Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Happy Monday beautiful! I hope you had a fantastic week. I know Beautiful Basics is a beauty blog but today is going to be a little different because I'm going to be sharing a recipe for muffins. They're not just any muffins though, they're truly delicious, and healthier than other options. I made them last weekend and they were gone by the next morning, because everyone loved them so much. I figure since Thanksgiving in the U.S. is on Thursday now would be the perfect time to share my treats!

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups sugar (I used 1 ½ cups of white and ½ brown but you can use whatever you want – including raw or a sugar substitute)
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup of vegetable oil
¼ cup of applesauce
1 cup of fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries (I used Craisins, but if you use fresh or frozen you'll want to chop them up)

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together and then add the pumpkin and oil – make sure to mix very well. Next you'll combine the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Now it's cranberry time! You need to gently fold in the cranberries so they don't get broken down and mushy. Fill your lined muffin cups ¾ of the way full and stick your muffin pan in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. I then dusted the muffins lightly with powdered sugar, but you can skip this part if you'd like!




I hope you enjoy!