“Mommy, what kind of toppings are we gonna use for the muffins?”
“Uh, toppings?”
“Yeah, like sprinkles, candy… chocolate chips?”
(thinking…)
“Toppings are for cupcakes, little man. They’re too sweet for muffins.”
(pause…)
“Wait, Mommy I know! We can use granola! Is that a good choice?”
( ♥ ♥ ♥ )
Of course it is.
You gotta love the mind of a 4 year old… always thinking, always negotiating. However, I was actually looking forward to seeing this one play out. My little guy carefully sprinkled each muffin with a bit of granola, picking at some of the pieces as he went along. I wanted to pick too, but I did not dare interrupt; it was a very serious mission.
This whole ‘topping’ idea turned out to be a good thing all around. I had a batch of granola that was pretty much finished (bag o’ crumbs) yet just enough to get the job done. It was flecked with random bits of fruit and nuts, and I was quite fond of the odd bite with cranberry and coconut. It was a nice flavor with the pumpkin.
And then this happened…
Yes. Mini acorns! Buried deep within the junk that is my kitchen cabinets, I have this adorable little cake pan that happens to surface only in the fall, you know, when you’re supposed to celebrate stuff like leaves and acorns. They’re like mini muffins with a crunchy top. I find them the perfect size for dunking (and for little hands).
You can thank Dillon for that idea too.
And just as I was about to bite into one of these muffins, Dillon swiped it right out of my hand! He announced that we had to take a picture of it first before we could eat them…
Uh oh. Where on earth did he get that from?!
Tips:
- I used white ‘tulip’ cases for my muffins because I love them and think that they’re pretty ;) Regular ones will work just fine; you might end up with a couple more muffins (12-14) depending on how high you fill them.
- If you’re interested in the mini acorn pan, you can find it here. Make sure to grease the pan well, getting into all of the grooves. I used coconut oil spray for this (yes, they make that now) and it works great.
- To get the whole crunchy top effect, these muffins are best on the day that they are made. The granola will soften over time due to the moisture content in the muffins. Not a bad thing, just an FYI-
- If you’re using canned pumpkin puree, you will have just enough leftover to make pumpkin spice granola.
pumpkin granola muffins
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 12-14
Ingredients
Dry
- 1/2 c. all purpose flour
- 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
Wet
- 1 c. pumpkin puree
- ¾ c. sugar (I use blonde cane sugar)
- 2 eggs
- 1½ tsp. vanilla
- ⅓ c. coconut oil, melted & cooled
Garnish
- 1 c. granola (any variety)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.
- In a large bowl, sift together all of the dry ingredients so that they are evenly incorporated.
- In another bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients, and stir until just combined; do not over mix (the muffins will be tough).
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling them about 2/3’s full.
- Sprinkle 1 tsp. of granola onto each muffin.
- Bake in the center of the oven for about 25-30 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.
Notes
*For extra crunchy granola, these muffins are best on the day that they are made. The granola will soften over time due to the moisture content in the muffins.
Comments
char says
was wanting to know about the nutritional value
Taryn says
These sounds AMAZING! Came across this blog posting after Greatist posted it on Pinterest.
Recipe sounds nice and simple but I have a question. I’ve never worked with coconut oil. Any tips or rules for melting and cooling?
Thanks!
Taryn says
Oops! Wasn’t posted be Greatist but still found it on Pinterest =]
Emilie says
No worries!! :)
Emilie says
Hi Taryn!
Thank you so much! We quite like these muffins in this house ;)
Coconut oil is a great (and healthy) product to work with. When it’s cold, coconut oil will solidify. So when a recipe calls for melted coconut oil, simply scoop out what you need and melt it in the microwave or on the stove top. Make sure to measure it again before adding it to the recipe; solid & liquid coconut oil are not always an even swap, so you might need to adjust your recipe (+/-)
To cool your coconut oil, simply transfer it to a clean bowl while you go about the rest of the recipe. I find that it’s the perfect temperature by the time I need it.
Hope this helps! Enjoy the recipe ;)
Alessandra (DinnerinVenice) says
What a wonderful topping idea! Looks delicious,
Natasha says
What a smart cookie! Or muffin! Granola on a muffin sounds perfect!
Sandra @ Kitchen Apparel says
Haha…that sounds all too familiar. My oldest will now stand up on a chair with a makeshift “camera” (a cup inverted) and pretend to take pictures with me. There are going to be support groups for “Children of food bloggers” one day. He had some great ideas though…nice to have someone to collaborate with ;) Those acorn muffins are too adorable! I got to get one of those pans asap :) Looks like you guys had a fun time baking together.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Gorgeous muffins, I love the granola topping! Now if only these would magically show up for breakfast tomorrow morning ;).
Adri says
Ha! I laughed out loud at the line about him and ateh camera. Gee, I simply can not imagine where he got it from… we are raiding a generation of bloggers… and discriminating eaters.
These look wonderful, and the granola on top is perfect. So are the mini-acorns. They are darling. I want some!
Now my husband Bart is laughing about the photograph line…
Maria | Pink Patisserie says
Yay Dillon! He’s a genius! So cute, and I love those acorn muffins. Perfect!
celia says
Dillon, you’re a star! What a clever idea! And I can just imagine him sprinkling them with great care and concentration… :)
felicia | Dish by Dish says
Emilie! I got such a laugh when I read that Dillon said you had to take a photo of the muffins first! Hah, I bet all food bloggers’ children/family already have it ingrained in them to “shoot first, then eat”. beautiful looking muffins, lovely imagery, as always! love, felicia
Emilie says
Right? When he said that I thought… what have I done?! I’ve created a monster! He even has to photograph his legos now too. Oh well, like mother like son. Thanks Felicia!! :)