Easy Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

 Quick, easy and delicious!

-Simple Nourished Living

15 ounces canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 box (15.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix

2/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

 

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven.

 

For muffins, preheat the oven to 400F degrees and line 12 muffin cups or 36 mini muffin cups with paper liners or coat them with non-stick spray.

 

For cookies, preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or coat with non-stick spray.

 

Make the batter in a large bowl by mixing just the two ingredients together, ignoring the instructions on the cake mix. This will take some effort and the mixture will be very very thick!

Stir in the mini semisweet chocolate chips, if using.

 

For muffins, place batter into the prepared (or mini muffin) tins. Bake at 400F degrees until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes for muffins and 12 minutes for the mini-muffins.

 

For cookies, drop by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the centers are just barely set when lightly touched.

Remove from the oven and cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets and then transfer the cookies/muffins with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

I don't know that I've ever seen a muffin recipe that had all brown sugar, and crumb toppings are always a plus, so I tried these out and was not disappointed! Nice and moist even the next day.

-Deliciously Sprinkled

MUFFINS:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 (1 stick) cup unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, plus 1/4 cup to press on top (I added all of mine to the batter)

CRUMBLE:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Lightly spray 12 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray or line with muffin liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric or stand mixer combine brown sugar, butter, egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk, mix until combined.

Mix flour mixture until just combined. MUFFIN BATTER WILL BE THICK! Gently, fold in blueberries.

In a small bowl, mix together  sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter until mixture becomes crumbly. Set aside.

Using an ice cream scooper, scoop muffin batter into prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle each muffin with the crumb mixture. Using the 1/4 cup of the blueberries you have leftover, press a few of them into the tops of each muffin.

Bake at 425F for 5 minutes. Keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350F and continue to bake for 12-15 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool for 5-10 minutes before enjoying!

Apple Studel Muffins

I love muffins for breakfast and for snacking! This muffin is great and perhaps nutritionally the apple offsets the sweet topping... :) I also saw a variation of this recipe here that uses food storage ingredients and looks a little healthier.

-Your Homebased Mom

2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg (1/4 tsp)
1/2 C butter
1/2 C white sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
3 apples, peeled (1-shredded and 2 chopped) - I used Granny Smith
1/2 C cinnamon chips

Topping
1/3 C brown sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin pan. (15-16 muffins)

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In another bowl, beat the butter, sugars and eggs together until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Add in apples and cinnamon chips. Gradually add in the flour mixture. Note that this is a thick batter. Spoon the mixture into greased or lined muffin pan.

In another small bowl combine the topping ingredients: brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is like course crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of mixture in muffin pan.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to sit 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Apple Raisin Muffins (Mini)

Mini muffins are perfect for kids and adults alike. These muffins are tasty and make a yummy snack. This recipe makes close to 5 dozen mini muffins, so put some in the freezer for later!

-Paula Deen (with some changes)

1 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 cups grated apples (2 large granny smith)
1 cup raisins
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp. baking soda
3 1/2 cups flour

Combine the water, sugar, apples, raisins, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a saucepan; bring to boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 if using dark pan).

In a large bowl, stir the nuts and baking soda into the flour. Add the cooled mixture to the bowl, and stir until blended. Fill greased miniature muffin tins with batter to the top. Bake for 15 minutes.

Tropical Muffins

How can you go wrong with sour cream? This muffin is moist and delicious!

-Country Magazine

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. imitation rum flavoring (1 tsp. was plenty)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, sour cream and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in the pineapple, coconut and pecans.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins.

French Breakfast Muffins

My kids always eat the top of these muffins first, but the bottom half is equally delicious!

-Aunt Kristi

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 cup if only dipping top)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 15 (12) muffin tins (I use paper liners). Thoroughly mix shortening, 1/2 cup sugar and egg together. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg alternately with milk. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 20-25 minutes. In separate bowl, mix 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon together.

Immediately after baking, roll muffins in melted butter, then in cinnamon mixture. Serve hot.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Here's another great way to use your over-ripe bananas. The cinnamon adds an interesting touch to these moist and chocolaty muffins!

-Thomalee Abraham

2 extra ripe bananas
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ¼ cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cup chocolate chips (I used mini)

Mash bananas well with fork or potato masher. In a bowl, beat mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla until well blended. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips after adding flour mixture to banana mixture. Mix until all blended. Spoon into well greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Big Beautiful Muffins

-Anna Hampton (from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)

3 c. all purpose flour

1 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ c. plain lowfat yogurt
2 large eggs
8 T. butter, melted and cooled

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees (350 if using a dark pan). Generously coat a 12 cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the yogurt and eggs together in a medium bowl. Gently fold the yogurt-egg mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula and until just combined. Fold in the melted butter.
Use a large ice-cream scoop or measuring cup to divide batter evenly among the muffin cups.

(Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar)

Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes.
Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

VARIATIONS

Apricot-Almond Muffins
Add 1 teaspoon almond extract to the yogurt-egg mixture. Fold 1 c. finely diced dried apricots into the finished batter. Sprinkle several sliced almonds over the top of the batter in each muffin cup before baking.

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins
Add 1 t. grated lemon zest to the yogurt-egg mixture and fold 1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries that have been tossed in 1 T. flour into the finished batter. If using frozen blueberries, rinse them in a strainer until the water runs clear, then drain on paper towels and pat dry before stirring (unfloured) into the batter.

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

-Lion House Recipes, Helen Thakeray

2 cups boiling water
4 cups bran cereal
2 cups raisins *
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
5 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
5 tsp. baking soda
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups bran flakes*

* Any combination of bran cereal or bran flakes can be used - All-Bran, Raisin Bran, etc. If using Raisin Bran, omit or reduce # of raisins.

Pour boiling water over 4 cups of bran and raisins. Sift together dry ingredients. Cream together oil and sugar. Add eggs, hot bran mixture, dry ingredients, and buttermilk. Last of all add the 2 cups of bran flakes cereal. Mix just enough to combine.

Bake in greased mufin tins at 400 degrees for 15-20 min. Recipe makes 6 dozen, but batter may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 6 weeks.

Pineapple Muffins

Aunt Marjie

1/3 cup shortening
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup nuts/ or coconut
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

Sift dry ingredients and add raisins. Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat til fluffy. Stir in pineapple. Stir in dry ingredients. Bake at 375 in muffin tins 2/3 full, 20-25 minutes.

Banana Muffins - Count Your Blessings

While Brandon was going to school at BYU, our Stake Relief Society president gave an excellent talk in Stake Conference about counting our blessings in which she shared how blessings can be found in the darkest of times. She used the analogy of black bananas, or those with lots of spots which are often avoided or thrown away, make the best muffins.

-Sandra Thorne - BYU Stake RS Pres

Mix together:
2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar

Combine and add all at once to dry ingredients:
3 or 4 mashed bananas (or 5 if you have that many)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup melted butter
2 beaten eggs
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

The batter will be thick. Bake 350 degrees about 20 minutes. Makes 14-16 muffins. (I collect over-ripe bananas in my freezer until I have enough for a batch.)

Blueberry Muffins

This recipe is one of my favorites for quick and easy muffins. I like to use the Noosa Lemon yogurt and add a few drops of lemon essential oil for an extra bit of lemon flavor. Toss the blueberries in a bit of flour before adding to the batter so they don't sink.

-Mom Pulsipher

2 eggs
½ c. margarine, melted
¾ c. sugar
8 oz. lemon or vanilla low-fat yogurt
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350º. Beat eggs, sugar, and melted butter. Stir in yogurt. Add dry ingredients and stir until blended only; fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups. Bake 15 minutes.