Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin mini muffins - plain

 Large pumpkin muffins (not jumbo) with raisins and walnuts. YUM!

These are my FAVORITE muffins. Healthy? Well, partly. I use whole grains, pumpkin, reduced fat - but they still have plenty of fat and sugar. Don't make these too big (although the structure can handle it and the original recipe made these jumbo muffins). I just try to make them smaller to help control calories.

3 cups flour (I use 1 cup white flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup ground oatmeal - sometimes this varies depending on what I have on hand. If all you have is white and whole wheat flour, don't go less than 1/2 white flour or you will notice a difference in flavor and texture.)
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice

1 cup sugar
1 stick butter + 2 TBSP (cool room temp about 68deg)
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup fat free yogurt

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F.
Combine 1st 5 ingredients in a separate bowl.
In Mixer: Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Add eggs, one at a time until incorporated.
Add the pumpkin. It will look like this...

Add 1/3 the flour mixture.
Add 1/2 the yogurt.
Add 1/3 flour mixture.
Add remaining yogurt.
Add remaining flour mixture. It will look like a thick cookie dough...

Put liners in the muffin tins.
Fill cups 3/4 full.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. You may need to rotate pans halfway through cooking (depending on your oven).
Makes 15-18 muffins.

You can add to these muffins - I like to mix in raisins, shredded carrots and nuts. Just don't add too much - they are healthy, but do add calories. My kids really like these with mini chocolate chips. If I eat those - they are for dessert!

This is a pick of raisins and walnuts added to the dough. Yes, it looks just like chocolate chip cookie dough.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!