Pumpkin Walnut-Raisin Muffins

As promised, here is a new recipe (finally)! Does it surprise you that it's a muffin recipe? Probably not. What can I say... muffins make me happy :).

This recipe is almost precisely the same as Pumpkin Walnut Muffins from epicurious.com. However, I made some adjustments to make them even healthier!

Ingredients:

- 3/4 C canned solid-packed Pumpkin
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) of Butter; melt it before mixing it
- 1/4 C Buttermilk
- 2 Eggs
- 3 tbsp Molasses
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- 1 C unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 C whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 C brown sugar
- 1/2 C - 3/4 C raisins
- 1/2 C - 3/4 C finely chopped walnuts


Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Whisk together the melted butter, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and molasses in a small or medium sized bowl.
- In a larger bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Add the brown sugar and mix well (whisk if needed to break up the sugar).
- Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the pumpkin mixture in. Mix until completely combined, then add the raisins and walnuts.
- Scoop mixture into prepared muffin pan, whether sprayed or lined with cups. Filling each cup takes about 1/4 C to 1/3 C of batter.
-- Optional: sprinkle walnuts on top of batter before putting in the oven. I forgot to do this because I was preparing these with one hand, baby Michael taking up the other.
- Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove them to a cooling rack once done and let them cool for five to ten minutes.


Perfect for a breakfast treat, afternoon snack, or to take to a coffee date in the fall!