Pumpkin Muffins with Raisins & Pecans

Now that September is here, I'm totally embracing everything pumpkin!!!

Bake a batch of these pumpkin muffins and you'll want to join me on the pumpkin bandwagon.  

Loaded with plump raisins, topped with crunchy chopped pecans...if only I had a way to make these muffins jump off the screen and onto a plate for you!

Today's Playlist

• "Teenagers"...My Chemical Romance
• "What I Like About You"...Romantics
• "Someday"...The Strokes
• "Seven Nation Army"...The White Stripes
• "Original Prankster"...The Offspring
• "Sick Of You"...Cake
• "Basket Case"...Green Day
• "Sweet Child O' Mine"...Guns N' Roses

Pumpkin Muffins with Raisins & Pecans (Makes 12 muffins)

Printable Recipe

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 generous (heaping) teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

optional: large crystal (sanding) sugar, for topping

Gather your ingredients.  Heat your oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.  Grease a 12-cup muffin pan, or line with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, thoroughly mixing after each addition until combined.

After the eggs have been combined, mix in the pumpkin puree and the vanilla extract.

Add your dry ingredients that you had previously whisked together, mixing just until combined.

Stir in the raisins by hand.

Fill your muffin cups.  I used paper liners and I fill them so that the batter is level with the top of the paper.

Top with the chopped pecans, and sprinkle with the sanding sugar.

Bake in your preheated 375-degree oven for 10 minutes.  When the timer goes off after 10 minutes, reduce the temperature (without opening the oven) to 350 degrees and continue to bake for an additional 8 minutes, or until done.  They are done when you can stick them with a toothpick and the toothpick is dry or has a few moist crumbs when you remove it.  If there is still wet batter on the toothpick, bake them for an additional minute or two.

 Enjoy.