Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Chips

Happy Monday! Muffins in July? But of course 🙂 Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Chips, to be exact. After two weeks of vacation, I am ready to bake 🙂

The two weeks went by in a snap, but, lawdy, wasn’t it a good time! In case  you were not yet aware, I LOVE SUMMERTIME. I would kiss the summer breezes and marry the sun if I could.

The last 5 days of our vacation we spent just hanging around at home;  I think I loved that even more than being in Maine. We’ve enjoyed our pool, saw lots of friends, and did a ton of gardening.

Check out our handiwork:

It’s nice to be able to look outside and think “Pretty!” instead of “Those weeds are so thick and green they are showing up the real plants.” We’re attempting to deter the furry little vegetarians (i.e., the hungry hedgehogs) by sprinkling human hair clippings on the plants. If this doesn’t work, we’ll be asking the boys to go out to water the plants. Without a watering can. Catch my drift? 😛

Now that we’re back home, I am so ready to get back to cooking and baking. So, after a particularly brutal spin class Saturday morning (brutal, maybe, because I hadn’t done anything that vigorous in 2 weeks, hm?) — I really wanted pumpkin muffins. A little sweet treat to thank myself for getting up at 6:00 am to Spin 🙂

Mmmmm….pumpkin….

Need a closer look?
ANOTHER muffin recipe? Yes, yes, and YES. I’m sure I’ve published 7 or 8 muffin recipes on the blog already. But expect more, because there are just a million ways to morph these little breakfast bundles. Today’s Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Chips takes the aromatic flavors of pumpkin, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice, and jazzes it up with cinnamon chips. I went more traditional with this muffin recipe, keeping it fairly straightforward with whole wheat and all-purpose flour, oil, milk, sugar, and baking powder. No yogurt or applesauce or other fat replacers. I just felt like going old school.

Important Tip!

As with any muffin recipe, be sure to stir by hand (never use an electric mixer) and combine only until the dry ingredients are completely moistened. Enthusiastic over-mixing will only lead to tough, chewy muffins, rather than the light, tender kind. Fold in extras like cinnamon chips carefully with a spatula. Save some of the chips aside to sprinkle on top. Everybody loves these muffin tops, so you may as well dress ’em up!

Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Chips
Makes 24

Prep time: 15 minutes      Cook time: 18-20 minutes

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
(or substitute with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon each of ground clove and ground ginger)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 and 1/2 cups nonfat milk
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup canola oil
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup cinnamon chips (like Hershey’s)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two 12-cup muffin tins with spray oil. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl combine the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. In a separate bowl, stir together the pumpkin, milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla until well combined. Pour the wet mixture all at once into the center of the dry ingredients. Stir with a large spoon just until all dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in about two-thirds of the cinnamon chips. Portion out the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Sprinkle the remainder of the cinnamon chips over the top.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops are just about dry and spring back when touched lightly. Cool for a few minutes in pans, then remove to rack to finish cooling. Will stay fresh for 3-4 days in an airtight container, or can be frozen for up to 6 months.

ENJOY!!