lot of gluten-free cakes. My favorite part is the crusty top, so next time I may try baking in a pan to get more surface area, and also will give it a little more time. (I stopped at 25 minutes.) Thanks for the recipe!! <3
These muffins look so tasty. Amazing, I will surely gonna try it out.
Very tasty! & healthy ingredients
Absolutely delicious!!!
Only thing I changed was changed the coconut sugar to monk fruit ( cut the amount in half)
Will definitely be making again
Yummy
These are the best muffins I’ve ever had! So good!
Very good!! Gonna even put less honey in next time (I added chopped dates for sweetness) and more nuts…yummy!
So good! Are they really 263 calories for one muffin? Seems like so much for these little guys! I got 15 muffins out of your recipe. I did use all sorts of dried fruits I had on hand, instead of raisins. Seriously one of the best muffins I’ve ever had!
Does this recipe work with egg substitutes? I ask bc my son is allergic to eggs.
Thanks!
I love this recipe!!! I substitute walnut pieces and dried cranberries and leave out the sugar. Sooo delicious!
I made these this morning – it’s the first recipe of yours I’ve tried. They’re delicious! I realized afterward that I forgot about the ginger and looked back but the recipe does state how much to add. I think that will be a nice addition next time. I’ll definitely be making these again and will be trying your other recipes as well! Thank you so much for sharing your grain-free wisdom and your recipes.
Sorry, meant to say …the recipe “doesn’t“ state how much…
This is a fantastic recipe! Made the first batch per recipe, skipped the orange incl juice, used the fine almond flour without the skins in. Delicious! Second time I used the almond flour WITH skins in, and added more nuts and jumbo raisins and it was even better — “teethier”. Clearly a recipe that can be adapted — next time I’ll try another carrot and maybe even get around to the orange inclusions. P.S. drained out the grated apple in a fine wire colander over a Pyrex and kept squeezing out the juice with a silicon spatula. Also did my grating in the cuisinart the second time and that worked way better for the apple – it’s hard to hand grate an apple!
Lovely will definitely try https://chatgptduo.com
Hello! I made these a few weeks ago and they were ah-mazing! Do you think it would work to freeze these after baking to have on hand for a few weeks?
Thank you for sharing this muffin magic that’s about to turn my kitchen into a wholesome bakery. I’m ready to mix, bake, and savor each delightful bite of morning glory goodness. Here’s to muffins that make mornings – and any time of day – truly marvelous!
These look delicious, I am going try them!
Love your recipes, but your site is almost unreadable. I could barely read the recipe because my page was constantly jumping around even after it loaded. It took me several tries to even type this comment out. It’s a shame, because the recipe is fantastic.
These turned out really well. I didn’t have the flax seed meal so I used more flour?!?
Thank you for sharing!
I love this recipe
YUM
Very nice Post thank you
Do you think I could add protein powder to these to up the protein content and make them a post workout snack? Any other adjustments?
I’m obsessed with these muffins. They’re not only delicious but also healthy, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.
This is by far my absolute favorite muffin recipe. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve made them. Consistent, nutritious, and delicious ! My go to breakfast on the go. Honestly! Perfection!
I had to sub the almond flour because mine had gone bad. I used 2 cups of gluten free all purpose flour (primal palate, but King Arthur would work, too) and they turned out great! Wanted to let others know in case of nut allergies as well.
Hi there can I use an egg substitute thankyou
They are delicious! So grateful I came across this recipe. They are moist and easy to make.
Hello! How do I adjust measurements for 6 jumbo muffins instead of 15 regular sized muffins?
This article is great and it is use to any way from the get research.
Yummy and moist muffins.
Adaptable to tastes/what you have.
I used chopped apricots, cranberries, and currants instead of raisins. Avocado oil. Grated and squeezed zucchini instead of applesauce (didn’t have any). And double the cinnamon, plus grated fresh ginger.