Pumpkin time has arrived, starting with the silly Halloween season and running through Thanksgiving. Cookies, pie, bread, soups – pumpkin is everywhere (but please, let’s get over the “pumpkin spice” insanity). I love pumpkin at this time of year and incorporate it whenever I can. With these muffins, I move from the traditional sweet cinnamon tradition to a lovely, cheesy, savory muffin packed with the flavors of the season. They make a great sidecar to a post-trick or treating soup, or a welcome addition to the Thanksgiving bread basket. Serve them warm with butter for slathering or dip them in the bowl. These muffins really are a fall treat.
I love nutty gruyere in these muffins for a very autumnal taste, but parmesan works beautifully. You can use finely chopped rosemary or marjoram, or leave out the herbs all together. These tender but hearty muffins are perfect with a bowl of seasonal soup or stew, like Cauliflower, Hazelnut and Brown Butter Soup, Creamy Roasted Onion Soup or Roasted Garlic Soup. Or keep it in the family with Spicy Pumpkin Chorizo and Black Bean Chili or Turkey, Pumpkin and White Bean Chili.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup finely grated gruyere, divided
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
½ cup canola oil
½ cup whole milk
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 hole muffin tin with baking spray or line with paper liners.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and baking soda together in a large bowl. Stir in ½ cup of the grated gruyere and the sage.
- Put the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil and milk in a small bowl and beat until completely combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold through just until mixed and there are no streaks of dry ingredients visible. Divide the batter between the muffin cups and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of grated cheese over the tops. Bake for 20 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- I love these served warm. They will keep for 2 days in an airtight container. Wrap loosely in foil, or place on a baking sheet, and warm in low oven.
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