Batch # 8 and counting . . .

Pumpkin & Raisin Mini Muffins

Our dishwasher has been broken for two weeks now, and so I get a “look” from my husband whenever I start baking. He likes to point out that cooking is my hobby, but doing dishes is not his. Although, he looks super cute with a towel over his shoulders at the sink, doesn’t he?

And, for the record, I help with the dishes too! Anyway, I know that by now you must think I have a bad case of muffin fever, since it seems like only yesterday that I posted my Apple and Dried Cherry Mini Muffins. But I really just had to share. The double-batch of these charming little pumpkin lovlies that I made this weekened is almost all gone . . . and that now makes for eight batches (and counting) in less than a month.

I love the fact that these are “skinny” muffins. Made with only two tablespoons of canola oil and just the egg whites, these muffins are sooooooo moist. Of course, I made them mini and nut-free so they are lunch-box friendly.

If you have a few pumpkins that you’d like to use up, see the directions for making pumpkin puree from Sawsan at Chef in Disguise here.

For the pumpkin muffin recipe, go to SkinnyTaste.com

But first, promise me that you won’t go and buy pumpkin pie spice! It is so easy to make and you likely have all the ingredients in your cupboard.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon all spice
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves

Mix all of the spices together in a bowl until well combined and there are no lumps; store in a spice jar. You can double or triple the recipe according to your baking needs.

Yield: The recipe above makes just under 3 tablespoons.

NOTES:

• I replaced the pecans with raisins in the SkinnyTaste.com recipe and topped them with a sprinkling of raw pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds). I also used regular white sugar, rather than raw sugar.
• I made mini muffins rather than regular size and baked them for 15 minutes at 350°; yield approx. 30 muffins.
• In Canada, the pure pumpkin comes in a 796 ml size. It makes two batches perfectly, so a double-batch is a good way to make sure that you don’t throw the other half of puree out, isn’t it?

The ponytails and good friend Miss K (right) making short work of eating up batch #8 . . .