Paleo Morning Glory Quick bread made grain-free, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free. This flavorful, healthful bread includes all the flavors of morning glory muffins, and is easily prepared in your blender. A marvelous go-to treat.
The older I get, the more importance I attach to life’s little comforts…
Whether it be relishing my steamy morning beverage, sweating it out in a hot yoga class, or setting aside a moment to enjoy a slice of quick bread alongside a good read, these are the little “me” sessions that, while small and seemingly insignificant, make waves in helping me stay relaxed and focused.
Everyone has their own approach to treating him or herself, but the key for me is to keep my daily comforts well-conceived, uplifting, strengthening, or healthful…
Wise indulgences, as I like to think of them.
In my late twenties, I would have needed to justify or earn any of these little pleasures before slowing down and taking a breather.
You know, because: guilt, self-loathing, self-imposed pressure to embody perfection while still remaining cool, but not displaying any of the effort that goes into it.
Ohhh momma has that changed.
Being human is challenging enough as it is…we deserve to throw ourselves a bone.
Enter: Dis bone.
All the trappings of a morning glory muffin, but in the form of a loaf.
What is “Morning Glory” Quick Bread?:
What exactly is a Morning Glory Muffin (or in this case, Morning Glory Quickbread)? It’s a sweet baked treat filled with grated carrots, applesauce, walnuts, shredded coconut, sometimes raisins, and sometimes pineapple?
Quite honestly, morning glory baked goods are very similar to carrot cake!
Depending on your approach to either, the two can be one and the same. Which quite honestly is fine by me, because I love both so dearly. Way I see it, whatever adventure you choose, you’re bound to end up with a comforting result.
You’ll observe the recipe here is similar to the Paleo Carrot Cake I showed you last week.
Same awesome concept, just a few minor tweaks, and in the form of a quick bread rather than a tiered cake.
Psst! If you want to frost this loaf to give it an extra pizzaz, I 200% recommend my Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting!
What Does This Bread Taste Like?:
This bread is everything a good quick bread should be: tender and moist, dense, but airy, sweet but not too sweet, fluffy, full of flavor, the perfect accompaniment to your mug of coffee or tea.
Just like carrot cake, there are plenty of ways you can make this recipe your own by customizing the recipe.
For me, breads like this are that slow morning or afternoon experience, where you cut off a thick slice, pair it with your favorite hot drink, and slowly savor each bite while surfing the internet for quality information or reading a great book, researching getaways, etc.
I’ve also been known to down a huge hunk lickety split after a sweaty hot yoga class, so there’s always that option, too.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Add applesauce, subtract oil
- Incorporate up to 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple, subtract oil
- Add 1 large ripe banana, subtract pure maple syrup
- Hazelnut flour in place of almond flour? Sure, we can dig!
- Pecans in place of walnuts, or go nut-free
- Add raisins
- Whip up that Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting I showed you last week and frost the dang thing!
- Easily turn this bread into muffins by baking the batter in a muffin tray.
Looking for more healthy grain-free quick breads? Here are some reader favorites.
More Quick Bread Recipes:
- Paleo Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Paleo Strawberry Banana Bread
- Paleo Carrot Cake Banana Bread
- Paleo Cranberry Orange Bread
Throw yourself a loaf of morning glory quick bread!
Paleo Morning Glory Quick Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup avocado oil see note*
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 1 1/2 cups finely ground almond flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrot
- 1/2 cup grated apple about 1/2 an apple
- 1/3 cup raw walnuts chopped
- 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a 9" x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper. You can also oil or spray the pan if you don't have parchment paper.
- Add the first 11 ingredients (eggs through salt) to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients until the batter is well-combined. Note: if you don't have a high-powered blender, use one large mixing bowl to mix all of the ingredients together.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until the bread is firm in the center. The best way to tell if quick bread is fully baked is by taking its internal temperature. To do so, insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bread and wait until the numbers stop moving. The ideal temperature is 190 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 1 hour before cutting. When you're ready to slice the bread, pull the loaf out of the pan using the edges of the parchment paper (or if you sprayed the pan with oil, run a knife along the edge of the bread and turn it out onto a cutting board). Use a sharp knife to cut thick slices and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I too, am all about savoring the little moments, specifically the mornings because they are my favorite. This bread looks like the perfect way to do that!
This looks incredible! I love how healthy it is and all the flavors you’ve packed in there. Sipping a hot cup of tea with a thick slice of this and some Netflix sounds like my perfect afternoon!
Morning Glory is my favorite muffin. Thank you for making a healthier (guilt free) version!
Mornings are my favorite. This would be the perfect breakfast!
Julia,
This looks yummy. Have you tried including crushed pineapple in these and if so did it work?
Hi Amy! I haven’t used crushed pineapple in this particular bread yet, but I’ve used it in place of oil in carrot cake recipes and muffins, and it works great! If you omit the oil to add pineapple, you may need to let the bread sit a little longer when it comes out of the oven just to be sure it sets up nicely. Let me know if you try it!
This landed in my inbox and I made it straight away. Without the nuts, and used applesauce. It is amazing!!!!! With a slab of butter. Gah!!! So good!
Lol I love your enthusiasm! I’m so happy to hear you love the bread, and your changes sound great! Thanks so much for the feedback! xo
Yessss! Morning glory … carrot cake … I love em, love em! Seriously though. A favorite! haha This bread sounds soooo good! And I’m with you – my perspective on self-care / taking time for myself has changed now that I’m in my 30s … funny how that happens.
Getting older definitely has a way of making one take care of oneself…I oughta know because I’m hitting a big milestone soon. lol . I’m a huge fan of morning glory anything, so I’m all over this health-ified morning glory bread!!
This won’t take too time. it can be made quickly. Thanks for posting this. I got new Dish to prepare.
I hadn’t noticed that morning glory muffins and carrot cake are so similar. That must be why I love those muffins so much :). This looks delicious, Julia! Have a great weekend!
This looks perfect for a drizzling rainy day like today!. Have you tried making it without eggs? I seem to be in the middle of an age where what I used to eat has finally caught up with me.
This looks so moist and delicious!!! And I completely agree…being human is totally hard AF. Bones are necessary to keep on trucking’ 🙂
I love it – looks absolutely delish!
Do you have a nutrition guide about this bread. I need the carb count
The morning glory is in some sense WAY better than carrot cake because you can acceptably eat it for breakfast without any trace of judgment! I’m all for that. Amazed at how moist and glorious this looks. You did it again!
Are you able to substitute coconut flour for almond flour?
Hi Heather,
Great question! Because almond flour and coconut flour absorb different amounts of liquid, you’d need to change the whole recipe to accommodate for the coconut flour. I just found this recipe for Morning Glory Muffins using coconut flour: http://comfybelly.com/2013/06/morning-glory-muffins/#.WPDf5tLythE – you can turn the recipe into a loaf instead of muffins if you’d like!! Hope you enjoy! xo
How much pineapple do you use if you want to leave out the oil?
Hi Sonia! You’d replace it in a 1:1 ratio. So you’d use 1/4 cup of crushed pineapple and omit the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Hope you enjoy! xo
What can you use instead of tapioca flour?
Hi Lynette, You can use arrowroot flour, potato starch, or more almond flour. Just note if you use almond flour, the muffins won’t hold together as well. Hope you enjoy! xo
I totally hear you on life’s little comforts. I think we get more and more routine as we age!! Morning glory muffins are my absolute fave, so I am SO looking forward to trying this one out. Happy Friday!
This looks amazing!
I’ve given up refined sugar just over a year ago and I’m very much enjoying the journey of discovering the healthy sweets and desserts.
Could not live without them and frankly why should I if they’re good for me?!
Is there anything I could use instead of tapioca flour, please?
Thank you!
Hi Joanna!
I’m so glad you’re interested in baking the bread! I haven’t tested the recipe without tapioca flour yet, but my guess is it can be made using more almond flour as a replacement. Tapioca flour works as a great binding agent, so my only concern is the bread may be a bit crumbly without it. If you can do grains, rice flour may work, too! I’ll update the post once I test the recipe again using an alternative to tapioca flour 🙂 Hope you enjoy! xo
Can you just use the almond flour and leave out the tapioca flour?
Hi Kim,
I’ve never tested the recipe with almond flour only, but my guess is it would work. It may turn out a bit crumbly, as tapioca flour helps bind the bread together. As long as you’re okay with the texture being a little dense and/or crumbly, I’d say give it a go! Let us know how it turns out! xo
What can use in place of the shredded coconut? I love coconut oil, but have never been a fan of the shredded coconut. Thanks in advance for the awesome recipe! I’m making this tonight for tomorrow morning.
Hi Misty! No worries, you can simply omit the shredded coconut and add just a touch more almond flour (say 2 tablespoons). The coconut is mainly for flavor, so leaving it out won’t effect the recipe. Hope you enjoy! xo
Could I use monk fruit instead of maple syrup? Or would that dry it out? Thanks!
Hi Kristine,
I wish I could give you an easy answer, but I’ve actually never worked with monk fruit before 🙁 I would say you could try it and add some oil to make up for the loss of liquid. Let me know if you give it a go! xo
Could this be made in a mini muffin tin?
Hi Sarah! Absolutely! The muffin version would be awesome! I would bake the muffins at 350 for 18 to 22 minutes, then allow them to cool at least 20 minutes. Hope you enjoy!! xo
Hi Julia!
This looks delish! Have you substituted coconut oil instead of the olive oil or other oils you suggested? I just happen to have that on hand today.
I haven’t tried an oil substitution, but any oil like coconut, avocado, or almond oil would work great! 🙂
We enjoyed this! I made it 2 times in one evening! The first time, I made it as written except I subbed applesauce for the oil and I omitted the walnuts (for the kids). The 2nd time, I omitted the apple, subbed applesauce for oil again, added walnuts and a banana and a little maple syrup! I also added extra cinnamon and some nutmeg. We liked this version better. It was super moist and flavorful! Thanks for a wonderful recipe that our whole family can enjoy! The kids went to bed asking if they could have some in the morning. ?
All of that sounds amazing! Thanks for letting us know your adaptations! So happy you and your family enjoyed the bread! xx
@Christin, I was wondering how it would be with banana, since I love banana bread! I’m going to try your version. 🙂
Hope you enjoy it, Angela!! Feel free to circle back and tell us how it went once you make it 🙂
Thank you for this recipe, I’m looking forward making it! Does it freeze well?
Hi Darlene,
Yes, it freezes super well! I wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and then put it in a zip lock bag to avoid freezer burn 😉 Enjoy!
Perfect!!!
Thanks!
I wasn’t able to find nutritional information…especially the carb count. Can you help please?
I can’t wait to make this bread! You think I could add zucchini maybe half zucchini half carrot? I have so much zucchini to use up.
Sooo good! Didn’t have tapioca starch so I used coco and almond flour to replace it, and it worked, but it’s just a tad crumbly. I’ll definitely go for the tapioca next time as well as some crushed pineapple for added depth. I love how you can basically do whatever you want which whatever you have on hand, and it still taste amazing!
Cannot wait to make this. It looks wonderful.
Can I substitute almond meal for the almond flour?
Many thanks.
Hi Nicki! Yes, absolutely! Hope you enjoy 😀
This bread is amazing. It tastes just like carrot cake but without all the sugar and nasties. It is regularly baked in our home and is a favourite! thanks
I’m so happy you like it, Kellie!! Thanks so much for the sweet note. xo
I’m totally going to give this a try with the hazelnut flour- it sounds so tasty!
I’m so happy to hear it, Shelby! Enjoy! xo
ThIs sounds delicious and I think I have everything already to make it! Pinning so I can make it this weekend:)
Awesome! I’m psyched to hear it, Shelby! Let me know how you like it! 😀
Thank you!! This recipe was fantastic!
I made it, replacing the maple syrup with Monkfruit Sweetened Maple Flavored Syrup and no one in my family noticed! They loved it too!
I’m so thrilled to hear it, Wendie!! I’ll have to try it with monk fruit syrup, as many of the folks in my family are sugar-free. Love it!! xo
wow I love the fabulous combo in morning glory muffins, what a great way to sneak in extra fruit and veggies! I’m sure these muffins make mornings that much more glorious..
I just made this recipe as mini muffins & they are delicious! Did you ever post nutritional information for this recipe?
I just made this over the weekend for my kids. It was delicious!
I’m so psyched to hear it! Thanks for the sweet note!
This looks so yummy! I am drooling 🙂
This looks great! Can I replace maple syrup with raw honey?
Absolutely! Just keep a watchful eye on the bread, as honey burns quicker than pure maple syrup. xo
Any tweaks to suggest to replace almond flour with cassava? Can’t do nuts.
Hi Marie! I’ve never tried the recipe using cassava, but I’m willing to bet it would work really well! I would use the same amount as the almond flour. Let me know if you try it!
Looks good!! What can I replace the baking powder with?
Hi Katerina,
I haven’t tested the recipe without baking powder yet, but I imagine you can add just 1/4 tsp additional baking soda. If you have tapioca flour on hand, use 1 tablespoon tapioca flour. Let me know how it goes! xoxo
This looks so good! What a satisfying and nutrient dense breakfast to start the day with!
So happy you like it! xoxo
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Hi Vanessa! The bread will stay fresh in a sealed container (or bag) in the refrigerator for 10 days. If you need longer, you can always freeze it! I do this all the time 🙂 xoxo
Can i use 2 cups whole wheat flour instead of almond and tapioca flour?
Hi Ashwini,
That’s a great question! I haven’t tested the recipe using whole wheat flour, so I can’t be too sure how it would turn out. My guess is you would need a little less wheat flour, as it is more absorbent than almond and tapioca. I would start with 1 2/3 cups of whole wheat flour and add more if the batter seems too thin. Let me know what you end up doing! xo
Could you use gluten free flour blends?
Hi Chelsea,
I haven’t tested the recipe using a GF flour blend, but I bet it would work great! Try using 1.5 cups and see where that lands you. If the batter seems thin, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more 🙂 Hope you enjoy! xoxo
I’ve made this bread a few times and it’s delicious. My favorite version has been to add dried cranberries, 1 tsp+ ginger & subbing applesauce for both maple syrup & oil since I sweeten with just a packet of Stevia. I always end up adding more shredded coconut since I love the texture. I do find I need to bake a little longer with my mods. Thanks Julia!
Oooh, I love it! Thanks so much for sharing all of that, Anna! xoxoxo
Another amazing recipe! I made this with the ingredients exactly according to the recipe, except I made them as muffins. It made 12 regular sized muffins and five mini muffins. I cooked the regular muffins for 8 minutes then added the mini muffins for another 12 minutes. Then I turned the oven off and let them sit for three minutes in the oven. They came out beautifully, slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They are so good! Now I just have to restrain myself from eating all of them in one go 🙂 (And I didn’t let them cool at all before eating them LOL)
Love it! I’m so happy you made them into muffins…sounds amazing! Thanks so much for swinging back to let me know 😀 xoxo
I love this bread. It has become a staple in my freezer! Question… I was about to make another load when I realized I was out of apples but have applesauce. How much solace should I use to replace the fresh grated apple?
Thank you 😋
Hi Deborah! I would try 1/4 cup of applesauce to replace the grated apple. I haven’t tested this myself yet, but that’s where I’d start 🙂 You can always add 1/4 cup more if the batter seems too thick!
So delicious!! The orange zest gives it an incredible flavor. I did half oat half almond flour (using your same measurements) and it turned out wonderful ❤️
Love that! Thanks so much for sharing!
I make this loaf recipe more than any other last or muffin recipe! I also have a few slices in the freezer as a grab and go when I know I will be hungry in an hour. Full of delicious ingredients, moist and wonderful texture. I replace the make sure with applesauce.
I’m so happy you enjoy it, Deborah! It’s been a timeless classic for me too! xoxo
Could I use all almond flour and skip the tapioca flour?
Hi Crystal! You can! The bread won’t hold together quite as nicely, but you can definitely use all almond flour. Hope you enjoy! xo
can you use just regular flour if you can’t find the other ones?
Hi Bella! Almond flour is a little less absorbent than regular flour, so you would probably need to make other adjustments to the recipe, such as adding oil or milk (of any kind). You can try out the recipe as written using regular flour and add liquid if need be – it may take some experimenting. Another alternative would be to google a recipe for Morning Glory Bread that already calls for all-purpose flour 🙂 xo
This looks so good!
Would omitting the shredded coconut change the recipe too much ? I have a “not a fan” in the house.
Not at all! A lot of people end up leaving the shredded coconut out. I personally would add more almond flour to replace the volume lost, but it will still work either way 🙂
Hi, Will flax eggs work in place of eggs?
Hi Sydney! In my experience, egg replacers don’t yield amazing texture in grain-free recipes. The end result is typically very dense with not much rise. That said, the bread will still turn out deliciously – it just won’t have bread-like texture. In recipes that call for a gluten-free flour blend (which contain starchy ingredients like rice flour and potato starch), swapping eggs for flax eggs is typically not an issue. 🙂 Hope this helps! xoxo
@Julia, Ok, thanks so much! 🙂
Just made the Morning Glory bread and it is delicious! It rose very nicely and I dare anyone to say it’s gluten-free. Very moist and satisfying. Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!
I’m so happy to hear it, Barbara! Thanks so much for leaving a sweet note! xo
I just made morning glory muffins adding zucchini. Def will try yours. I like your table prop for this morning glory bread. I’m wondering if this is your table, if so your source…or is it a deck that you used for this shot?
Aww love that! The backdrop is a photography backdrop made by Erickson Surfaces: https://ericksonsurfaces.com/
I am vegan, can I use an egg substitute, flax or just egg? Thank you
Hi Jeanie! I haven’t tested the recipe myself using an egg replacer but my guess is that the bread wouldn’t have the right consistency. In my (limited) experience, almond flour requires eggs in order to fluff up and have the right texture, otherwise it stays dense and has kind of a raw consistency with egg replacers. That said, it may be worth googling to see if there’s another grain-free morning glory bread with a vegan option!
Hi! This looks delicious!! Can i make this with flax seed eggs or egg replacer? If not, do you have any bread recipes that are vegan, gluten free and no refined sugar? I’ve tried a couple with no luck 😌 any will do- quick breads or regular bread- i also have a bread maker 🙂
Hi Rose! I wouldn’t recommend making this bread with an egg replacer unless you’re okay with a very dense texture, similar to bars or brownies. In my very limited experience with grain-free baking, almond flour treats don’t rise properly due to the lack of starch. That said, I do have a vegan banana bread recipe, which you can check out here: https://www.theroastedroot.net/vegan-banana-bread-gluten-free/ The recipe calls for brown sugar but you can leave it out or use 2-3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup. Hope you enjoy! xo
This bread was delicious! Is there any reason it can’t be made into muffins? I noticed that your muffin recipe is a bit different, but I’d like to use this recipe. Thanks!
I made this recipe yesterday for the first time and it was a absolutely wonderful! Followed the recipe exactly as written except I made it in a muffin tin. Baked them for 22 minutes on convection bake setting at 350 degrees. They were beautiful! Just a hint of sweetness and the addition of orange zest was great!
My wife and I avoid cane sugar, gluten and dairy, so your recipes are so appreciated. We have enjoyed so many of your recipes from both your Roasted Root emails and your book, “Paleo Power Bowls”. Thank you, Julia, for all that you do!
This was such a perfect thing to make on a Sunday afternoon! I didn’t quite have enough orange zest so I added just a bit of orange extract (I realize that makes it no longer paleo,) but it was sooo delicious! Perfect amount of sweetness and love all the goodness added in!
Aww I love hearing that, Tyree! Thanks so much for swinging back around to share your feedback. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the bread! xo
Has anyone tried adding raisins to this?
Hi Stephanie! I have and I think it’s quite enjoyable. If you enjoy raisins, I’d say go for it! I’d recommend using 1/2 cup. Enjoy!
Made this and it was excellent, perfectly moist.
I love hearing that! Thanks for sharing, Ashlee!
Hi. I’m wondering if you can switch up the ingredients and add about 1/2 cup of nut milk pulp. Any suggestions?
Hi Bonnie! I don’t have any experience baking with nut milk pulp so I’m not sure what changes you would need to make, if any. My guess is using the pulp would result in a pretty dense bread. If you’re okay with this, it might be worth experimenting. You could try a combination of the pulp and some tapioca flour to try to lighten it up. Let me know if you try it! xo