In the Pumpkin Spice Bread post, I shared how to make pumpkin bread. The great thing is that you can use the same ingredients with a couple of variations in the cooking directions in order to make some tasty muffins. I actually prefer muffins, because I can customize them to the recipient’s individual tastes (i.e. add chocolate chips to one; cover another with caramel and sea salt). The possibilities are so much fun. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Spice Muffins
(Yield 3 dozen muffins)
Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups of sugar
- 1 can (15 ounce) of pumpkin
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice (It can be hard to find, so I make my own with this CDKitchen recipe.)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup water
- Optional: 1/2 cup raisins/other dried fruit, chopped nuts, shredded vegetables (carrots, zucchini, etc.) or chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a light coating of butter on the bottom and sides of the muffin pan (or use cupcake holders).
2. In a bowl, beat together sugar, pumpkin and eggs until all three ingredients are mixed together well.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and pumpkin spice). Combine them with the mixture in the first bowl and blend everything together well.
4. In a small separate bowl, mix together the oil and water. Add this mixture to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir everything together until it is well blended. (Don’t worry if it looks a bit watery initially. Keep on mixing until everything blends together!)
5. Scoop the batter into the muffin pan and let the muffins bake uncovered for 16 -18 minutes. (When a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, the muffins are ready.)