Pumpkin Raisin or Cranberry Muffins

Yep, it's the green dishtowel again.   I need to get a blue one, or maybe an orange one.

These things were GOOD! I'm not a fan of pumpkin pie, but cake, cookies, and now muffins make my list.  Forget pumpkin spice latte and eat one or three of these.  With butter.

A lot of pumpkin recipes seem to be scaled to a size where you can use the whole can of pumpkin... but really, just put the rest into a container in the fridge,and make something else later in the week.

Be sure you're using the 100% pumpkin, and not pumpkin pie mix.

Pumpkin Raisin or Cranberry Muffins

1 cup flour

¼ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup raisins or sweetened, dried cranberries

½ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 egg

coarse sugar

OK, there's no picture of the salt.  I buy Real Salt brand in a big bag, pour some into a shaker, and some into one of those Tupperware spice containers you see there, and then stick the bag in the closet.  It's shy, it won't come out for pictures.   That's oil in that shot glass, I don't drink... at least not at breakfast.

Heat oven to 400 F.  (375 if using a dark or non-stick pan) Grease a  6-well muffin pan, or use paper liners.  I like using the homemade pan coating for muffins, they slide right out.  I know it looks disgusting, but it works.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and spices.  Mix well.

Mix it with a wire whisk and it smooths out any clumps and keeps it fluffy.

Doesn't look like much when it's mixed, it's just sort of beige.












 

Add raisins or cranberries, stirring to coat with flour.

No food was harmed while the bowl was sitting on the floor for this picture...

 Add pumpkin, oil, and egg, and mix thoroughly.

Divide batter evenly among the wells, and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

(Wow, I thought I had picture to put here... eh, too late)

Bake 20 - 25 minutes, test with a toothpick.  Serve warm.  Makes 6.   Could be doubled for 12.

HINT:  Stir the raisins into the dry ingredients before adding the wet stuff.   This helps to keep the raisins from clumping together, and from sinking to the bottom.

I used this on top, but you can use regular sugar, or leave it off.








This is the first recipe that I've tried the pan coating substitute on... I was able to pick up the muffin by the top and slide it right out of the pan, it was great.

Of course, they're better with butter!

The cranberry ones look just like the raisin ones... if you look at the sides of the muffins in these pictures, you can see (ok, you might see), the difference in baking them at 375 instead of 400 in a dark pan.  The sides are a golden brown, and not as chewy as the ones baked at 400.

It's a general baking rule to reduce the heat 25 degrees when using a glass pan, and since the advent of dark finish, non-stick pans, it's become the usual practice for those, too.

Muffins stick to non-stick pans. They also stick to paper cupcake liners. You have to oil them.  The non-stick pan is just easier to wash.


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