‘Tis the season for all things pumpkin, so today Grae and I decided to experiment with making a healthy, but delicious, pumpkin treat. I must say, we were definitely ‘winging it’, but our version of pumpkin spice muffins turned out great! They’re soft and moist inside, full of flavour, and perfectly sweet. Not to mention, they contain no white flour, butter/margarine, or refined sugar. Yay for that.
Here’s our line up of ingredients… Wholewheat flour, organic old-fashioned oats, ground flax seed, walnuts, pecans, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, pure organic pumpkin puree, grapeseed oil, organic eggs, pure maple syrup, and pure vanilla.
Of course, having a sweet little wispy haired sous chef helps too.
Start by putting the flour into a large mixing bowl.
Add the oats and ground flax.
Be sure to cram as many oats into your mouth as possible when no one’s looking.
Next up, add the baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
Give everything a good stir.
In a separate bowl, pour in the pureed pumpkin.
Add the maple syrup and vanilla…
The grapeseed oil…
And the eggs.
Then give everything a good mix.
Next, add the dry mixture into the wet one.
Mix until just combined.
Then add the nuts…
And gently fold them into the batter.
Prepare a muffin tin by lining it with silicone baking cups or a light layer of grapeseed oil.
Fill the muffin cups almost to the top, but not quite, then pop them in the oven.
Take them out once the tops are cracked and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let them cool for a couple of minutes and serve to your very excited and very silly little munchkin.
Healthy Wholewheat Pumpkin Spice Muffins
(loosely based on this recipe by Bake or Break)
- 1 3/4 cups of wholewheat flour
- 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats
- 3 tablespoons of ground flax seeds
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon of ginger
- 1 cup of pure pureed pumpkin
- 1/2 cup of grapeseed or olive oil
- 1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
- 2 large organic eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
- 1/4 cup of pecans, chopped
- 1/2 cup of walnuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare muffin tin.
Mix together the dry ingredients (except the nuts) and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the wet one and stir until just combined. Fold in nuts.
Transfer batter into the muffin tin. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Allow to cool, then serve or store in an airtight container.
Enjoy!
See our favourite banana muffins here and our favourite carrot zucchini muffins here.
Your sous chef is adorable!!
Aw, thank you Anahita! :)
I LOVE your blog and will definitely try this with my munchkins! I’m a Texas mom/ wife and have a new blog with my single girlfriend that covers everything from fitness to fashion to kids for anyone looking for balance. You’ll have to check us out! Hotmoodymess.com. Happy Thursday!!
Hey Tawny! Thanks for reading and sharing your new blog with me! I love finding good new reads around the web. :)
She’s always adorable! and very good kitchen assistant!
Aw, thank you! She IS a very good kitchen assistant. Don’t know what I’d do without her! :)
I am excited to try this recipe! We tried one that I found earlier this week and they tasted more like muffin-shaped pumpkin pancakes. Not so great alone. So fun that your daughter gets to help you bake! My little boy just turned one… I can’t imagine him being able to help with that anytime soon! : )
Hmmm… You’re right, that doesn’t sound too yummy… Maybe that recipe would be better saved for pancakes cooked on a griddle. :) You’ll have to let me know what you think of these ones!
Having G cook and bake with me really is so much fun. It definitely takes extra time (and sometimes extra patience), but we both really enjoy it. We started just after she turned one too… Simpler jobs at that point, but she was really into it. Just depends on the kid I guess! :)
You’re doing great with your little one, Jen! She’s a cutie!!!! Keep up the sweetest blog ever… move over Gordon Ramsay…. except, of course, this is Heaven’s Kitchen…. U. André. (Trying this recipe on Justin and Zach for Sunday Brunch.)
Uncle Andre!!! I had no idea you read the blog! So glad you do. :) You’ll have to let me know what the fam says about the muffins. I know Zach’s broadened his horizons, but if he likes them (heck, if he even thinks they’re edible at all), I just may do a happy dance! Send our love to everyone out your way.
Just made a batch of these & they’re great! Of course, I never think to make these things with time to shop for the ingredients, so, as usual, I made substitutions. Sunflower seeds instead of the nuts & hemp hearts instead of flax. I like the spiciness of them–so many recipes call for 1/8 tsp of this & 1/4 tsp of that, but I like to actually taste the cinnamon, ginger & nutmeg. :)
Haha – Lisa, you and I sound like the same sort of bakers! I’m all about the substitutions! I bet yours were delish.
Delicious! And what a sweet little baker. I pinned it at http://pinterest.com/pin/29203097555205365/
Thanks, Susan! And thanks for pinning. :)
I’m pinning this one, they look delicious, and very healthy too! And I love, love, love your blue KitchenAid… Very jealous…
Oh, thank you! I LOVE it too. I’d had my eye on one for years and my mother- and father-in-law gave it to me last Christmas… So spoiled!
those sound and look absolutely yummy! makes me want them for a late night snack right now :) thanks for linking up to tip-toe thru tuesday!
Thanks for visiting! I highly suggest you whip up a batch – perfect for late night snacks. :)
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this out. Do you think i could sub agave syrup instead of maple?
Probably, Rosie! Though I’ve never used agave… I know that honey can be subbed though. :)
what would you recommend as a sustitute for the maple syrup? Honey? Agave? Not a huge fan of maple flavor. Otherwise sounds delicious.
I’d recommend honey, Alicyn. :)
Can you leave out the flaxseed?
Yes, I’m sure it’ll be fine. It’s there as a nutritional addition and not as a binder. :)