Halloween Pumpkin Muffins

These are the perfect muffins for your Halloween party or spooky movie night. They’re loaded with pumpkin puree and spices, and are very simply accessorized to look like cute little pumpkins too.

This post was sponsored by Hockley Valley Spelt Flour available at Loblaws and Superstores across Canada

I think this recipe would be a lot of fun for little kids who are learning to bake, or if you need a simple themed treat that’s easy to execute.

When researching Halloween recipes, I noticed that many of them require a lot of frosting handywork, specific candies, sugar eyes, and food dyes. Unless you’re a professional baker, they can be hard to replicate at home, and adding sugar eyes to any baked good felt a bit redundant. And don’t even get me started on the intentionally gross foods - eat something that looks like a bloody finger? I think not.

What I like about this recipe is that it’s really simple, uses natural ingredients, and looks really cute arranged on a dessert tray. The muffins also travel well, which is awesome if you’re bringing them to a party, school, or the office. No risk of melting here. Enjoy them for breakfast, as a snack, or for a late night sweet treat.

Using spelt flour keeps them nice and light, as its is a low gluten flour. The earthy taste lends itself well to such a autumnal, spiced baked good.

Peanut free, nut free, dairy free, soy free, egg free

Ingredients
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp water
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of cardamom
1/4 tsp of ginger
1/4 tsp of ground clove
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
9 stick pretzels*
9 mint leaves

*Be sure to read the label before consuming as pretzels could contain allergens

Preheat the oven to 375F and line 9 pockets of a muffin tray with parchment or paper muffins cups.

Add the pumpkin, water, oil, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, clove, sugar, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl and beat well. Add the spelt flour, baking soda, and baking powder and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin tray, and smooth out the tops. Bake for 22 - 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool on a cooling rack, then insert a mint leaf and a pretzel into each one.

Makes 9 muffins