The Most Delicious Healthy Pumpkin Muffins, 4 Ways

Whenever I make pumpkin muffins, I can never decide how I want to "yummify" them - plain, with a delicious honey cinnamon butter spread? With a dallop of cream cheese in the middle, or a streusel on top? With some toasted pecans inside, or chocolate chips? I'm probably not the only one who has this problem! So, I created my favourite pumpkin muffin recipe base, and finished it four different ways. No matter if you're a cream cheese inside fan or a streusel fan, there will be something for everyone! The best part is this pumpkin muffin recipe base is healthy, made with greek yogurt and just the right spice level. Healthy can be delicious, too! Hope you love my Most Delicious Healthy Pumpkin Muffins!

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I call this my Aunt's recipe, but it's actually from The Looneyspoons Cookbook. This was the first cookbook I ever owned! My aunt Cathy gave it to me before I headed off to University, and it's really what first got me hooked on making recipes. The recipes are simple, healthy and delicious, plus the book is full of fun puns. The cookbook is separated in to categories like "Eats without Meats," "Ladle Gaga" (a whole section of soups!), or "Chicken Worth a Pickin'." This would be a great Christmas present for someone!

Every time I would visit my aunt at their cottage in the fall, she would make these muffins fresh out of the oven for breakfast. Then I got hooked on making them at home. One year, I went on a pumpkin muffin baking rampage, determined to find the best pumpkin muffin recipe out there. I think I tried 12 different recipes total, but this ended up being the winner, which is sort of funny that I went to all that effort just to end up with the same favourite I started with. I found other recipes cake-y or too cupcake-like, or lacking flavour. I love that this one is packed with flavour, and healthy to top it off.

I wanted to post this recipe, but I couldn't decide how I wanted to eat these muffins, or what people like best. I kept switching based on my mood! Finally, I made a giant double batch and finished them four ways. I brought them to a friend get-together on the weekend, hoping that would solve the issue of what the best version was. Everyone liked a different one! Ryan is a fan of chocolate chips. Our friends liked that they could feed the plain ones to their kids without giving them a huge sugar rush, and the kids loved them (our one friend's two-year-old had three one morning!). I like the cream cheese. Everyone liked streusel, but I do find it sort of has to be eaten that day, or the streusel loses its crispiness.

Here are the four ways I decided to finish off the base muffin recipe:

- plain, with toasted pecans inside

- with chocolate chips inside

- with a pecan streusel topping

- with a dallop of cream cheese inside

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Pumpkin Muffins, 4 ways

Serves: 12 muffins

Prep time: 20 minutes

Bake time: 20 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or substitute for more all-purpose flour)

• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

• 1/2 cup maple syrup or liquid honey

• 1/4 cup canola oil or butter, melted

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup finely grated carrots

For the optional fillings:

• Plain: 1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

• Chocolate chip: 1 cup chocolate chips (I actually did 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup toasted pecans)

• Cream cheese filling: 3/4 cup cream cheese

• Streusel Pecan topping: 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1.5 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray, or rub with butter (that's what I always do! Makes for crispy edges).

• In a medium bowl, combine flour, wheat flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, yogurt, maple syrup, canola oil or butter, egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir together with a spatula or wooden spoon until just barely combined, so you can still see a few lumps of flour. Fold in the grated carrots, and if you're making the chocolate chip or plain version, also fold in the chocolate chips or nuts until everything is just combined.

Now, we finish them in whatever way you've decided on!

• Plain: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. You can fill each muffin cup all the way to the top. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, but also make sure to eat one while still warm with butter!

• Chocolate chip: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. You can fill each muffin cup all the way to the top. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, but also make sure to eat one while still warm with butter!

• Cream Cheese filling: Fill each muffin cup half way with batter. Spoon 1 tablespoon of cream cheese in to the center, then fill the muffin cup with more batter all the way to the top. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, but also make sure to eat one while still warm!

• Streusel topping: Make the streusel topping! Combine all ingredients (2 tbsp melted butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1.5 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans) together in a small bowl. Spoon the muffin batter in to each muffin cup until 3/4 full. Then, spoon the streusel topping over the batter until the muffin cup is full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, but also make sure to eat one while still warm!

Did you make this recipe? Tag @thefittestfoodie_ on Instagram so we can share it!