Lots of our friends are big time into the Pumpkin Spice craze. I like the flavors, but I am not near into it enough to try Pumpkin Spice Spam. (Or any spam for that matter!) But I wanted to offer a recipe with that flavor profile for the true fanatics. Initially, I was going to post a Pumpkin Spiced Walnuts recipe, but as sometimes happens. the recipe did not work quite right the first time. It needs to be tweaked some. And I fully intend to work on it because the nuts were delicious! The recipe is just not ready for publication.

So, I moved onto this recipe. I loved the inclusion of pumpkin seeds (pepitas) in the recipe and the use of maple syrup as some of the sweetener. I also liked the use of whole wheat flour and oats for some extra nutrition to go along with the pumpkin puree. Since a dozen muffins are way too many for Eric & I to eat in a timely fashion, I brought the muffins along to a scheduled workday of the volunteer group I am part of at the Morton Arboretum. The feedback from the group was all positive, confirming my belief that these are a great breakfast/brunch/snack/treat for the season!

Pumpkin Maple Muffins (adapted from cookinglight.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour, 35 minutes, Active Time: 15 minutes, Yield: makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Place the buttermilk and oats in a small bowl, stirring to combine. Let them stand for 15 minutes.

Spread the pepitas on a baking sheet and roast them for 5-8 minutes, until they are slightly browned and fragrant. Set them aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs.

Stir in the oat mixture.

Set the wet ingredients aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, whisking just until combined.

Stir them together just until combined.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray the tin with cooking spray. Divide the batter into the prepared cups.

Sprinkle the toasted pepitas over the muffin batter in the tin.

Bake the muffins at 375°F for 18 – 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.

Cool the muffins in the tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing them from the tin to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

All the edible parts of a pumpkin are in this recipe!  ~Linda

Pumpkin Maple Muffins (adapted from cookinglight.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour, 35 minutes, Active Time: 15 minutes, Yield: makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Place the buttermilk and oats in a small bowl, stirring to combine. Let them stand for 15 minutes.

Spread the pepitas on a baking sheet and roast them for 5-8 minutes, until they are slightly browned and fragrant. Set them aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Stir in the oat mixture. Set the wet ingredients aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, whisking just until combined.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray the tin with cooking spray. Divide the batter into the prepared cups. Sprinkle the toasted pepitas over the muffin batter in the tin.

Bake the muffins at 375°F for 18 – 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing them from the tin to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.