What is it about Fall that makes you immediately turn your back on watermelon and peaches and get all starry eyed about pumpkin and apples? Even thought it’s technically still summer, the days are beautiful and crisp, and I am over cucumbers and tomatoes. I want warm soups and things that come out of an oven.
I actually tested these Pumpkin Crumb Muffins back in the spring, when I had my intern Ansley and before pumpkin felt like a thing. Her job was to create, cook and photograph future recipes for my website. We tasted, played music and had a lot of fun. Hey, someone has to test the recipes!
Now that it is the season, I am so glad we made these. I have a lot of pumpkin recipes on my website, and for good reason. Pumpkin is not only iconic with Fall, it is so full of vitamins and other nutrients that it is a natural addition to so many recipes. Call it a superfood if you will, it is definitely a top food for me.
The muffins are made with flax seeds, whole wheat pastry flour (my secret whole grain baking ingredient) and a whole lot of healing spices. All told, this is a really healthy treat.
I have been making the muffin part of this recipes for years, and was surprised that I never posted it on my blog. Topping it with the crumb mixture, however, took them from great to fantastic. The topping is so good I even mixed in into plain yogurt as a snack. Delicious!
One more pumpkin recipe for the books, and I think it’s the best one yet, enjoy!
Pumpkin Crumb Muffins
Makes one dozen muffins
Ingredients
Crumble:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons coconut oil
pinch of coarse salt
Muffin:
1/3 cup canola oil or other neutral oil
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 egg
1 small can pumpkin (15-ounce)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup ground flax seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
2. In a small mixing bowl combine the oats, almond flour, walnuts, honey, coconut oil and salt. Mix well, it’s easier to use your hands, and put the mixture in the refrigerator while you make the muffins.
3. With a hand mixer or a whisk, thoroughly blend the oil, syrup, egg and pumpkin in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, mix the flour, flax seeds, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add to the blended mixture and stir gently until just combined to form a thick batter. Do not overmix.
4. Immediately spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins and top generously with the crumble mixture. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean (depending on your oven). Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Leave on the counter for three days or freeze them for three months.
