-
1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking pan with mini muffin cups and lightly spray with nonstick spray. (If making regular sized muffins, spray 8 standard-sized muffin cups, and preheat oven to 400 degrees).
-
2
Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, spices, granulated sugar, and orange zest in a medium-sized bowl, and stir until well blended. Crumble in the brown sugar, and mix with a fork and/or your fingers until thoroughly combined.
-
3
Measure the pumpkin into a second medium-sized bowl. Add the egg, milk, vanilla, and cooled butter or oil/applesauce and beat with a fork or a whisk until well blended.
-
4
Slowly pour this mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a spoon or a rubber spatula from the bottom of the bowl until you have a uniform batter. Don't overmix.
-
5
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. For a serious time and energy saver, spoon the batter into a plastic bag, sealing tightly, and cut off the bottom corner of the plastic bag, leaving a 2 millimeter hole. Then, similarly to frosting a cake, carefully squeeze 1 dollop of batter through the hole into each mini muffin cup. If making regular sized muffins, fill tins with batter using 2 spoons: One to scoop up the batter and the other to push it into the cup.
-
6
Prepare granola topping by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle each muffin with 1/2 teaspoon of crumbled granola. Press granola lightly into batter.
-
7
Bake for 15 minutes (20 to 25 minutes for regular sized muffins) or until lightly browned on top, and a toothpick inserted all the way into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven, then remove each muffin from the pan, and place on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Muffins can be stored in covered containers or resealable plastic bags. .
