Everything Autumn Muffins

It’s taking a lot of willpower these days not to get my Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday baking started (super) early. However, experience has taught me that if I give in to my festive feelings I’ll have fatigue before the beginning of December. So the books will remain on the cookbook bookshelf for a while yet.

Fortunately, I bookmarked a recipe that will satisfy my desire to fill our home with the scent of warming spices, while simultaneously keeping my dietary goals in check. With loads of pumpkin, apple, maple and cinnamon, not to mention a generous punch of whole-wheat flour, this recipe will satisfy any sweet tooth while we (ok, me) patiently wait for shortbread season to arrive.

The seedy streusel topping tastes decadent but is mostly made up of whole grains and pumpkin seeds, making them safe to pack into the school lunchbox. Speaking of which, they actually taste even better the day after their baked—more moist and full of stronger spice and pumpkin flavour—so will hold up well for a few days if you want to make these on Sunday and use them for snacks over the course of the following week.

Adapted from Real Sweet

You’ll Need

1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
¾ cup + 2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
¾ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup canola or grapeseed oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced into ¼-inch pieces
For the streusel topping
8 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
3 Tbsp turbinado sugar
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
3 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup chopped pumpkin seeds

Prep and Cook

1

Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease generously. Set aside.
2

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and ginger.
3

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in the apple chunks.
4

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Fold gently until well blended. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
5

Make the streusel: in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and stir with a fork, until the tines to lightly toss and break up the mixture into crumbles as the dough comes together. Stir in the pecans.
6

Fill the wells of the muffin tin about three-quarters full of batter. Sprinkle a generous tablespoonful of streusel over each muffin. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of several muffins comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for just a couple of minutes in the pan before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.