Quick & Easy Pumpkin Muffins

As I've mentioned before, I cook whatever I think will taste good or my family and friends will enjoy. I don't abide by any organic, gluten free, paleo, clean eating, or everything must be made from scratch kind of rules. I'm not a food snob either. I can find as much joy eating a hot dog from a vending cart, as I can an exquisitely prepared meal at a Michelin Star winning restaurant.

I'm a believer that as long as you don't have food allergies or health issues which require you to limit your diet, all food in moderation is fine -- yes, even McDonald's and cheese from a can.

With all that being said, I will now introduce this recipe for THREE ingredient pumpkin muffins. It's just canned pumpkin, white cake mix and pumpkin spice -- that's it! No oil, dragging out the sugar, softening the butter or making a huge mess. Some people may turn there nose up at the cake mix because it's not completely from scratch, but I don't care I love this recipe.  Not only because it's quick and easy, but because the muffins kind of taste like pumpkin cupcakes! We left them plain, but you could also add chocolate chips or top them with canned cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

1 box of white cake mix (yellow works too)

15 oz. can of pumpkin puree

1 Tablespoon of pumpkin spice

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Spray 12 count, regular size muffin tin with cooking spray or use muffin liners.
• Mix together pumpkin, cake mix and pumpkin spice and stir until completely combined.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into each cup.
• Put in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 17 minutes.
• Remove from oven let cool and store.

Servings

20 muffins

A Broken Oven Tip

If you would like to make pumpkins muffins from scratch there is a pumpkin muffin recipe on this blog that is a little more involved. I've made both and each one is delicious in their own way.

Pumpkin Muffins

Lately we've been struggling with keeping Lila in her room after tucking her in at night.  The past few nights she was awake well past Midnight. Charlie and I both were exhausted and just needed to make it through the evening to the next morning when we could call the Pediatrician. I made a deal with Lila that if she stayed in her bed, didn't leave her room and went to sleep at a decent hour I'd make her favorite pumpkin muffins in the morning. I'm happy to report that these muffins are unofficially named *Lila Didn't Get Out of Bed and Screw Around for 3 Hours So Her Parents Could Sleep Pumpkin Muffins*. Enjoy them -- I sure did!

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon all spice
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of salt
4 tablespoons butter broken into bits
1 heaping cup of pumpkin puree
½ cup milk
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Spray 12 count, regular size muffin tin with cooking spray.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, and salt.
• Cut butter into the dry mix and mix until it is fully incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin, milk, egg, and vanilla.
• Pour pumpkin mixture into the dry mixture and fold gently until combined.
• Pour into a greased muffin pan fill each muffin 1/2 to 3/4 full. 
• Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and allow them to rest for 15 minutes, then remove muffins from tin to cool completely.
• Top with powdered sugar or your favorite cream cheese frosting.
• These store in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer up to 6 months.

Servings
9 large muffins if muffin cups filled 3/4 full
12 muffins if muffin cups filled 1/2 full

A Broken Oven Tip
Want a flavor bonus? Add a 1/2 cup of raisins, nuts or chocolate chips to the batter!