Muffins are my “go to” when it comes to travelling breakfast foods. I like to make them when we are leaving early to go to an event or on a trip. Yes, some muffins have been called out for excessive calories and sodium. However, muffins can be relatively healthy and tasty when you make your own from scratch. They can still be as convenient as store-bought muffins because they can be made and frozen for later use.
Pumpkin muffins are quick and easy. I like them because they are very moist and can easily be customized to suit my needs on any particular day. I can include different types of nuts and/or raisins depending on my mood, or I can also leave them out entirely if I want. If I want an even sweeter treat, I include a bit of brown sugar on top of each muffin before baking. If diabetic family and friends will be eating the muffins, I leave the brown sugar off.
Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 c. sugar, granulated
- 3/4 c. canola oil
- 7 to 8 oz. pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 c. flour, sifted
- 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 c. chopped nuts (black walnuts, English walnuts, pecans) (optional)
- 1 c. raisins (optional)
- 1/3 c. brown sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Slightly beat eggs in a large bowl.
- Add sugar, oil and pumpkin to eggs and beat well.
- Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to egg mixture; stir just until smooth.
- Fold in nuts and/or raisins.
- Place batter into greased or lined muffin cups. Fill each about 2/3 full.
- Sprinkle brown sugar over the top of each muffin, if desired.
- Bake at 375 for about 18 to 20 minutes. If baking in a dark muffin tin, either lower the temperature to 350 and bake for 20 to 25 minutes OR bake as listed and start checking muffins at 14 minutes.
- Muffins should be done when they are lightly browned and bounce back when lightly pressed by your finger.
- Cool on wire rack out of muffin tin.
I think these muffins are best with raisins. I sometimes double the amount of cinnamon…I love cinnamon. While I like all the nuts (including many of the human kind), I think my favorite is black walnuts. I must tell you that my love for black walnuts in the fall is strong as I am a West Virginia gal who grew up with black walnut and pawpaw trees in my backyard in the city. I fondly remember picking up black walnuts with my family. I also remember not so fondly picking out the nut meat of the black walnuts with my family. To me, pumpkins and black walnuts were just meant for each other.
This recipe will yield 18 muffins in average size muffin tins. Each muffin made with raisins and black walnuts without brown sugar on top has approximately 230 calories and 245 mg sodium.