Pumpkin mmmhh…! This is a Jessie recipe. Not because I invented it (I wish!), but because it uses all whole wheat, very little fat (oil), a natural sweetener (HONEY, of course!) and loads of pumpkin! These muffins are packed with the flavors of Fall- cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, walnuts, cranberries, and again, pumpkin! They have a subtle sweetness- you might want to add an extra 1/4 cup honey for a sweeter muffin. They’re hearty (just look at the size) and healthful. What a muffin should be (not a dessert).

This recipe could really yield twice as many muffins if you make them normal size. But the fact that they are overflowing/reaching sky-high makes them so much better. Keep your puny muffins to yourselves- I like ’em huge! Just to clarify, you’ll use a regular sized muffin tin. And you’ll use all the batter and fill them heaping high. They’ll hold their shape under the heat and come out beautiful. Just wait. These muffins had the best texture of any muffin I’ve ever made- soft, fluffy, fantastic!

Pumpkin Walnut Cranberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp. canola oil
3/4 cup honey (1 cup for a sweeter muffin)
2 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (toasted for more flavor)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin (or use liners).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. In a second bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, oil, honey, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined (no dry clumps remain). Fold in the cranberries and walnuts.

3. Evenly divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups (they will be extremely full). Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the oven to cool on a wire rack. Best enjoyed warm. Freeze leftovers and reheat later.

Makes 12 tall muffins.

(Adapted from Pinch My Salt)