Quick Pumpkin Spice Muffins
(Makes 12 - 14 muffins)

This recipe looks long, but it is a snap to make. These moist muffins have the flavor personality of a pumpkin pie, but don’t require a crust, and mix up quickly. They release a wonderful aroma as they bake, and taste just as good as they smell. Any leftovers can be sliced and browned in a toaster oven, and served warm with cream cheese or butter. I prefer golden raisins for these muffins, because the flavor of the dark raisins is just too strong for my taste, but you should use whichever you prefer (or use none at all). You can omit the raisins or nuts if you like, or you can substitute other chopped dried fruits for the raisins, or use walnuts instead of pecans. If you really don’t want to measure all of these spices, use 2-1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead. You’ll get a different, but still delicious, flavor. Don’t forget to turn the oven down to 375 degrees as soon as you put the muffins into the oven!

2-1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans (optional), coarsely chopped after measuring them
1/2 cup raisins, golden or dark (optional)
1/3 cup flavorless oil (like canola)
2 whole eggs, graded large
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/3 cup apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling the tops before baking
1/4 cup chopped pecans, for garnish (optional)

If you are mixing and baking the muffins all at once, preheat the oven to 500 degreed Fahrenheit and set an oven rack so it is about 1/3 from the bottom of the oven.  Spray the cups in a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray.  If you are including nuts and/or raisins in the muffins, spray 2 small custard cups, also.

In a medium size mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk for about 15-20 seconds.  Add the nuts and raisins if you are using them and stir to evenly distribute them throughout the mixture.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  If you are baking the muffins later, cover the dry ingredients and set aside until you mix the batter.

In another bowl mix the oil, eggs, brown and granulated sugars, canned pumpkin, cider, and spices.  Mix with the whisk until the mixture is evenly blended.  If you are baking the muffins later, cover the wet ingredients and put them in the frig until you are ready to mix the batter.  Refer to the instructions in the Recipe Guidelines page of this web site for instructions on assembling the muffins the most efficient way the next morning.

If you are baking the muffins right away, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a spoon to gently stir the mixture just until the dry ingredients are mixed in.  This will only take about 15 seconds. Divide the filling evenly into the muffin cups (and the 2 custard cups if you are using them), sprinkle the tops with 1 teaspoon chopped nuts and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar, and place the muffins in the preheated oven on the preset rack, immediately turning the oven down to 375 degrees.  Bake the muffins for 18-23 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.  When done, the muffins will spring back when lightly touched with your fingertip.  Remove the pan(s) from the oven and turn them upside down quickly to flip the muffins from the cups.  Turn the muffins right side up and let them cool briefly before eating them.

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