whole wheat pumpkin muffins made with greek yogurt and coconut oil

‘Tis the season, my friends.

The season for hot mugs of cider, big cozy sweaters, shuffling through fallen leaves, the smell of chimney smoke, and adding pumpkin to every conceivable recipe.

This time of year, it is difficult to ignore our pumpkin obsession. Search pinterest and you will find pumpkin fudge, pumpkin milkshakes, pumpkin risotto, pumpkin pudding, pumpkin scones, pumpkin adult beverages, pumpkin pasta sauce, pumpkin truffles, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cinnamon rolls... pumpkin everything.

Despite all the elaborate ways to use pumpkin, I am offering you a simple, easy recipe because it is just that good.

This recipe started as the King Arthur Flour Cookbook’s recipe for pumpkin bread. But I omitted the eggs and added some Greek yogurt. I took out the butter and threw in some coconut oil. I removed the white sugar and some of the brown and upped the spices. The result is a dense, rich, satisfying baked good with just the right amount of sweetness.

Pumpkin Muffins
makes 16-18 muffins

1/2 cup coconut oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or ground if you do not have fresh)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 heaping cup plain Greek yogurt (I used nonfat)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping cup canned pumpkin
Optional additions: 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips (I vote chocolate chips, but that's just me)

 Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin pan with liners or coat with cooking spray.

Melt coconut oil on the stove top in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk the dry ingredients (flour through nutmeg) in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, yogurt, vanilla, and pumpkin. Pour in the melted coconut oil and whisk well to combine. Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined well. Stir in any added ingredients, if using.

Spoon the batter to the top of the muffin liners and bake for 20-24 minutes, inserting a toothpick to ensure they are baked through. Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before removing the muffins from the tin. Repeat with remaining batter.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week if they even last that long.

Enjoy!
Ashley