Morning Glory Muffins Recipe from Macrina Bakery

Oh, happy day! This is one of the few "healthy" muffins I deem delicious, and now, Macrina Bakery has shared the recipe. Be healthy for an hour or two on this post-indulgent day why don't you?

As Macrina says: "This is by far our most popular muffin, and customers have been requesting the recipe for years. I prefer fresh pineapple when possible, but the unsweetened, canned variety works just fine. Makes 12 Muffins."

Morning Glory Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup seedless raisins
• 1/3 cup walnut halves
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
• 3/4 cup chopped pineapple
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup coarse raw sugar

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Brush the insides of a muffin tin with canola oil.  
2. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let sit for 10 minutes while raisins plump, then drain and squeeze out excess liquid with your hands. Set aside. Place walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool, then chop coarsely and set aside.  
3. Sift flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Mix gently with a wooden spoon and set aside. In a separate medium bowl, combine raisins, walnuts, carrot, apple, pineapple, eggs, canola oil, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and coconut, and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Add dry ingredients and continue stirring just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. It’s important not to overmix.  
4. Scoop batter into oiled muffin tin, filling the cups to the top. Sprinkle coarse raw sugar on tops of muffins and bake on the center rack of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. The finished muffins will be deep brown. Let cool for 20 minutes, then slide a fork down the side of each muffin and gently lift it from the pan.