Wholesome Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins Recipe
These Wholesome Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins are a nutritious and flavorful start to your day, packed with shredded carrot, Granny Smith apple, walnuts, and warming spices like cinnamon and ginger. Made with wholemeal flour and naturally sweetened with brown sugar and raisins, these muffins offer a moist texture and a delightful sweetness without being overpowering. Perfect for a quick breakfast or a healthy snack, they’re baked to golden perfection with a lovely dome and comforting aromatic spices.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3/4 cup walnuts (or other nuts)
- 2 cups lightly packed shredded carrot (2 – 3 carrots, unpeeled)
- 1 1/4 cups lightly packed shredded Granny Smith apple (with juices, skin on, about 1 apple)
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut (unsweetened, finely shredded)
- 3/4 cup raisins (or sultanas, apricots, or other dried fruit)
- 2 cups wholemeal flour (or plain/all-purpose flour)
- 1 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda)
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger (optional)
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (tightly packed)
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs (room temperature, approx. 50g/2 oz each)
- 2/3 cup olive oil (not extra virgin, or canola oil, or liquid coconut oil)
- 1/4 cup orange juice (or any fruit juice or milk alternative)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 190°C (375°F) or 170°C if using a fan-forced setting, allowing it to fully heat while you prepare the ingredients.
- Toast Walnuts: Spread the walnuts evenly on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 8 minutes until fragrant. Let cool for 5 minutes, then roughly chop into about 5mm (0.2 inch) pieces.
- Prepare Muffin Tin: Spray a 12-hole standard muffin tin with cooking oil or line it with muffin cases to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the wholemeal flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, and brown sugar until evenly combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, olive oil, and orange juice until thoroughly combined.
- Combine Ingredients: Pour the wet mixture and all the add-ins — shredded carrot, shredded apple (with juices), desiccated coconut, raisins, and chopped toasted walnuts — into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently mix with a wooden spoon just until the flour disappears. Avoid overmixing to keep muffins tender.
- Fill Muffin Tin: Divide the batter evenly among the muffin holes, mounding the batter slightly over the rim. Using a lever ice cream scoop can make portioning easier.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the muffins have risen to a nice dome.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool another 5 minutes or more before serving. For extra indulgence, spread softened salted butter on warm muffins.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter; overmixing develops gluten making muffins tough.
- Ground ginger is optional but adds a nice warmth complementary to cinnamon.
- Use wholemeal flour for a healthier, fiber-rich option; all-purpose flour can be substituted but results will be less hearty.
- Orange juice adds moisture and a subtle citrus flavor, but other fruit juices or milk can be used as alternatives.
- Walnuts can be replaced with any nuts like pecans or almonds based on preference or availability.
- These muffins freeze well; thaw and warm gently before serving for convenient breakfasts.
Keywords: cinnamon breakfast muffins, healthy muffins, carrot muffins, apple muffins, wholemeal muffins, nutty breakfast
