Naturally sweetened with dates, this new take on a cafe classic incorporates a variety of nourishing ingredients, including carrots, apples, nuts, seeds, and high-protein buffalo yogurt, which keeps these muffins tender.
New kid favourite
A favourite snack for kids, muffins are a simple way to get nutrient-dense ingredients into their growing bodies―in these muffins, buffalo-milk yogurt, hemp, chia, and spelt flour. These muffins are nut free, making them safe for most school and camp lunches.
This recipe was originally published in the June 2025 issue of alive magazine.
Bakery-Style Buffalo Yogurt Morning Glory Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 mL) pitted Medjool dates
- 1 cup (250 mL) hot water
- 2 large carrots, peeled
- 1 apple, cored
- 1 cup (250 mL) buffalo-milk yogurt or kefir
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) avocado oil
- 2 large organic eggs
- 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups (560 mL) spelt flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp (12 mL) ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) fine grain salt
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) hemp hearts
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) chia seeds or poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) raisins
Directions
01
Adjust oven racks to the middle and upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line 2 - 12-cup muffin tins with muffin liners or grease with additional avocado oil.
02
In bowl of food processor, add dates and hot water. Let sit for 20 minutes to soften, then blend into paste. If dates are very dry, you may need to soak them longer. Switch to grating blade and process carrots and apple. Alternatively, purée dates and hot water in blender, transfer to large bowl, and add hand-grated carrots and apple.
03
Transfer date mixture to large bowl and add yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla, stirring well until fully incorporated
04
In separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, hemp, and chia. Fold flour mixture into date mixture until almost fully combined. Fold in raisins until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.
05
Using spring-loaded cookie scoop or two large spoons, divide batter among muffin cups. Bake, rotating twice, for 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Allison Day is a cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and nutritionist (RHN) with over 12 years’ experience in the world of food media.
