Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Cashews

It isn't the season for pumpkin yet, but because of canned pumpkin, I don't think we should limit ourselves to only eating pumpkin in fall.

Pumpkin is a great baking ingredient because it keeps the baked good moist.  It would be difficult to over bake and dry out these muffins.

This recipe does not indicate that I am ready for Fall.  Fall is my favorite season, but this summer has gone by too quickly.  I'm not ready to say goodbye to summer yet.  I have only gone to two barbecues, and I haven't even been to the beach.  

Working puts a damper on the pleasures of summer.  Instead of sleeping in and enjoying the sun everyday as a student, I sit in a cubicle that has no outside light.

The recipe came from allrecipes.  The ingredients for these muffins are 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup canned pumpkin, 1/4 cup water, 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup chopped cashews.  

I added and mixed the sugar, oil, and eggs.

I added the pumpkin and water to the same bowl.

I stirred these ingredients together.  

Into another bowl, I added the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt salt.

I stirred the dry ingredients together and then poured in the liquid ingredients.  

I stirred a little bit before adding the chocolate chips and cashews.

After adding the cashews and chocolate, I finished stirring.  I took care to stir as little as possible.

I filled the paper liners.  

I baked the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes at 400 degrees.  I used large liners, so I had to bake my muffins for longer than directed.  The recipe said to bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes.

 As I mentioned, these were not dry in the least.  The fragrant spices and pumpkin made for a pleasurable baked good.

 Even after several days, these muffins were moist.  I put some in the fridge for future consumption, and they thawed out well and were are delicious as before.

The semi sweet chocolate chips and salty cashews made the muffins even more exquisite.   These were on par with professional bakery muffins.

Make your weekend even more enjoyable by making this sweet, soft, and fragrant muffins today!