I waited as long as I could to open that can of pumpkin I’d been eyeing for weeks. Fall is definitely in the air here in Tennessee and I couldn’t resist any longer! Pumpkin recipes are picking up steam on Pinterest and there are a million different pumpkin muffin recipes out there. I already have a double chocolate pumpkin muffin recipe that I love, but today I was really in the mood for a good pumpkin spice muffin – without any add-ins. I also wanted them to be healthy-ish – not so healthy that they tasted healthy, but healthy enough I wouldn’t feel too bad eating several throughout the day ;). These muffins pretty much hit the spot! I enjoy the slightly dense, coarse texture that whole wheat flour gives to baked goods, but I really wanted these muffins to have a lighter texture, so I opted to use white whole wheat flour instead, which gives you all the benefits of whole wheat flour without weighing down your muffins. The muffins are low-fat without a ton of sugar, but I did splurge with the buttery, oatmeal topping. I don’t recommend skipping it though! It was the best part of these muffins and even with the topping they still come in under 200 calories each. Not bad, right? A delicious Fall treat for sure! Enjoy!
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Muffins
for the batter:
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/4 cups white whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup fat-free buttermilk
1 tbsp canola oil
1 egg
for the topping:
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 10 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another small bowl or measuring cup, combine the pumpkin, milk, oil and egg. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.
3. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Makes 10 muffins.
*adapted from Taste of Home
Nutritional Info (per muffin): 178 calories; 4.4 g fat; 31.2 g carbohydrates; 3.7 g fiber; 5.1 g protein.
