Pumpkin Spice Muffins

During the summer, our ovens are rarely used. We still enjoy bread and tasty baked goods, but they come from someone else's overly heated kitchen.

They must have air-conditioning.

Braggers.

Now that fall has officially arrived, I've been getting reacquainted with my oven. My new favorite ingredient to cook with is pumpkin. But, I've been told there is a shortage of pumpkins this year.

Please don't tell these muffins. They would be so disappointed. 

If you are unable to find pumpkin, try using a winter squash such as butternut, acorn, or a turban squash. And if there's some kind of a squash shortage that I'm unaware of, try substituting sweet potatoes for the pumpkin.

Whatever you do, just don't wander into the health food store and buy up all the canned pumpkin they have. Especially if you live in my area.

It would be a complete waste of time.

Or so I've heard.☺

~The Players~

1 cup organic white flour*

1 cup soft wheat pastry flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/8 t. ground nutmeg

3/4 cup sucanat, Rapadura, or organic brown sugar

1/4 cup melted, expeller pressed coconut oil (no coconut scent/taste)

3 Tb. unsulphered molasses (not blackstrap)

2 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 t. vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk

raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease muffin pan with coconut oil.

In a medium bowl, mix flours, baking soda, spices, and sugar. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat together the coconut oil, molasses, and eggs. Add pumpkin and vanilla;  mix well.

With the mixer on low, add half of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk; repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk. Mix only until just combined.

Pour the batter into muffin cups. Top each with a few pumpkin seeds. Bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes clean. Do not overbake.

Let rest for 5 minutes in pan; remove and cool on wire rack. Makes 12 muffins.

*Use white flour to keep these from becoming too dark.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with the Homestead Barn Hop.