Pumpkin Muffins

Hello! I know I have not been posting many recipes lately! I truly have been cooking, I just keep forgetting to blog! I have posted a recipe for Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins in the past, but here is another recipe. I like having choices! Pumpkin muffins are so delicious! They really help me feel like it is autumn, despite living in Florida and not having the spectacular seasonal colors like I used to experience when I lived in Michigan.

I like this recipe because it suggests topping the muffins with pepitas, pumpkin seeds. I think it makes them look very cute. Plus it makes it more obvious they are pumpkin muffins as opposed to carrot, etc.

The recipe was published in the Washington Post blog a few years ago and can be found at this link. But I will post the recipe showing my alterations. I tend to like my baked goods to be less sweet than traditional recipes. I found that honey worked beautifully with this recipe, complimenting the natural sweetness of pumpkin very nicely. They turned out splendidly moist.

Pumpkin Muffins, double batch (made about 16 small, would make at least 8 large)

2 cups all purpose flour (I didn't have white flour, so I used a mixture of whole wheat and oat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
optional up to 1 teaspoon nutmeg
optional dash of ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup honey, plus a tablespoon or two if you want it sweeter
2 eggs
2/3 cup plain yogurt (i used Greek style, but any would work)
1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (I used homemade, but you could use canned)
optional: up to one cup raisins or walnuts or combo of other chopped nuts or dried fruit (I used about 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots)
optional garnish: raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease muffin tins including the tops. Optionally line with paper muffin cups.

1. Stir together the dry ingredients into one mixing bowl (the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt).
2. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and add the oil, honey, yogurt, vanilla and pumpkin puree. Stir until combined. Fold in the dry fruit or nuts.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring and folding gently. Mix until just blended.
4. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling to the top. Garnish each with some pepitas, if desired.
5. Bake for about 25 minutes, testing the center with a toothpick. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan. Then remove them from the pan to finish cooling on cooling racks.