Silvan Goddin 
Pumpkin Black Walnut Muffins
We eat pumpkin just about every day because it grows so well in our garden and is such a nutritious, filling ingredient. From stews to chapatis to burritos, we've explored so many methods of putting pumpkin into our meals that sometimes we forget about one of the most common ways to use pumpkin- muffins! When I was a kid my mother always made pumpkin-cranberry muffins in the Fall so I associate them with changing leaves and cold mornings waiting for the school bus, but these sweet and richly satisfying muffins are good any time of year. A can of pumpkin puree from the store will do just fine for this recipe, but if you're blessed with an abundance of pumpkins in your pantry like we are, making your own is very simple. Just cut in half, scoop out the seeds (roast these with oil and salt for a great snack!) and put in a lightly oiled dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid and roast in the oven until you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork. Let cool and scoop the flesh out of the skin with a spoon. We like to do these in batches and save pints of puree in the freezer to easily add to soups, burritos, or baked goods. In testing this recipe, we made batches with both cranberries and chocolate chips and thought both were equally delicious so feel free to choose what combination you like best or get experimental.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1.5 cups pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp each of powdered spicebush berries cardamom, cinnamon, and clove
- 2/3 cup chopped black walnuts sub english walnuts
- 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips OR 2/3 cup chopped cranberries
- 1/2 cup neutral oil1 and
- 1/4 cups light brown sugar packed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until there are no dry spots left, but do not overmix. It is okay if the batter is still lumpy.
- Fold in your nuts and chocolate chips or cranberries.
- Fill a well-greased standard muffin tin so that the batter is even with top of each muffin cell. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Let rest for five minutes and enjoy! These are also great sliced in half and reheated on a skillet the next day, or just as-is. They will keep for several days in an airtight container at room temperature.
I find homemade pumpkin puree to be quite a bit wetter than the canned puree so I drain it through a coffee filter before using it in baking. I save the liquid to use in soups or smoothies. Or, sometimes I just drink it!
Thanks for the tip! You do make the best pumpkin-cranberry muffins 🙂