Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Faced with two Halloween 2009 Jack-o-Lanterns that Christopher had challenged me to not "let disgustingly rot in the terrace garden", and the realization, after I had bravely butchered them, that Christopher "really doesn't like pumpkin", I went to the wonderful Mostly Muffins cookbook that Christopher gave me many years ago. Here I found a "pumpkin recipe" even Christopher admitted liking. My changes are in brackets.

Makes 10 -12 muffins or ~32 mini-muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine:

2 cups flour
3/4 c [I use 1/2 c] firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt [I omit]
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/8 t ground nutmeg

Mix well and then add [recipe calls for mixing these ingredients separately and then adding to dry ingredients; I just add individually to dry mixture and then mix well]:

3/4 c canned pumpkin [I use 1 c and fresh or frozen pumpkin for better texture and flavor]
1/2 c butter or margarine, melted and cooled [I use 1/4 c olive oil instead]
1/4 c buttermilk [since I usually do not have, I use 1/4 c cider or 1/4 cskim milk]
2 eggs, lightly beaten [I often use 1/2 c "egg product" instead]
3 T molasses [I omit]
1 t vanilla
3/4 c [ I use 1/2 c] chopped pecans
3/4 c chopped pitted dates [I use 1/2 c raisins]
[1 large apple, cored and chopped]

Mix well and then place in a non-stick muffin pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester [or small skewer/straw from broom] comes out clean. Cool ~ 5 minutes before removing muffins from cups. Good both warm and at room temperature.

The mini-muffins,shown in top photo and left are particularly good for entertaining, either for brunch or with hot cider or tea on a fall afternoon.




Reviewed 5/10/17