Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• ½ (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• ¼ cup canola oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Non-stick cooking spray

Optional Ingredients

• ½ cup chocolate chips (or ½ cup raisins or chopped nuts)

Materials

• 12-cup muffin pan
• Can opener
• Large bowl
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Medium bowl
• Rubber spatula

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, mix flours, brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, canned pumpkin, yogurt, oil, and vanilla. Mix well.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. If using chocolate chips, raisins, or chopped nuts, stir in now.
6. Spray muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full with batter. Bake on middle rack of oven until muffin tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 25–30 minutes. Cool in pan about 5 minutes. Tap muffins out of pan. Cool completely before serving.

Chef’s Notes

• Make a double batch to use the whole can of pumpkin puree. Muffins freeze well for up to 2 weeks. They make a great grab-and-go breakfast. Pull one out each morning. Reheat in microwave for 1 minute or toaster oven for 5 minutes.
• To make pumpkin bread instead of muffins, coat a 9-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 55–60 minutes.
• Try making banana muffins instead of pumpkin muffins. Use ¾ cup mashed, ripe banana instead of canned pumpkin.
• Instead of using cooking spray, line muffin pan with paper muffin cups if you like.