Say hello to tinkerbell muffins, made vegan + gluten free! A classic treat originally created by Pam McKinstry in 1978 at her Nantucket restaurant, Morning Glory Cafe, these muffins are slightly sweet, subtly spicyand packed with fruits, vegetables and nuts. Oh yes!
Our gluten-free version uses oat flour and potato starch (no almond flour!) to create a tender texture. muffin that is healthy and satisfying. Prepare your favorite coffee or tea and let’s make muffins!
What’s in Morning Glory muffins?
Chef Pan McKinstry’s Original Bluebell Muffins are filled with healthy delicacies that differentiate them from other muffins: grated coconut, raisins, grated apple and carrot, pieces of pineapple, pecans or walnuts and cinnamon. For him classic muffin ingredientsincludes flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
Our modern twist keeps most of the healthy treats, but switches up some of the more classic ingredients to make them vegan, gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and even healthier. Sound like your jam? Let us show you how it’s done!
How to Make Vegan Gluten-Free Morning Glory Muffins
Our version of these 1 bowlMuffins filled with fruits and vegetables are made with the following ingredients:
- Flaxseed meal + orange juice – This combination creates the “flax egg” which keeps them vegan/egg-free and adds natural sweetness and a subtle orange flavor!
- coconut sugar – a low glycemic sweetener with a slight caramelized flavor. Brown sugar or cane sugar would probably work too!
- Avocado oil + dairy-free milk – our version has less oil than the classic one, which is where the dairy-free milk comes in to dilute the dough. Avocado oil is our preferred neutral oil, but you can use another oil or even melted vegan butter.
- Oatmeal + potato starch – this gluten-free combination provides the perfect balance between being healthy while adding lightness to prevent muffins from turning also dense and humid.
- Morning Glory Classics – grated apple and carrot, grated coconut, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt and baking soda.
- baking powder – Gluten-free baked goods are more likely to be dense and gummy than those made with all-purpose flour, so we include baking powder for an extra touch.
To make your muffins, combine the orange juice and flaxseed flour and let the mixture sit for a few minutes to thicken.
While it thickens, you can grate the carrot and apple using the large side of a box grater (see below).
Then you’ll add the remaining ingredients, starting with the wet, then the dry, and finally all that goodness!
Divide the batter between the muffin cups and let’s bake!
Let it cool a little and then those beauties will be ready for you!
We think you’ll LOVE these muffins! They are:
Healthy
Satisfying
Wet
Tender
Naturally sweet
Subtly spicy
Full of fruits, nuts and vegetables
And SO delicious!
These muffins are perfect for an on-the-go snack or a sweet breakfast! They pair especially well with a glass of dairy-free milk or a hot cup of coffee or tea.
More gluten-free vegan muffin recipes
If you try this recipe, tell us! Leave a comment, rate it and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalist baker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Portions 12 (cupcakes)
- 1 ½ tablespoon linseed meal*
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, with pulp (2 oranges make ~1/2 cup or 120 ml of juice)
- 23 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup dairy free milk (simple, sugar-free // we use almond)
- 1/4 cup avocado oil (or other neutral oil or melted vegan butter or coconut oil)
- 1 ½ teaspoonful vanilla extract
- 1 cup oatmeal* (certified gluten free as required)
- 1 cup potato starch* (NOT potato flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoonful ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoonful ground ginger
- 1 teaspoonful baking soda
- 1 teaspoonful baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoonful sea salt
- 1 cup (packaged) grated apple (1 large or 2 small apples makes ~1 packed cup or 170 g)
- 23 cup (packaged) grated carrot (1 medium or 2 small carrots makes ~2/3 cup or 90 g)
- 1/3 cup raisins (or other dried fruit of your choice, such as blueberries or currants, chopped if large)
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut (or sub more nuts)
- 23 cup chopped nuts (omit if it does not have nuts // or substitute with more coconut)
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and grease a standard-size muffin pan or line it with baking paper.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flaxseed meal and orange juice. Let sit for a few minutes to gel or thicken. If you haven’t shredded the carrots and apples yet, you can do so now (we use the large/coarse side of this box grater). It is not necessary to squeeze the liquid from the grated apple or carrot. Set them aside until ready to add.
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Once the flaxseed has thickened, add the coconut sugar, dairy-free milk, avocado oil (or melted butter), and vanilla. Beat until well combined.
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Add the oat flour, potato starch, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth and lump-free. Then add the carrots and grated apples and mix until well combined.
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Add the raisins, grated coconut and chopped walnuts and mix once more. Let the dough sit for ~5 minutes to thicken slightly.
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Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups (amount as recipe is written // adjust if changing default number of servings). They will be full! Bake for 20-24 minutes or until muffins have risen, are dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean.
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These muffins can be enjoyed warm, but they will be very moist. We like to let them cool for at least 20 minutes before enjoying them with a glass of lactose-free milk or a cup of hot coffee or tea.
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Better when it’s fresh. Leftover muffins keep, covered, at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, or in the freezer for 1 month (or longer).
*We tried replacing the oat flour and potato starch with 2 cups of our Best 1:1 GF Flour Blend. The batter was thicker and the muffins were a little gummy and didn’t taste as healthy, but they were still delicious.
*If it doesn’t contain oats, you can try buckwheat flour instead of oat flour. However, we have not tested this modification. Tell us in the comments if you try it!
*Nutritional information is a rough estimate.
Service: 1 muffin Calories: 244 Carbohydrates: 35.7 gram Protein: 2.5 gram Fat: 11.2 gram Saturated fats: 2.9 gram Polyunsaturated fats: 3.7 gram Monounsaturated fats: 4 gram Trans fats: 0 gram Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 256 mg Potassium: 180 mg Fiber: 2.8 gram Sugar: 16.6 gram Vitamin A: 214 UI Vitamin C: 6.5 mg Calcium: 59 mg Iron: 0.8 mg
