Pumpkin & Walnut Muffins

Makes 12

These quick and easy bakery-style pumpkin muffins come together with just about 10 minutes of prep and simple ingredients! Packed with all the warm Fall flavors, these pumpkin spice muffins are perfect any time of year.

Ingredients:

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) (about 1 ½ cups)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon pumpkin spice

I cup of chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and eggs. Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract; whisk well to combine.

Sift all the dry ingredients, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice.

With a spatula, blend the sifted dry ingredients with the egg mixture “Just folding” preventing from overmixing, you just want to blend and incorporate the dry with liquid. Do not over mix.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Each cup will be full, which yields those tall muffin tops.

Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of coarse sugar on top of each muffin. It seems like a lot of sugar for each muffin, but this is what gives them those bakery-style sugar-crusted tops!

(Optional) These muffins are also great topped with Streusel, instead of the coarse sugar, recipe below.

Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean.

Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Notes

Make sure that you use a can of 100% pure pumpkin puree, which is different from canned pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin pie mix. The pure pumpkin puree is unsweetened and doesn't include any spices or other seasonings.

Use either canola oil or vegetable oil. You want a neutral oil that will not flavor the muffins, so don't use olive oil. Feel free to substitute with melted unsalted butter if you prefer.

Sift the flour to avoid any big clumps in your batter.