Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Awesome Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

I bought a few pie pumpkins 2 weeks ago and quickly roasted them, peeled off those skins and pureed the flesh into delicious homemade pumpkin. I dished this goodness into freezer bags, about a cup per bag, and tossed them in the freezer. BUT, that pumpkin has been burning a hole in my culinary brain ever since. Last night all I could think about were pancakes and muffins. I searched for pumpkin muffins. Not very inspired. I remembered we had a bag of cranberries in the freezer, too. Search: Pumpkin cranberry muffins. I looked on pinterest and the general web...I found some recipes that were okay, but none that seemed quite right. So here's what I came up with, and let me tell you...they. were. amazing. Not overtly sweet, delicious genuine pumpkin flavor, light & fluffy with nice pops of tart cranberry generously dispersed. The girls ate them up super quick. They aren't always keen on muffins. These seem to hit the spot for everyone.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins:
Makes approx 18 muffins
Baking time 25-30 min

1 c APF
1 c white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 (scant) tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
12 oz bag of fresh cranberries

1 large egg
1/4 c (scant) canola oil
1/4 c low fat plain greek yogurt (or buttermilk if you are in a pinch)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 to 1 1/4 c pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 c chopped pecans or white chocolate chips (optional)
1 tsp fresh orange zest (optional)

Topping:
1/4 c oats
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp APF
2 Tbsp butter, cubed, cold
3/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven 350F
2. Spray/flour muffin tin (or place muffin liners)
3. In a med mixing bowl, using a pastry knife or fork, mash together the topping ingredients until it's well mixed, crumbly. Set in the refigerator
4. In a large mixing bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, sugars, and cranberries. Mix together well.
5. In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together egg, oil, yogurt, vanilla, pumpkin (and orange zest if you choose to do so).
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well. Add in pecans or chocolate chips if you choose to do so.
7. Spoon approx 1/4 c batter per muffin, level it out as best you can; top with approx 1 Tbsp topping mixture.
8. Bake @ 350F for 25-30 min. You can test to see if they're done by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin and seeing if it comes out clean, if so, they're done.



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