Pumpkin Pie Mini Muffins

Pumpkin pie spice mini muffins - smells like fall!

Ingredients:

• 1 cups raisins or craisins (I used craisins)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cups white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix!!)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts - optional

• optional - 2 to 3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar or large sparkling sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). 
2. Grease two 24 cup mini-muffin pans with cooking spray.
3. Soak craisins (or raisins) in hot water for ten minutes to plump, then drain.
4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. 
5. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, pumpkin, and applesauce, until smooth. 
6. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to make a smooth batter. 
7. Stir the raisins and walnuts into the batter. 
8. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.
9. Optional  - top muffins with 2 to 3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar or large sparkling sugar
10. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Carole's Notes:

This recipe makes about 48 mini muffins.

These are a tasty little pumpkin bite. We found they worked well at Thanksgiving potlucks when you wanted to try a little of multiple desserts.

I an not sure where the recipe came from, but I think it was lightly adapted from:
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2006/10/promise-keeper-pumpkin-eater/