Pumpkin Muffins with a Twist

Ingredients

• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 1/3 cup safflower oil
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup shelled, raw pumpkin seeds (optional)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease or line 3 muffin pans.

Mix pumpkin, sugar, applesauce, oil, and eggs together in a bowl until well blended; fold in pumpkin seeds. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until just combined; pour batter among prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.