Just because it’s spring doesn’t mean you can’t still cook with pumpkin. I’ve been eyeing these nuggets of goodness for a while. Why did I wait so long?

Puffy little treats tossed in cinnamon and sugar. They were so tasty and addictive, I had to put most of these little buggers straight into the freezer before I ate them all.

Best of all? They can kind-of, sort-of be considered healthy. Ok, not really but they have pumpkin instead of added oil. And, they’re baked not fried. It’s the little things that make the difference, right?

Try ‘em. They’re a great little breakfast treat, AM snack, lunch dessert, afternoon snack…you get the point.

INGREDIENTS

Muffins
10 Tbls (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 C flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ginger
⅓ C buttermilk
1 ¼ C pumpkin puree
¾ C brown sugar
2 eggs

Cinnamon Sugar Coating
¾ C sugar
2 ½ tsp cinnamon
¼ C (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray mini muffin tins with nonstick spray.
3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
4. In large bowl or mixer,cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
7. With mixer on low, add flour mixture, pumpkin, and buttermilk until just combined.
8. Spoon into batter into muffin tins.
9. Bake for 10-12 min or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. While the muffins are baking, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
11. After the muffins cool for 5 minutes, remove muffins from tins and brush the entire muffin with the melted butter.
12. Toss to coat in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Notes
Makes 48 mini muffins.

Adapted from Food Librarian who adapted it from Everyday Food.