Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

I'm going to justify the influx of pumpkin-based recipes by showing you a photo that shows just how long I've been this enthusiastic about pumpkins. That's me (or was me) on the left, my lovely sister on the right.

I found this recipe from a blog called Slim Shoppin' by googling pumpkin cranberry muffins, because I had all of the ingredients to make them. They came out great and are reasonably healthy.   I've made them twice already; the second time I used slightly less sugar, which is the 3/4 cup you see below.  I liked them a little less sweet, but if you want them to be sweeter, use a full cup of sugar.

After I commented on the recipe, the blogger was nice enough to send me a bunch of delicious looking muffin recipes, so check out her site. Muffins are a great portable breakfast!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 TB. canola oil
1 large egg
2/3 cup chopped cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cloves.

3. Beat together: sugar, pumpkin, buttermilk, brown sugar, oil, and egg and gradually add in the flour mixture until well combined.

4. Stir in cranberries and pour into a muffin pan (makes 12). Cook for about 25 minutes.


Chopped cranberries: 

Ready to go: