A Great Cane Sugar-Free Muffin For A Healthy You

These muffins are made with my Guiltless Soft Cookie recipe. When making the cookies, I thought that they would make delicious muffins. I tried it and prefer using the batter to make muffins. They are filling, flavorful, and packed with protein, dietary fiber, Vitamin A and other minerals. Natural sugar found in dried fruit is used to give us that extra boost we need for the morning.  Let's start our morning with one healthy meal at a time!

Taste: 
Muffin A contains no cane or other types of sugar. This muffin is sweet from dates and raisins. The nutty flavor from whole wheat flour compliments the sweet and flavorful dates and raisins. Pumpkin flavor is very mild, almost unnoticeable.

Muffin B contains small amounts of cane sugar. This version is sweeter but has much less sugar compared to other recipes and store bought muffins. Sweetness in the muffin also comes from juicy raisins. The wheat flavor is less prominent and pumpkin flavor is very mild.

Texture: Like the cookies, these muffins are very soft, moist and tender. They have good structure and has soft but firm muffin top. The walnuts gives the cookie a nice crunch that creates contrast from the plump juicey raisins and soft tender cookie.

Ingredients 

Organic Whole Wheat Flour (for milder wheat taste, sub half or all for whole wheat pastry flour)	1 cup (130g)
Baking Powder	1½ + ⅛ teaspoon
Baking Soda	½ teaspoon
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Cinnamon	½ teaspoon
Nutmeg	⅛ teaspoon
Cloves	⅛ teaspoon
Eggs (room temperature)	1
Pumpkin Puree	½ cup (120 grams)
Oil	¼ cup
Vanilla Extract	1 teaspoon
Pure Cane Sugar OR Dates	¼ tsp + 2 tbs + 1 tsp (70g) sugar OR 90g mashed dates
Raisins (Soak in water for at least 30 minutes)*	3/4 cup
Chopped Walnuts	3/4 cup

*Raisins: by soaking the raisins, they will be even more plump and juicy. This will prevent a concentration of raisins at the bottom of the muffin or loaf. The longer you soak them, the more moist and plump they will be. Drain water after soaking period is completed.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners or lightly grease pan.
2. Mix dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices) in bowl. Set aside.
3. Mix pumpkin puree, oil, vanilla extract, sugar or dates together. If using dates, mash them well and use a blender to mix all the wet ingredients for a smoother consistency.
4. Mix dry and wet ingredients together until just incorporated. Then mix in walnuts and raisins.
5. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop batter into cupcake pan for equal sized muffins.
6. Bake for about 25 minutes or when toothpick comes out clean when inserted into center of muffin.
7. Take muffins out of pan and cool on a cooling rack before enjoying.