Do you enjoy a sweet breakfast or a savory one? I always have oatmeal for breakfast, either freshly made in a pot or overnight oats. But if I'm ever on the go, I love a muffin! And my favorite breakfast muffin has to be these pumpkin morning glory muffins!
Notice I said favorite breakfast muffin. I still love my classic blueberry muffins, but they're the guilty pleasure kind of muffins. You know what I'm talking about? So so good, but I want them at 3pm with some tea, not first thing in the morning.
On the other hand, these morning glory muffins are a great way to start your morning. It's in the name! It's full of whole wheat flour, pumpkin, carrots, apple, coconut, and warm spices!
Oh, and it's also vegan because I've swapped out eggs for flax eggs!
A few years ago, Tristan and I went to Canada to visit his relatives. His grandad was an avid golfer so we'd head to the golf course every week, and while he and Tristan would go around the holes, I'd sit at the clubhouse enjoying the view with a morning glory muffin and an iced tea. I was hooked!
Why add pumpkin?
I often find myself with leftover cans of pumpkin this time of year. Anybody else? You make pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie, and you find the extra cans of pumpkin in your pantry with no plans to make any pumpkin dishes until next fall! And sometimes, it's not even a full can of pumpkin that's leftover!
I've added half a can of pumpkin in this recipe, but if you have a full can left over, just double the recipe. While it's not enough to make these taste like pumpkin muffins, it adds a lot of moisture!
How to make vegan morning glory muffins
In a bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and unsweetened shredded coconut. In another bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, flax egg, olive oil, and grated carrots. In a small bowl, toss the diced apples and chopped pecans with about a quarter cup of the flour mixture. This helps the apples and pecans from sinking to the bottom of the muffin!
Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined, and fold in the apples and pecans. Dish them out into a muffin tin and bake them in a preheated oven!
My favorite part of any muffin is the muffin top. Crispy, crunchy edges and all fluff inside! When I bake muffins, I generally like to start baking them in a 410°F/210°C for 5 minutes, and then lower the temperature to 374°F/190°C and bake for another 15 minutes. This creates the classic muffin shape!
These pumpkin morning glory muffins are baked for 25 minutes at 356°F/180°C. That's why you don't see a muffin top! I specifically changed my method for these vegan morning glory muffins because they're meant to be eaten for breakfast. Who has time or mental capacity to watch the oven timer and switch the temperature in the morning? I sure don't.
For busy mornings, like most mornings, simple is best!
Hope you like these muffins as much as we do in our home! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! Also make sure you're signed up to my newsletter!
Happy Baking!
Pumpkin Morning Glory Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups (300g) whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see Notes)
- ½ cup (56.5g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1½ cup (180g) diced apple
- ¾ cup (86g) chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 5 tablespoons water
- ¾ cup (150g) light brown sugar
- ½ can (7.5oz/213g) pumpkin
- ½ cup (120ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1½ cup (180g) grated carrot (about 1 large carrot)
- ½ cup pepitas (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 356°F/180°C and line a muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flaxseed and water and set aside.
- In a bowl combine the whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and unsweetened shredded coconut. Put about ¼ cup of the mixture into a separate bowl and toss the diced apple and chopped pecans in it until all pieces are coated with the flour mixture.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flax mixture, sugar, pumpkin, olive oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Stir in the grated carrot.
- Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined. Add the diced apple and pecans with any leftover flour, and fold them in. Evenly dish them out in the muffin pan (Optional: top them with pepitas for a crunch) and bake them in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes and take them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
I'm sharing these vegan morning glory muffins at this week's Fiesta Friday co-hosted by Petra and Jhuls!
Tamara Johnson says
These muffins look so delicious and moist! I cannot wait to try this recipe out while pumpkins are still in season. Thanks for sharing!
Ai says
Thank you Tamara! I hope you like them 🙂
Petra says
Your muffins looks like a treat and not just for breakfast! I had to look up flax egg, I have ever heard about them before. Do you think it would work with chia seeds as well? Delicious!
Ai says
Thanks Petra! Oh good question. I don't see why not! You might have to change the ratio of seed to water, since I think chia seeds gel up more than flax. Let me know if it works! I'd love to know 😀
Jhuls says
I've heard good things about morning glory muffins. What a nice idea to add leftover canned pumpkin! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!
Ai says
Thanks Jhuls! Happy Fiesta Friday!