A basket filled with golden-brown Cranberry Morning Glory Muffins wrapped in brown paper liners. The muffins are stacked in a cozy blue cloth, which lines the basket, creating a warm and inviting presentation. The muffins appear moist with visible bits of cranberries, and their tops are slightly cracked, showing the hearty texture of ingredients like carrots and oats. The background is a simple, muted blue-gray, which helps the muffins stand out as the centerpiece.
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Cranberry Morning Glory Muffins

If you’re a fan of hearty, flavorful muffins, you’ve probably heard of the famous Morning Glory muffins created at the Morning Glory Café in Nantucket in the late 1970s. These muffins quickly became a beloved staple, filled with fruits, nuts, and a medley of wholesome ingredients. At Kitchen Betty, we’ve taken that iconic recipe and added our own twist by swapping out the raisins for dried cranberries and adding coconut oil and orange zest for an extra burst of flavor. The result is a perfect balance of tart, sweet, and nutty goodness that’ll brighten up any morning!

A collection of ingredients for Cranberry Morning Glory Muffins displayed on a kitchen counter. Ingredients include an orange, a green apple, shredded carrots, eggs, dried cranberries, coconut flakes, walnuts, flour, coconut oil, applesauce, cinnamon, vanilla extract, sugar, salt, and baking soda. The ingredients are neatly arranged in bowls, jars, and packaging, set against a stylish black-and-white hexagon tile backsplash.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar (or coconut sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
  • 1 large apple, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
  • ¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ⅓ cup melted coconut oil (room temperature)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • ¼ cup orange juice (for extra citrus flavor)
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
A mixing bowl filled with ingredients for Cranberry Morning Glory Muffins, neatly arranged before mixing. The bowl contains shredded carrots, shredded apple, chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, orange zest, shredded coconut, and flour. Each ingredient is placed separately in the bowl, showcasing the variety of textures and colors. The bright orange carrots and zest contrast with the cranberries and walnuts, giving a vibrant preview of the muffin mix.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper liners.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
  3. Add the mix-ins. Stir in the grated carrots, grated apple, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, and dried cranberries.
  4. Prepare the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice until well combined.
  5. Combine wet and dry. Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and gently stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the muffins tough.
  6. Fill the muffin tins. Evenly divide the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup almost to the top.
  7. Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Cool. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • The dried cranberries will give your muffins a lovely pop of tartness, which contrasts beautifully with the orange zest and natural sweetness of the carrots and apple.
  • Coconut oil ensures the muffins are moist and slightly rich, while orange zest brightens the overall flavor.
  • Walnuts add a great texture, but you can omit them if needed or substitute with sunflower seeds for a nut-free option.
A batch of freshly baked Cranberry Morning Glory Muffins cooling on a wire rack. The muffins are golden brown with slightly cracked tops, showing their hearty texture. They are wrapped in brown paper liners, neatly lined up in rows, with the focus on the muffins in the foreground.

Tools You’ll Need

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Betty’s Pro Tips

Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your eggs and melted coconut oil are at room temperature. If the oil is too hot, it can cause the eggs to cook prematurely, and if too cold, the oil can solidify.

Grating Made Easy: When grating the carrots and apple, use the larger holes on the grater or food processor for texture. This keeps the muffins moist without making them mushy.

Customize Your Mix-ins: While we love cranberries and walnuts, feel free to experiment with chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, or even shredded zucchini to suit your taste!

Batch It: These muffins freeze beautifully! Make a double batch, and freeze half for quick grab-and-go breakfasts throughout the week. Simply thaw and warm them up for a fresh taste

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