Morning Glory Banana Carrot Muffins

Morning Glory Banana Carrot Muffins are a delicious breakfast or snack to have stocked in the freezer! These are hearty protein muffins made with banana, apple, and carrot plus packed with healthy ingredient swaps like almond flour, whole wheat flour, oats, nuts and seeds. They make the perfect breakfast on the go, a healthy addition to a lunchbox, and are a great snack for kids!

Why We Love Them!

• These Banana Carrot Muffins are Healthy! - I love muffins, especially with coffee for a late morning snack. But, I want them to be a snack, not a dessert!  A lot of the healthy muffin recipes I've seen aren't really very healthy. They are full of lots of flour and sugar mixed in with a banana or two to give them their healthy claim.  I've created this recipe to be able to eat two if you want! With a clean list of ingredients, they make a healthy addition to breakfast or snack time! This is a large batch so stock extras in the freezer!

• Healthier Ingredients but Easy to Make! - Morning Glory Banana Muffins have quite a long ingredient list, but don't let that scare you away! These muffins are nutrient dense, packed with the good stuff in every bite! I've replace the sugar with maple syrup, and the applesauce, fruit, and orange juice give it extra natural sweetness. I've also swapped white flour with healthier substitutes - whole wheat flour, almond flour, and rolled oats. The nuts, seeds and extra eggs give you more protein and nothing is short on taste! You probably have most of the ingredients in the pantry, and these healthy banana protein muffins are so simple to make!

• If you Love these Healthy Carrot Banana Muffins, be sure to check out my Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins, Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins, and my Banana Carrot Oatmeal Muffins!

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• Morning Glory Banana Carrot Muffins

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Whole Wheat Flour - Swapping all purpose flour for whole wheat flour makes these a higher protein banana muffin. It's an easy substitute that doesn't affect the taste! But, regular white flour is fine to use if that's what you have!

• Almond Flour - Making these almond flour banana muffins really packs the additional nutrition and protein over regular white flour while adding a delicious nutty flavor. Try these Almond Cherry Scones too!

• Rolled Oats - All the dry ingredients, including regular rolled oats increase the nutrition in these high-protein oatmeal muffins. These are the same oats we buy in bulk to always make Homemade Almond Vanilla Granola!

• Nuts and Seeds - I've used chopped walnuts or pecans as well as sunflower and flax seeds for a delicious nutty flavor while giving a nice texture to the muffin. You can easily substitute any nuts or seeds that you have. It's better to use raw nuts versus nuts that are already roasted and salted.

• Raisins - Chewy when baked, raisins add a sweet bite. Golden raisins, dried cranberries or cherries could also be used.

• Baking Powder and Baking Soda - These are the leveners for your muffins, making them rise when baked.

• Salt and Spices - Morning Glory Muffins are loved for their warm spiced flavor. These muffins use cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as a bit of salt to bring out the flavor of all the ingredients.

• Eggs - Eggs add structure and richness to your carrot banana muffins, as well as extra protein.

• Applesauce - Adds moisture for a soft texture. We love making homemade applesauce in the fall and freezing it, great for baking and eating all year!

• Maple Syrup - These are refined sugar-free muffins! Banana, apple, applesauce, raisins, and most importantly, real maple syrup are what sweeten the muffins. You could substitute honey or brown sugar for the maple syrup.

• Coconut Oil - Provides a healthier fat for the muffins to give them the best texture. You could also use melted butter.

• Orange Juice - Orange juice brings flavor, sweetness and a touch of acid, balancing the warm spices.

• Carrots, Apples, Banana - Here's where you can feel good about eating these muffins for breakfast! These are healthy fruit and vegetable muffins! Apple banana carrot muffins are full of the good stuff, perfect for a healthy snack or a great lunchbox addition!

• Vanilla Extract - Adds rich delicious flavor!

• Topping - The topping is the best part! We like to mix oats, nuts or seeds, and chocolate, white or butterscotch chips. The kids love the chocolate chip toppings, making these semi-healthy muffins feel like an indulgent treat!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 425°, THEN LOWER the temperature to 375° when you put the muffins in.

Step 2 - Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together. Add all other ingredients and mix to combine with a spatula. Batter will be thick.

Step 3 - Spray or line muffin tins and fill the cups full. Add a spoonful of topping to each muffin. Bake at 375° for about 35 minutes. Makes 20 to 23 muffins.

Recipe Tips

• Start with the oven at a higher temperature, then lower - Starting your muffins in an oven preheated at 425° gives them a burst of hot air, helping them rise. Lowering the temperature to 375° when putting the muffins in the oven helps them to cook all the way through without burning. For the best muffins, you want both, that initial rise, and then a lower even temp to cook them through.

• Bake without peeking in the oven! Opening the oven door can cause muffins to sink when they are trying to rise! Allow muffins to cook the full 35 minutes, or at least 30 before checking them for doneness. That even steady hot air will give you nice big domed tops on your muffins.

If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it! Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!

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