Cocoa Pumpkin Muffins

Ohhhh, baby! I finally got these muffins just right. They're fluffy, rich, and full of spiced deliciousness. I've been eating them for breakfast with coffee and fruit or for an afternoon snack with tea. The holidays can be stressful and when there's so much going on it's nice to be able to grab a muffin for breakfast or a snack. I've tested these a million times now and still haven't gotten tired of eating them, which says something about how good they are. This is one problem I have with recipe developing...I'm not one of these people that can eat the same thing over and over. I see people eating avocado toast every morning of their life and I don't get it. I was on an avocado toast kick for months and now the thought of it makes me nauseous. Give me a few months and I'll be back to it, but yeah, I've eaten at least one of these muffins every day for two weeks now and I still want more.

They're THAT tasty!

I wouldn't call these super healthy because they do have butter and sugar, but as always, I use the best quality ingredients to ensure even the less healthy recipes I make are still "healthier." Fairtrade cocoa, organic Irish butter, gluten-free flour, and local organic cage-free eggs are all key to making me feel good about eating these muffins. I talk about balance all the time because I think it's the key to a happy, healthy life. Allowing ourselves to enjoy a little butter every once in a while is the only way to stay sane. Gluten-free baking can be tricky because of the texture factor. It's gotten much easier because the quality of gluten-free flour has improved over the years, but it's still a little inconsistent. I used Trader Joe's baking flour for this recipe, but I also like King Authur GF baking flour. Play around with it and see what works best for you. You could also use nongluten free baking flour if you're not about that GF life.

Ingredients

Yeilds about 6-8 muffins depending on how you fill the cups

1/2 cup unrefined cane sugar

1/3 cup organic brown sugar

5 TBSP good quality butter (soft)

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup GF flour

3 TBSP almond flour

1/4 cup organic cocoa

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp pumpkin spice

Dash of coriander (optional)

Pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F

1) Cream butter and sugars. (Don't skip this step)

2) Add both eggs and beat for about 1 minute.

3) Add vanilla and pumpkin puree and mix well to combine.

4) Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined.

5) Fill cup a little more than halfway and bake in muffin cups for about 20-25 minutes (Until toothpick comes out clean).

Enjoy!

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