As Mindy says on The Mindy Project: “Autumn is the time when the leaves go from green to orange, the lattes go from vanilla to pumpkin, and girls toss their razors out the window for there will be no bare legs seen until April.” Oh Mindy, so wise.

Personal grooming aside, as soon as the calendar passes the first of October, adding pumpkin to everything you bake isn’t a half bad idea. Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene and fibre, and a pumpkin spice muffin is the quintessential autumn baked good (along with ginger molasses cookies, though one could probably argue that ginger molasses is really more winter than autumn. So, pumpkin spice it is).

These muffins are a direct take from Against All Grain, a wonderful cookbook (and blog!) if you’re looking to find grain-free options that are simple, straightforward, and based on traditional recipes that might be among your favourites, like banana bread or oatmeal raisin cookies (sans oatmeal, of course).

Baking grain-free is not the cheapest excursion, I know. But, if you follow a paleo diet, or find that eating grain-free is something you prefer or need to do to keep you system vibrant and humming, then consider these muffins a worthwhile investment.

These pumpkin spice muffins baked up beautifully, tasted pumpkin spice-y, and were sweet but not overly sweet. And they were very filling. Pour yourself a glass of almond milk and set a few of these on a plate, and then open up those windows for the cool, crisp breeze and let it wash over you. #autumnmakeseverythingbetter

Autumnal Pumpkin Spice Muffins – grain-free, dairy-free, paleo

• Author: Against All Grain cookbook (I just tinkered with the spices and upped the chocolate chips – modifications included below).
• Recipe Notes: grain-free, dairy-free
• Yield: 10 regular-size muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond flour
• 3 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt/Himalayan pink salt (finely ground)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 pastured/free-range/organic eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey (if honey, should be warmed until liquid)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup dark dairy-free chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (optional)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325F.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, spices, and salt.
• In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup/honey, and vanilla.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until almost combined
• Stir in chocolate chips and mix until well combined.
• Scoop into an oiled muffin tin and top with pumpkin seeds, if using.
• Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until lightly browned, spring back with pressed, and an cake tester inserted into the muffin comes out clean.
• Store at room temperature for a few days, or pop into the freezer once cool.

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