Pumpkin Muffins

The weather here in Mountain Home has still been pretty warm up until the last week or so, so it hasn't really felt like fall yet. But they have all pumpkins out at the store, and pie crusts, and all those things that remind you of fall. So even though I'm not usually a fan of pumpkin, I felt like I had to buy a can of pumpkin, like it was the "right" thing to do this time of year. Glad I did. Made these pumpkin muffins and everyone loved them! Including my cats. I had read on the ASPCA page that giving your cats a spoonful of pumpkin is good for them since it's a good source of fiber. I really didn't think the cats would eat it, it doesn't even smell like something a cat would be interested. But all the cats ate it, and then thought the muffins were for them as well. This is from the same book as the zucchini bread, actually made these first. This recipe only makes about 8, so I doubled it.

Pumpkin Muffins


8 Tbs. butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400. Grease muffin pans or line with paper baking cups.

Combine the butter, brown sugar, and molasses in a mixing bowl, and beat until creamy. Add the pumpkin and the egg, and mix well. At this point, the mixture will look curdled, which is okay. In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and stir and toss them together with a fork or whick. Add the combined dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat just until the batter is smooth, about 20 seconds.
Spoon into muffin pans, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted and pulled out clean. Remove from oven, serve warm!
*Don't forget to give your furry friends a little of any left over pumpkin ;)