One among my earliest baking recollections is standing on a chair pulled as much as the kitchen counter, serving to my mother make Morning Glory Muffins. I’d grate zucchini, carrots, and apples into the blending bowl, sneaking little bites of fruit between handfuls. She at all times added an additional scoop of toasted nuts and twice as a lot vanilla because the recipe referred to as for.
The nice and cozy, spicy scent of cinnamon and cloves stuffed the kitchen because the muffins got here out of the oven—these cozy fall mornings are nonetheless etched into my reminiscence.
All these years later, I’ve made dozens of variations of Morning Glory Muffins, however nothing beats my mother’s traditional. That stated, pumpkin bread holds a particular place in my fall baking lineup. So naturally, I needed to merge my two loves into one excellent muffin. The end result? Pumpkin Morning Glory Muffins—smooth, warmly spiced, and simply the correct quantity of candy. These are my final fall baking ritual.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Morning Glory Muffins
- Cozy fall flavors — heat pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove
- Loaded with veggies and fruit for texture and pure sweetness
- Excellent for meal prep — freeze and reheat for busy mornings
- Endlessly adaptable to what you’ve gotten available
These muffins are excellent for a gradual Saturday breakfast with espresso, tucked right into a lunchbox, or slathered with butter and flaky sea salt for a not-too-sweet dessert.
I practically at all times double this recipe so I can freeze a dozen muffins for rushed faculty mornings. Right here’s the best way to freeze these for excellent outcomes:
- Let the muffins cool fully.
- Toss them in a gallon-sized ziploc.
- Freeze for as much as 2 months.
To reheat, heat within the oven at 300°F for 10 minutes or pop within the microwave till simply heat. A bit butter or drizzle of honey on high is perfection.
As a lunch choice: place one in a lunchbox the evening earlier than, and so they’ll be thawed by the point lunch rolls round.
Ingredient Swaps & Variations
This recipe is extra of a formulation than a rulebook. When you don’t have one thing available, simply modify the shredded fruit/veg ratio to maintain the feel balanced:
- No carrots? Use additional apple or zucchini.
- Dried fruit: Golden raisins, chopped dates, or cranberries all work fantastically.
- Nuts & seeds: Walnuts, pecans, pepitas—no matter you like. Simply toast them for max taste!
- Spices: The key to why these muffins odor (and style) like pure fall? The nice and cozy spice mix. Cinnamon brings the coziness, nutmeg provides heat, and cloves give that nostalgic, bakery-fresh aroma. Add a contact of cardamom or ginger for an excellent spicier twist.
Consider it as extra of a kitchen artwork challenge that’s ripe for experimentation, and lean all the best way into the comfortable vibes.
Extra Cozy Fall Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Morning Glory Muffins convey collectively the whole lot I like about fall: heat spices and nourishing components. They’re the sort of recipe you’ll make many times—and simply may change into a household fave for you, too.
Description
These Pumpkin Morning Glory Muffins are the last word fall deal with.
- 3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1 stick melted butter
- 1/2 cup entire milk (or plant-based milk should you favor)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 giant eggs
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée (canned or home made)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 medium carrots, grated
- 1 apple, grated and with additional water squeezed out with a paper towel (I like to make use of Granny Smith)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
- 1 cup chopped nuts and/or seeds, toasted (I used a mixture of slivered almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds—save a number of for sprinkling on high!)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray, or use muffin liners and spray the liners.
- Soak the chopped apricots in sizzling water whilst you prep the opposite components.
- To the bowl of an electrical mixer, add butter, milk, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla, and beat on medium till nicely mixed.
- Add each flours, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir on the bottom setting to mix.
- Add carrots, apple, coconut, and nuts (reserve a number of for topping the muffins). Drain water from apricots and add 1/2 cup of them to the bowl. Stir to mix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups—it’ll go virtually to the highest! Sprinkle a number of extra nuts and remaining apricots over the tops of the muffins, and high every one with a sprinkle of sugar for crunch.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, till a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clear. Take away from the pan and let cool on a rack. Then, retailer in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days or within the freezer for a few months. Eat up!
- Prep Time: 20
- Prepare dinner Time: 20
This submit was final up to date on October 15, 2025, to incorporate new insights.

