Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins

Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins

I like baked goods. Lots of baked goods. I get a little agita if I don't have a bundt cake on my cake stand, a jar full of cookies or quick bread on the counter. No Thank You Boy can polish off a dozen of my Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins in one sitting or as he is just passing through the kitchen. It makes his siblings quite upset when the muffins disappear before they have each had their dozen.

I have begun to enlist the help of the shorter members of the family in the baking detail. My Middle One and I made No Bake 'Ems - candylike cookies with oats, peanut butter, cocoa, butter, and sugar a couple nights ago. They were gone by the time I packed lunches in the morning. Probably because I usually pack some extras in my kids' lunches for their drooling friends at the lunch table.

I had ulterior motives for including pumpkin in my muffin recipe. I belong to a restaurant supply club. It is like Costco or Sam's but has all supplies needed for operating a restaurant. It is like Disney World to me. I couldn't resist picking up a couple cans of pumpkin while I was there. The only drawback was that the cans were a little large - enough pumpkin for eight 9-inch pies. I needed to come up with some new recipes to use up all that pumpkin.

No Thank You Boy will be getting a baking lesson in Muffin 101 very soon. I can't keep up with his muffin intake.

Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins

makes 36 mini muffins - enough for 3 kids

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine first 8 ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine oil, applesauce, pineapple, eggs, and pumpkin. Add to dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Spoon a rounded tablespoon into each muffin cup. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes.

Note - the pineapple, applesauce and pumpkin make these muffins very moist!!