Pumpkin Cranberry Bites

Mini-muffins are so cute. Even the baking pan itself is adorable! I had some leftover pumpkin I wanted to use up so went searching around the internet for a recipe. I significantly adapted the one that I found, because I had some cranberries I wanted to use as well. Then after baking I realized I couldn't really call them "muffins" because they didn't spread as much as I was expecting. Therefore they have been renamed "bites". Just little morsels of fall flavor!

Since the cranberries were an addition, after tasting one I realized I didn't account for the tartness they would add. The muffins weren't as sweet as I would have liked, so next time I make these I will give them a little sprinkle of turbinado, or raw, sugar before popping them in the oven!

Pumpkin Cranberry Bites

adpated from allrecipes.com

Makes 24 bites

1 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh cranberries

turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray 24 mini-muffin cups with cooking spray.

Bring pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon and cloves to a simmer in a medium saucepan until puree thickens enough to start sticking to pan bottom, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn hot puree into a bowl.

Whisk in brown sugar and oil, then slowly beat in eggs.

Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; whisk into pumpkin mixture until just combined. Fold in cranberries with wooden spoon.

Divide batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Let stand a few minutes, then transfer mini-muffins to a wire rack to cool.