Adapted from this recipe from the New York Times
Morning Glory Muffins are classically hearty, cinnamony, and full of healthy goodies like shredded carrots and apple, nuts, seeds, coconut, and dried fruit. My version is even more glorious, dialing up the spices and the goodies. All in all, an amazing way to start the day.
Makes 12 jumbo or 24 standard-sized muffins
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds or pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 3/4 cup oats
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar, ideally dark brown
- 1 cup cooking oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups shredded carrots (from about 2 medium carrots)
- 1 cup shredded apple (from 1 large apple) (see note)
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup raisins, ideally golden
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Coat a 12-cup jumbo muffin tin or two 12-cup standard-sized muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray or line the tins with paper liners.
On a large rimmed baking sheet, spread the coconut, nuts, seeds, and oats. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, oil, and eggs. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring until almost combined. Add the carrots, apple, cranberries, raisins, and all but about 1/2 cup of the toasted coconut mixture, stirring until just combined. Divide the mixture among the prepared muffin tins. Arrange the reserved toasted coconut mixture on top.
Bake until set and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the muffins tins to a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the muffins from the tins to the rack and let cool completely. Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to several months.
NOTE If your apple is really juicy and the shreds are really wet, squeeze out most of the juice before measuring.
