Fall is In the Air

It's autumn and that means it's time for all things pumpkin.  Who doesn't love pumpkin?  Alright, I'm sure there are those few who don't love pumpkin, but that's just because they haven't tried these muffins yet.

I found this recipe for pumpkin muffins on Made by Michelle as I was cruising the internet.  (This explains a lot about why I never get anything done around here.)  Turns out that Michelle got this recipe  from  another one of my favorite blogs,  Smitten Kitchen.  It's a small world after all.

Before...

But I digress.  These muffins are quite yummy.  I love the use of pumpkin pie spice.  It's the one stop shopping of spices as far as I'm concerned.  In one little pinch you get the full array of fall flavors.   This really is a simple little muffin and I love that.  It's not too complicated.  It's just good.

and after.

Recipe:  Pumpkin Muffins
(Made by Michelle & Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-ounce can)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups. Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.