Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 250 g whole wheat pastry flour
- 8 g baking powder
- 2 g baking soda
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 3 g fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 120 g plain greek yogurt
- 120 ml maple syrup
- 60 ml neutral oil
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Inclusions
- 100 g carrot, grated
- 150 g apple, grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 157 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 225 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 1 mg
- Potassium
- 159 mg
- Calcium
- 70 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 30 mg
- Phosphorus
- 100 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 70 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 1.2 mg
- Folate
- 9 mcg
- Water
- 29 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly with cooking spray.
Grate the carrot and apple using the coarse side of a box grater. Pat them lightly with a paper towel if they are excessively wet, but do not squeeze them dry.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined and aerated.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and emulsified.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to gently fold the mixture until it is about 80% combined (streaks of flour should remain).
Add the grated carrots and apples. Continue folding gently just until no dry flour pockets remain. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling them almost to the top.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are domed and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chef's Notes
- Whole wheat pastry flour is lower in protein than standard whole wheat flour, mimicking the texture of all-purpose flour while retaining the nutrients.
- For picky eaters, you can peel the apples, but leaving the skin on adds fiber and vitamins.
- These muffins freeze exceptionally well; place a frozen muffin in a lunchbox in the morning, and it will be thawed and ready to eat by lunch.
- If substituting honey for maple syrup, do not serve to infants under 12 months.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to maintain moisture.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individually in plastic wrap then place in a freezer bag.
Reheating: Microwave for 15-20 seconds or thaw at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Muffins are tough or rubbery
Cause: The batter was overmixed after adding the flour
Fix: Cannot be fixed after baking; serve warm with butter to mask texture
Prevention: Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears; lumps are okay in muffin batter
Muffins are soggy in the middle
Cause: Apple or carrot released too much water, or underbaked
Fix: Return to oven for 3-5 minutes if discovered immediately
Prevention: Lightly pat grated produce dry if very juicy; ensure oven is fully preheated
Cultural Context
This recipe is a streamlined, lunchbox-friendly adaptation of the classic 'Morning Glory' muffin, which originated in Nantucket in the late 1970s. While the original was loaded with coconut, nuts, and pineapple, this version focuses on the core wholesome pairing of orchard fruits and root vegetables.
