All Things Pumpkin

Oct 21, 2021

By Fran Hill

I love autumn. The chill in the air, the smell of wood smoke drifting from chimneys, and the brilliant leaves are all cozy comforts for me. Of course, I can't forget about the food of fall. Crisp, fresh apples, roasted winter squash, braised hunks of beef swimming with root vegetables, steaming pots of soup, herb stuffed chicken with the crispiest skin, and, of course, the quintessential pumpkin.

I love pumpkin. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin seed salsa, and pumpkin and black bean soup; pumpkin in any shape or form is vying for my attention during the fall months. I gleaned the recipe for pumpkin cornmeal muffins from a magazine almost 20 years ago and blow the dust off it every autumn. It has become a staple of Thanksgiving morning served with a spicy chile relleno egg bake and fresh fruit, a sweeter side with soups, and a filling snack for chilly afternoons. The muffins are dense, moist and hearty. Serve warm and slather with butter for a perfect addition to fall.

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Pumpkin cornmeal muffins are an autumn baking staple for Fran Hill.

Pumpkin Cornmeal Muffins

(adapted from Real Simple)

 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

4 eggs

1 (15 ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin (NOT pie filling)

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour (AP flour will work and produce a muffin with a little less nuttiness and density)

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2-4 tablespoons roasted pepitas

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly coat muffin tins with vegetable cooking spray or line cups with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

Spoon the batter into the muffin pans.

Sprinkle with pepitas.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack. (12 muffins)

 

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.