I opened a large can of pumpkin last week and experimented with an old recipe out of a cookbook from the 80’s.  I converted it to gluten-free, and also cut the sugar down.  To use up the rest of the pumpkin, today I made a double batch, and made them dairy-free as well.  I will use some of these now, and freeze the rest for the upcoming holiday season, where they will be handy to grab and take with me to various gatherings, or make a quick meal when I’m in a hurry.  They are quick because they use pancake mix as their base, along with pumpkin pie spice rather than 3-4 spices, so there are less ingredients to buy, find and measure.  That is especially helpful when you are doing gluten-free baking, especially if you are new to it, or just taking something gluten-free to a gathering.  Then you don’t have to clog your cupboard up with several kinds of flour to make muffins.  (When you cook gluten-free, you always use a blend of flours.  It works better.  The pancake mix has already blended them for you.)

(I doubled this)

2 cups gluten-free pancake mix. (I used Pamela’s)

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup pumpkin puree (or mashed winter squash)

1/4 cup non-dairy milk (last week, I used regular milk, it works fine, this time I used coconut milk, as that was what I had open in the fridge)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life)

Put ingredients in bowl. Mix until just blended.  Spoon into greased mini muffin tins, or regular muffin tins lined with papers.  Bake the mini muffins for about 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees, and the regular sized ones for about 20-22 minutes, or until done.  Place on rack.  After cooling for 5 minute, remove muffins from pans and let them finish cooling on rack.  They are very moist and it works best to just freeze any you are not going to consume within 1-2 days.  It’s very easy to remove a couple mini muffins from the freezer and let them thaw on the counter or in the microwave for a quick breakfast or to go with soup.

A double batch made 36 mini muffins, and 12 regular muffins.  I decorated the larger ones with additional mini chocolate chips, and will freeze those to take to a holiday meal, gathering, or for a time when I’m having company over.