The moment the temperatures drop even just a smidgen near the end of summer, it’s pumpkin season. Correction, it’s pumpkin-SPICE season.
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It’s not that I mind the whole sweet and spiced pumpkin EVERYTHING that pops up at this time of the year, in fact I love me a good pumpkin bread, pie, and even make a tasty adult-level pumpkin cider. It’s just that sometimes it’s good to have a little variety.
Pumpkin is a mild flavored winter squash, even the types meant for pie. This is why it’s the perfect base for a variety of dishes, both sweet and savory. The only problem is that the pumpkin spice craze tends to start sneaking into the savory category instead of staying with the sweet where it belongs. I say it’s time to teach about boundaries and personal space.
There is no cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or ginger in these muffins. Instead there is cheddar cheese and the earthy flavor of ground sage blended in a base of whole wheat and a touch of olive oil. Yes, these are muffins. Yes, you can eat them for breakfast. Yes, you can have them with dinner. Yes, you want to make these now.
Savory Pumpkin & Cheddar Muffins Recipe
- Difficulty: easier than not eating them all in one sitting
The pictures show a double recipe because these are pretty darned good, so why stop at a dozen?
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground dried sage
- 3 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese, the sharper the better
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup olive oil, extra virgin preferred
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a large bowl measure out the first five ingredients and whisk together. I measure flour by fluffing it up and gently scooping it into the measuring cup. Add the cheddar cheese a little at a time and gently mix it in to the flour until evenly distributed.
In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs and oil together until foamy. Add in the pumpkin puree and mix until completely blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently stir together just until combined. The batter will be thick. Be careful not to over mix or your muffins will be too tough.
Spoon the batter into a greased muffin pan, distributing it evenly among the twelve cups. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before trying to remove them, then place them on a cooling rack. They will taste great fresh out of the oven, but really will taste so much better if you can wait a day. Warm them and serve them with a little butter if you prefer. Even though they are not sweet, they will taste great with a little drizzle of honey, as well! Enjoy!