There are a bunch of things that made me want to try this recipe when I first read through it. First and foremost was having pumpkin in the name. That will definitely make me look over a recipe! I also liked that it uses some wheat flour, since I am always looking for ways to add more whole grain foods into our diet and cut back on processed white flour. I was happy about the use of honey as one of the sweeteners in the muffins. And the dates. I have long used pureed dates as a substitute for both sugar and butter in recipes. Dates add a caramel-like taste to baked goods. That works well with the flavor combination of these muffins. Cutting butter out of the ingredient list is a plus for those who need dairy-free foods.
The one component I was not too sure about was the orange in the mix. I knew the hint of citrus would brighten up the taste, but I was nervous about including all of the orange peel into a baked good batter. I wasn’t sure if that was a good idea, but I decided to go with it anyway. I needn’t have worried. By using the food processor to incorporate the orange sections and peel into the mix, all the essence of orange contained in the oil of the peel was in the muffins. And it added wonderful flavor and depth to them. Trying out this recipe turned out to be a delicious decision!
Orange-Date Pumpkin Muffins
Orange-Date Pumpkin Muffins (adapted from eatingwell.com) Active Time: 30 minutes, Total Time Required: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large seedless orange, scrubbed and cut into 8 sections (peel left on)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 2/3 cup canned unseasoned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 3/4 cup chopped pitted dates
- 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, or pecans
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 standard 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners in the cups.
Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl.
Combine the dry ingredients.
Puree the orange sections in a food processor. Add the egg, egg white, pumpkin, sugar, honey, and oil, then process until it is all thoroughly mixed.
Puree the orange sections with the pumpkin.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones.
Add the dates to the batter and stir it with a rubber spatula until the batter is just combined.
Add in the dates.
Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the tops with the nuts.
Transfer the batter into the muffin cups.
Bake the muffins until the tops spring back when they are touched lightly, about 18 to 20 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
Allow the muffins to cool slightly before removing from the pan and serving.
Absolutely delicious! ~Linda
Orange-Date Pumpkin Muffins (adapted from eatingwell.com) Active Time: 30 minutes, Total Time Required: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large seedless orange, scrubbed and cut into 8 sections (peel left on)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 2/3 cup canned unseasoned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 3/4 cup chopped pitted dates
- 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, or pecans
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 standard 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners in the cups.
Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl.
Puree the orange sections in a food processor. Add the egg, egg white, pumpkin, sugar, honey, and oil, then process until it is all thoroughly mixed.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients and dates, and stir with a rubber spatula until the batter is just combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the tops with the nuts.
Bake the muffins until the tops spring back when they are touched lightly, about 18 to 20 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.