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Carrot Hugger: Pumpkin Mania

  • Writer: Shel Zhe
    Shel Zhe
  • Sep 1
  • 3 min read
Me and my husband Derek enjoying Fall in New England.
Me and my husband Derek enjoying Fall in New England.

I'm going to start with something that might be controversial: Pumpkin season should not begin until October.


Now, I looked this up, and technically pumpkin season runs from September to November in Massachusetts, where I live. In some states it starts as early as August. But I was a Florida resident for 10 years and I love the heat. And, after having it near year-round in the Sunshine State, I am thankful for the few months I get of summer now that I live back in New England. I don't want to be rushed into pumpkin spice lattes or Halloween candy (which hit shelves in July). I'm still enjoying summer dresses and bare feet, sleeping with the windows open, and clinging to hope that the Red Sox don't blow a Wild Card opportunity.


For those who do enjoy all things pumpkin flavored, as early and as often as possible, I harbor no ill will. To each their own. I've never been a huge fan of pumpkin, myself. My Thanksgiving pie of choice was always chocolate cream, and my latte order involves vanilla or mocha. But if there is one thing I love (and will eat any month of the year) it's my Pumpkin Spice Muffins (jump to recipe). So, pumpkin lovers, it's September first and this one is for you.


This recipe did not come easy. It took many failed attempts to get it just right. But I see failure as an opportunity to learn something and improve. And this was one lesson I had to learn over and over, improving a little bit each time, until I finally succeeded. I started experimenting with this recipe in the early days of being gluten free. I tried different types of flour, different ratios. Back then, there weren't a lot of go-bys, so I was flying blind. A lot of muffins were sacrificed for these to finally secure a spot in my recipe tin.


Now that I've got the recipe down, I make these a lot - for parties, for potlucks, and especially for Thanksgiving. The vegan and gluten free family members love them. The non-vegan and full gluten family members love them. Even the kids love them. And while of course I added chocolate chips, these are still a somewhat healthy snack. I hope you will try them in every season.


Shel's Pumpkin Spice Muffins


Preheat oven to 350° F.

Line muffin tin with paper liners (12 for full size muffins; ~30 for mini muffins).

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well.

Add milk, pumpkin, applesauce, and maple syrup and mix well.

Stir in chocolate chips (if using) and mix well.

Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups. About 2/3 full is best.

Bake 15-20 minutes (full size); 8-10 minutes (minis). When an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean, they are ready.

Cool and enjoy or freeze for later.


Left to right: Muffins fresh out of the oven, kitchen workspace, muffins ready to travel or freeze.


Variations

I make big batches of these for Thanksgiving, so I like to mix it up a bit. Using one full can of pumpkin will typically yield close to 100 mini muffins, which is great for holiday company. I make 1/3 with chocolate chips mixed in, 1/3 with a single dark chocolate chip on top (add during last minute of baking - I use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels), and 1/3 substituting 1 TBS of the flour with cocoa powder (I use Equal Exchange Organic Baking Cocoa). If you prefer savory over sweet (gasp!) you can fold in nuts or seeds of your choice instead of chocolate chips.


Pro Tip

All ovens vary, so baking times may vary as well. I typically make mini muffins vs. full size. I bake for 5 minutes, flip the tins around for even baking, bake 2 more minutes, then poke with a toothpick and keep baking at 1-minute intervals until done. Seems like high maintenance, but I've been burned (and so have the muffins!). This extra attention is how I perfected the recipe.


Happy Pumpkin Season!





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