I had a can of pure pumpkin purée in the kitchen cabinet from last Thanksgiving, taunting me. (I don’t eat a lot of commercially canned fruits and vegetables, but I have to admit that I make an exception for pumpkin and for San Marzano tomatoes.)  And I wanted muffins!  So…my unused can of pumpkin and my love of muffins combined to make these delicious pumpkin oat muffins. I used walnut oil because I like the subtle-nutty flavor it adds to baked goods like muffins (it also has good omega-3s), but you could use melted butter or canola oil in place of the walnut oil. Chopped walnuts would make a really nice addition, but I didn’t have any when I decided to bake muffins at 11PM last night.

Special Equipment: a 12-muffin tin, muffin tin liners
Makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup walnut oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup pure pumpkin purée
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper muffin liners.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until sugar is fully incorporated. Slowly add oil and vanilla and continue whisking until blended.
4. Whisk in pumpkin and combine until mostly smooth (a few small lumps will remain).
5. Gently fold in flour in two batches until just combined. Fold in oats.
6. Fill muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool 5 minutes in muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.