Sourdough Morning Glory Muffins- A Family Favorite!

These Sourdough Morning Glory Muffins are a delicious breakfast or snack that will keep you full and satisfied! They are full of applesauce, shredded carrots, crunchy nuts, and sweet raisins! If you need a break from your standard muffin recipe, give these sourdough muffins a try!

Morning glory muffins don't get their accolades, if you ask me. Everyone loves a blueberry muffin or a chocolate chip muffin, but give me a morning glory muffin any day of the week!

I first heard about morning glory muffins when I was in high school working at a bakery in the Summer. That lovely, little bakery sold morning glory muffins and EVERYONE would ask what kind of muffin it was. Basically, it's a full breakfast in a muffin. It's crunchy, sweet, and keeps you full until lunch. What more can you ask for in a muffin?

This is just one of my favorite sourdough discard recipes. If you are like me and want a filling muffin from time to time, this recipe is for you!

What is a Morning Glory Muffin?

Just like most recipes, everyone has their own version. A morning glory muffin usually has shredded carrots, sometimes shredded coconut, chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans), raisins or other dried fruits, and sometimes grated apple. Mix all the ingredients together and bake to perfection!

The name "Morning Glory" is thought to have come from the Morning Glory Cafe in Nantucket, Massachusetts, where the muffin was first created. These muffins became really popular due to their hearty ingredients, making them a really popular choice for breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients to Gather

• Whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour or a combination of all purpose flour can be used. The flour adds a bit of a nutty flavor to the muffins.
• Sugar. It might seem like I put a lot of sugar into this recipe, but these are heavy muffins and they need some sugar to sweeten them a bit.
• Eggs. The eggs keep the batter together and do help the muffins rise a little bit.
• Sourdough discard. In your sourdough journey, sourdough discard is going to be something you have to manage. I keep mine in a mason jar in the refrigerator for times like this. If you are new to sourdough, you can make your own sourdough starter, buy one, or get one from a friend.
• Mix ins. Morning glory muffins are known to have a TON of ingredients mixed in. We are going to mix in walnuts, apples, carrots, and raisins.

Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

• Change the flour. You can experiment with different types of flour, such as whole wheat flour, almond flour, or gluten-free flour blends. You may need to adjust the liquid depending on the different flours.
• Change the sweetener. Instead of using white sugar, you can use honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar.
• Change the fat. I love adding melted butter to my muffins, but you can use vegetable oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, or even leave out the oil and add more applesauce to the recipe.
• Add some mix-ins. Get creative with your mix-ins! In addition to the classic shredded carrots, nuts, and raisins, you can add ingredients like shredded pineapple, shredded coconut, chopped dates, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, or even chocolate chips for a twist.
• Mix up the spices. We are using cinnamon in this recipe but you can add nutmeg, a pinch of ginger, cloves, or cardamom for flavor!
• Toppings. Top your Morning Glory muffins with a sprinkle of oats, chopped nuts, or a drizzle of glaze or cream cheese frosting for added sweetness.

How To Make Sourdough Morning Glory Muffins

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin tray with your favorite muffin liners. Set that aside. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter, eggs, and sourdough discard. Mix really well until the ingredients are mixed really well.

Step 3: Pour the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.

Step 4: Fold in the raisins, shredded carrots, shredded apple, and chopped nuts.

Step 5: Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

Tips and Tricks

• You can buy shredded carrots or shred them yourself.
• The apple does not have to be peeled if you do not want, but you can shred it if it's what you prefer.
• Active sourdough starter or sourdough discard can be used in this recipe.
• Do not overmix. Mix until the ingredients are just mixed together. Too much mixing and you'll have tough muffins.
• Make sure your baking soda is fresh. Since the baking soda is doing the hard work of making the muffins rise, they should be fresh and not expired.
• Long ferment this batter! Mix all the ingredients together and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours and then bake the muffins. This will help break down the gluten more than mixing and baking immediately.
• Make them mini muffins! Line a mini muffin tray with muffin liners and scoop a little bit of batter into each muffin tray. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Storage Info

Keep the baked muffins in an airtight container on the counter or in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Do not refrigerate these muffins or they will go stale quickly.

Place the muffins in a freezer safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Defrost them on the counter or in the toaster oven. Slather with lots of butter!

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