This recipe is really the Pumpkin Pecan Bread from my Chocolate Snowball cookbook, varied and baked in a different shape. Did you know that most sweet bread recipes can be made into muffins?
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (15-ounce can) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels (optional)
3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup chopped pecans (the second amount is for garnish)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners, or coat the muffin tins with melted butter and dust with flour, or spray generously with cooking spray. To make sure muffins release with ease, coat the top of the pan as well as the inside of the cups when you grease the tins.
Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, vinegar, vanilla and pumpkin puree.
Using a wire whisk, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir in the rolled oats and 3/4 cup of the pecans. Divide into the prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped pecans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the tops of the muffins spring back when touched with a finger. Cool for about 5 minutes, then remove from the pan.
