Healthy-ish Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Posted on November 19th, 2017

Given all that has happened in the past few years, it is amazing that there are any optimists left in the world. An increasingly rare breed, but I count myself among them. I believe in clichés like “women can have it all,” “the best is yet to come,” “every cloud has a silver lining,” etc. I also believe that every once in a while, the food you eat to nourish your body and the food you eat to nourish your soul can be the same.

Enter these muffins. They really, truly scratch the itch of a sweet and seasonal un petit quelque chose, but in a pretty reduced-guilt way. The brightness of the cranberries really pops against the pumpkin spice palette, and the oatmeal texture is comforting. Trader Joe’s had great budget friendly cranberries, and if gluten-free is your thing, this recipe could easily accommodate that. My recipe made 17 muffins, but how much you fill the tins and how much you lick the bowl is between you and your pumpkin spice god.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

1 15oz can pumpkin puree
2 eggs
6 oz fat free Greek Yogurt
¼ cup milk
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/8 cup Stevia (can substitute sugar or brown sugar, or omit for less sweetness)
1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
Pinch of ginger (optional)
Pinch of allspice (optional)
Pinch of salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
3 cups rolled oats
¼ cup flour (added for texture—can substitute almond flour or omit for GF)
1 heaping cup cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat together wet ingredients (pumpkin, eggs, yogurt, milk, maple syrup) until thoroughly mixed. Add in spices, baking powder, and flour. Stir in oats gradually until texture is consistent. Gently fold in cranberries, taking care not to burst them.

Fill wells of a well-greased muffin tin 2/3 of the way. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15-17 minutes. Extra delicious when warm!