Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins (with GF option)

Is it me or does it seem like the minute fall hits everything become pumpkin-spiced?  From lattes to chips to green drink powder (true story), it’s everywhere and I don’t quite understand. Except for when it comes to baked goods – where pumpkin flavor belongs.  Call me old fashioned, but there’s no better place for pumpkin (and its spice) than pie, breads, cakes and muffins.  Especially muffins.

Here, I’ve used this fall staple in a kid-friendly, mom-approved muffin recipe that is as fun to make with your little one as it is to watch them eat….if you don’t eat them all yourself first.  They are healthy, light, fluffy and delicious, without any refined flour or sugar.  If that’s not the best part, this might be: they are so easy to make you only need one bowl.  One bowl!  Oh, and did I mention they are dotted with dark chocolate chunks?  Enough said.

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Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

Serves: 12 large or 24 mini

Ingredients

1. 1 egg

2. 1 cup milk

3. ½ cup unsweetened pumpkin puree

4. ¼ cup pure maple syrup

5. 2 tablespoons canola oil

6. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

7. 1½ cups whole-wheat pastry flour or flour of choice (I like to use Pamela's Gluten-Free AP flour blend)

8. ¼ cup coconut sugar*

9. 1 teaspoon baking powder

10. ½ teaspoon baking soda

11. 1 teaspoon cinnamon

12. ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

13. ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

14. ¼ teaspoon salt

15. ¼ - ½ cup dark chocolate chunks, depending on how chocolate-y you want them

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray a mini-muffin pan (or regular muffin pan) with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, oil and vanilla.

3. Lightly stir in remaining dry ingredients, except chocolate, until incorporated.

4. Mix in chocolate chunks. Be sure not to over stir as the muffins can become dense if over-mixed.

5. Add mixture to prepared muffin pans. Bake 18-20 minutes if using a mini-muffin pan and approx. 25 minutes if using a regular-sized pan, until cooked though and golden.

6. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from pan.

Notes

*If you do not have coconut sugar, use an alternative refined-sugar free option such as turbinado or florida crystals. Otherwise, regular sugar or brown sugar work as well.

3.3.3070

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