Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

Moist and full of fall flavour, these pumpkin muffins are an irresistible, easy bake - all you need is one bowl for mixing. Measure out the ingredients the night before and you’ll have them in the oven in 20 minutes - or bake them the night before you want to eat them. A touch of pumpkin pie spice amps up the pumpkin flavour while buttermilk ensures a tender crumb. The cranberries are bright, juicy bites throughout each muffin while pepitas on top bring crunchy contrast. You’ll love them so much you’ll want to stash a few bags of cranberries in your freezer and a couple of cans of pumpkin purée in your pantry so you’ll have the makings of these muffins all winter long.

2¼ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1¼ tsp. sea salt
10 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
⅓ cup buttermilk
1 cup pure pumpkin purée (from a 15 oz can)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla paste or extract
1½ cups fresh cranberries (6 oz)
¼ cup raw pepitas

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt to thoroughly combine.

Combine butter and sugar, whisk in buttermilk, purée and eggs.

In another bowl, whisk together butter and sugar until smooth, then whisk in buttermilk, pumpkin purée, eggs and vanilla to thoroughly combine.

Mix wet mixture into dry; add cranberries:

Stir wet mixture into dry mixture just until no dry flour remains. Fold in cranberries.

Divide batter between muffin cups; top with pepitas:

Spoon batter into muffin cups (~ ½ cup each) and sprinkle pepitas over the top of each.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 22-25 minutes. Let cool in tin on a wire rack 10 minutes, then turn out muffins onto rack. Serve warm.

Makes 12 servings.

Storing Pumpkin Muffins: If you want to make these cranberry-pumpkin muffins ahead or you have some leftovers, make sure they have cooled completely. Then, store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.