Muffins are an often overlooked dessert food. Yes, everyone knows about the muffin, but it’s frequently passed up for the cookie or cupcake or pie. While these are perfectly good options, the constant passing up of the muffin is truly unacceptable.
At the same time, though, it’s at least a bit understandable given how bland they might seem by comparison.
We’ve come up with a muffin recipe that is not only healthy, but delicious and satisfying. Today, we’ll be covering how to make pumpkin muffins from scratch, loaded with fresh ingredients and spice that would feel like an autumn indulgence even in the dead of winter (though you could certainly enjoy these whenever you like). Let’s get making these pumpkin cranberry muffins!
Step #1. Prepare Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice mix
- Pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup pumpkin purée – canned or fresh*
- ½ cup oats
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- Silicone muffin mold or muffin pan with liners
- Mixing bowl
*If you are making your own fresh pumpkin purée (follow step 2 below):
- 1 pumpkin – peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
Step #2. Prepare Pumpkin Purée (Optional)
Heat the oven to 350ºF. Spread the chopped pumpkin pieces out onto a lightly greased baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake the pumpkin for 1 hour, until soft. Using a blender, purée the pumpkin until smooth.
You will only need 1 cup of the purée for this recipe. The remaining pumpkin can be frozen for later use for up to 3 months.
Step #3. Mix the Dry Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt.
Step #4. Add the Eggs, Oil & Pumpkin
Add the eggs, oil and pumpkin purée to the dry ingredients.
Step #5. Add Oats & Cranberries
Add the oats and cranberries and mix well.
Step #6. Bake the Pumpkin Muffins
You can either grease individual muffin silicone cups or place muffin liners in a muffin pan and scoop the batter in. Sprinkle some more oats and cranberries on top.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out dry. Let cool.
Step #7. Serve & Enjoy
They taste great when served warm with some butter.
These pumpkin muffins are really unlike anything you’ve had before. Part pumpkin pie, part oatmeal, and all delicious, they’re an easy way to warm up with something great to eat. Given all the great health benefits of pumpkin, you might even say they’re good for you, too.
This is only the start, though, as there are a ton of different ways you can change up these muffins to your particular tastes. Swap the cranberries for another fruit like blueberries or add some chocolate for some extra sweetness.
Toss in some chopped or pureed apples for a bit more complexity in flavor or to take some apple pie inspiration. Experiment away and see what might happen.
Have we given you a new appreciation for the humble muffin with this recipe? We hope you enjoyed our oatmeal and cranberry pumpkin muffins, fresh out of the oven.
Do you enjoy baking with oats? Find out the difference between Steel Cut Oats VS Rolled Oats.
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Muffins:
- 2 cups flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice mix
- 1 Pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup pumpkin purée - canned or fresh
- ½ cup oats
- 1 cup dried cranberries
For the Pumpkin Purée – Optional (if making from scratch)
- 1 pumpkin - peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Purée (Optional Step):
- Heat the oven to 350ºF. Spread the chopped pumpkin pieces out onto a lightly greased baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake the pumpkin for 1 hour, until soft. Using a blender, purée the pumpkin until smooth. (You will only need 1 cup of the purée for this recipe. The remaining pumpkin can be frozen for later use for up to 3 months.)
Pumpkin Muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt.
- Add the eggs, oil and pumpkin purée to the dry ingredients.
- Add the oats and cranberries and mix well.
- You can either grease individual muffin silicone cups or place muffin liners in a muffin pan and scoop the batter in. Sprinkle some more oats and cranberries on top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out dry. Let cool.
- Serve and enjoy!
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Looking to further enhance your cooking skills? Check out…How to Make Apple Crisp