recipe: pumpkin muffins

i had picked up an organic pumpkin pie muffin without a plan... then after careful thought (cravings) landed on the classic old pumpkin muffin.

i followed The Pioneer Woman's instructions for turning the pumpkin shell into pumpkin puree, and used Lovely Little Kitchen's recipe for the muffins. they were SO good -- really moist (for lack of a better word), awesome flavor. they were sweet enough that i could probably get away with halving the sugar and not miss it. 

i followed the recipe verbatim from LLK, just subbing in fresh pumpkin puree for the canned puree it called for. (one small pumpkin pie pumpkin was enough for the 15 oz of puree this recipe called for, plus about 1/3 cup extra that i threw into some overnight oats with cinnamon and coconut sugar... mmm)

photo from Lovely Little Kitchen

ingredients list:
- 1 & 3/4 c flour
- 1 c sugar
- 1/2 c dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg 
- 2 eggs
- 15 oz pumpkin puree (canned for fresh)
- 1/2 c coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 

recipe: pumpkin muffins

i haven't updated this in a while seeing these pumpkin muffins were made a week after Thanksgiving, using the leftover pumpkin pulp i had hanging around in the fridge. i had snagged the recipe from Smitten Kitchen, almost verbatim except for the oats i added in for a lil extra somethin'. it was a very simple/quick recipe, and they  came out great- light & delish. 

ingredients list: 

- 1 & 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp pumpkin-pie spice
- 1 & 1/4 cups plus 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp oats

to make: preheat oven to 350F degrees. prepare muffin pan with shortening or paper liners.

stir together the pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, 1 & 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda,oats, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then stir in the flour mixture until just combined. in another bowl, stir together the cinnamon, remaining 1 tbsp sugar, and 3 tbsp oats.

divide batter among the muffin cups until about 3/4 full, then sprinkle tops with cinnamon/sugar/oats mixture. bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. done!