3 Favorite Healthy Pumpkin Muffin Recipes Using Canned Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin Spice Muffins Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins

These pumpkin muffins turned out perfect the first time I made them. They were moist and tender, not too sweet, a little spicy with a beautiful golden-orange color. They’ve been a favorite ever since.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch ground allspice
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned un-sweetened pumpkin puree
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup moist, plump golden raisins, dried cranberries, or a combination
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/3 cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or a combination for topping

Recipe Instructions

Adjust oven rack to center position oven and heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease cups of a 12-Cup Muffin Pan or place paper liners in the muffin cups.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices and set it aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until soft. Add both the sugars and continue to beat until light and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and then continue to beat for another minute after the eggs have been incorporated. Beat in the vanilla.

Lower the mixer speed and mix in the pumpkin and buttermilk. With the mixer at low speed, add the flour mixture in a steady stream, beating only until they disappear. (To avoid over mixing, you can stop the machine early and stir any remaining dry ingredients into the batter using a rubber spatula.) Stir in the raisins and/or dried cranberries and nuts.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle a few sunflower seeds and/or pumpkin seeds over the top of each muffin.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully remove each muffin from its cup and transfer them to a rack to finish cooling.

Source: This recipe for pumpkin muffins comes from the wonderful cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 17 to 21 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins

Tasty, easy, healthy and delicious. What more could you ask for in a healthy pumpkin muffin recipe.  The nutritional goodness comes from whole wheat flour, pumpkin and dark semisweet chocolate chips.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Recipe Instructions

Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease cups of a 12-cup standard muffin pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda.

In a second bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, buttermilk and vanilla until well blended.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until blended and then gently stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter equally among the cups of the prepared muffin pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 17 to 21 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool in their pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then remove them from the pan and place them on the wire rack to cool.

Variation: Substitute 1 cup dried cranberries for the chocolate chips

Source: Adapted from 750 Best Muffin Recipes: Everything from breakfast classics to gluten-free, vegan and coffeehouse favorites by Camilla Saulsbury, one of my favorite cookbook writers.

Mini Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 12 minutes
Yield: 24 mini muffins

These mini pumpkin muffins are so moist, tender and delicious, you’d never guess that they’re made with whole wheat flour. Because they’re drizzled with a sweet glaze, you don’t need very much sugar in the batter. This easy healthy recipe makes a big batch of mini muffins. You can always freeze them and pull them out any time you need a quick and easy healthy breakfast or afternoon snack.

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the orange glaze (optional)

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 teaspoons orange juice

Recipe Instructions

Adjust your oven rack to center position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.

Place the pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, to blend the flavors, about 3 minutes. (This helps to intensify the flavors and eliminate any tinny taste of the canned pumpkin.)

Pour the hot pumpkin mixture into a medium bowl then whisk in the brown sugar and oil until well blended. Slowly beat in the eggs and whisk until well combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the 24 mini muffin cups. (A small ice cream scoop works well for this.)

Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the the muffins cool in the pan placed on a wire rack for 2 to 3 minutes, then carefully remove each muffin from its cup and transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

To make the optional glaze, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the warm muffins.

Variations

VARIATION 1: Mini Whole Wheat Muffins with Cinnamon Glaze – Instead of the pumpkin, substitute 1-1/2 cups no-sugar-added apple butter (you don’t have to cook it.) Eliminate the ginger and use 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon cloves. Reduce brown sugar to 2 tablespoons.

For the optional cinnamon glaze, whisk 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1-1/2 teaspoons milk, and a few drops of lemon juice to taste. Drizzle over the warm muffins.

VARIATION 2: Whole Wheat Banana Muffins with Nutmeg Glaze – Instead of the pumpkin, use 1-1/2 cups very ripe mashed bananas (about 1-1/2 cups) for the cooked spiced pumpkin puree (eliminate the spices) and reduce brown sugar to 1/2 cup.

For the optional nutmeg glaze, whisk together 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1-1/2 teaspoon milk, and a few drops of lemon juice to taste. Drizzle over warm muffins.

Source: The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great by Pam Anderson, a wonderful cookbook writer who discovered her own personal approach to weight loss and shares lots of great healthy weight loss tips and delicious recipes in this great book. Everything I’ve made from it has been delicious.