Honey Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

I recently received a cheese pumpkin in my Alan’s Orchard Fresh Box.  Cheese pumpkins do not look like your typical Halloween pumpkin.  It actually looks more like the pumpkin that turned into Cinderella’s carriage! and it is lighter in color…although only on the outside.  The inside of a cheese pumpkin is a beautiful bright orange color and the flavor is amazing.  It tastes SO much sweeter than your typical pumpkin, which is why these muffins only needed a small amount of added honey.  If you don’t have a fresh pumpkin to roast you can use canned pumpkin (you just may need to add a little more honey).
Honey Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil

• 2 Tablespoons honey

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup pumpkin purée (I used fresh roasted cheese pumpkin puree)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves

• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 cup hot water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking try with mini paper muffin cups.  (You can use a mini muffin pan but these are so cute and minimize the clean up).

In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs, and beat well.  Stir in pumpkin purée and vanilla, then the salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Stir in flour, just until combined.

Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then mix briefly into batter until it is evenly distributed. Spread batter evenly into the muffin cups.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until browned on top and cooked through (check that the muffins are done baking by inserting a toothpick in the top. It should come out clean.  Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes.