Looks like I'm on a pumpkin kick this week. First my Maple Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and now Pumpkin Granola Muffins. These fall favorites are a welcome addition any time of the year. And as an added bonus, pumpkin is really nutritious. It's one of the few canned fruits that has no added salt or sugar.

Did you know? Pumpkins are a great source of beta carotene/vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. One cup of pumpkin has 80 calories and 6 grams of fiber. This vitamin-packed fruit is believed to benefit your immune system, eyes, bones, blood pressure and cholesterol. Go pumpkins!

I've been wanting to try out a muffin recipe where I could use Grammy's Granola, because I like the idea of the added crunch, texture, and nutrition of granola. If you don't have homemade granola on hand, you can buy some ready-made granola at the store. Do read the nutritional information carefully, though. Store bought granola is often loaded with fat and sugar.

I fiddled with a couple of other recipes before coming up with this one. It's a modified combination of a pumpkin muffin recipe from Gourmet magazine and a granola muffin recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. There's yogurt replacing much of the usual fat in muffins, and some whole grain flour to boost the nutrition. This has a hearty texture, so don't expect a really light, cake-like muffin. 

Step-by-step photos for making Pumpkin Granola Muffins:

Step 1. Assemble the ingredients.
Paper liners for your muffin tin, whole wheat pastry flour (or regular whole wheat flour), white all-purpose flour, brown sugar, granola, yogurt (low- or non-fat), canned pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie mix--just plain ol' pumpkin), baking powder, salt, eggs, butter, pumpkin pie spice. If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own (View Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix Recipe).

view on Amazon: Whole wheat pastry flour

Step 2. Make the Granola Crumb Topping.

You can make a granola crumb topping for the muffins, or skip this step and just sprinkle 3/4 cup of plain granola on top of the muffins before baking them. Here's how to make the crumb topping: First, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Chop butter into approx. 1/2 inch pieces and add it to the flour mixture.

Cut the butter into the flour mixture. I find it easiest to use 2 forks. You can also use a pastry blender. Your fingers work, too--just rub the mixture with your fingertips until clumps form. Keep cutting the butter and flour mixture until you have bowl full of crumbs--some bigger, some smaller--no crumbs should be larger than a pea.

view on Amazon: pastry blender

Add the granola and toss it with the crumb mixture. Now set this aside. You'll use it later on top of the muffin batter.

Step 3. Make the muffin batter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the white flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

In a separate bowl, stir together the eggs, brown sugar, yogurt, pumpkin, and melted butter.

Make a well in the flour mixture. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the well and stir it just until it's combined. Careful not to over mix.

Add the granola and gently fold it in. Your batter is finished.

Step 4. Scoop, top, and bake.

 Use a scoop or spoon to add batter to each muffin liner. They will be close to full, depending on the size of your tin. My tins are a little on the small size.

view on Amazon: Scoop, Muffin pan, 

Add the granola crumb topping (or just plain granola, if you prefer) to the top of each muffin.

Bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. In my oven, these browned a bit too quickly. I put a loose sheet of foil on top of them during the last 5 minutes of cooking to keep the topping from burning. But, my oven is kind of ornery that way. The foil may not be necessary for you. Just keep an eye on them. Once the muffins are out of the oven, let them sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack.

And here those beauties are! Crunchy, pumpkin goodness. Say ahhhhhhhhh....

view on Amazon: Cooling rack

Hope you like 'em. I'm thinking they'd be good with one of those Maple Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

Here are some possible variations on the recipe:

• Omit the granola in the topping and batter, and substitute chopped nuts of your choice.
• Add 1/2 cup raisins to the batter.
• Add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the batter.
• To make pumpkin granola bread, pour the batter into a greased loaf pan, sprinkle with topping, and bake for 45-55 min.

Make it a Yummy day!

Monica

Other posts that may interest you:

• Grammy's Granola--A Healthy Snack
• Maple Pumpkin Spice Lattes--A Big Batch Party Recipe 
• How to Prevent Apple and Pear Slices from Browning
• Three Easy Dips--Pumpkin Pie, Caramel, and Peanut Butter.
• Many Easy Sweets from 3 Toppings
• Make Easy Caramel Apples With A Gourmet Flair

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Pumpkin Granola Muffins

By Monica              Servings: Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

• FOR GRANOLA CRUMB TOPPING*:
• 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup granola
• FOR MUFFINS:
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (View recipe for making your own pumpkin pie spice at: www.theyummylife.com/recipes/24)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (plain, not flavored)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup plain granola

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using cooking spray or butter, grease inside of 12 muffin tins; or place paper liners in muffin tin.
--First make crumb topping. In a bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Chop butter into 1/2" pieces and cut into flour/sugar mixture using a two forks and/or your fingers, until clumps form. Add granola and mix. Set aside.
--Next make the muffin batter. In large bowl, whisk together the flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. In separate bowl combine eggs, brown sugar, yogurt, pumpkin, and melted butter.Make a well in center of flour mixture, and add egg mixture. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the granola.
Using a scoop or spoon, add batter to muffin tins. Sprinkle granola crumb topping on each muffin.
--Bake for approx. 20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing.

*You may use 3/4 cup plain granola in place of this granola crumb topping.

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