UPDATE: I’ve added this post to my Favorite Falliday Recipes! Click here to see them all.

Recently obsessed with all things ginger, and tiring of the impatient stares from two cans of pumpkin puree, I set out to create a “spicy” pumpkin ginger muffin. I’m pleased enough with my end result after Round 2 to actually share the recipe with you.

The first round wasn’t gingery enough and a bit over moist. For the second round I upped the fresh grated ginger and tweaked a few things to come out with a spicy muffin (because of the ginger), slightly sweet and just moist enough not to make you thirsty when you eat it.

Sans frosting, the Pumpkin Ginger Muffins can be a hearty addition to your breakfast. When I bake I like to avoid using wheat flours and refined sugars. I’ve fully adopted the overripe banana and dates for sweeteners, and use Coach’s Oats almost every chance I get, Paleo or not. Here’s a quick run down of what’s in the muffin.

Pumpkin Ginger Muffin Ingredients:

Pumpkin Puree
Banana
Coach’s Oats
Flax Seed Meal
Dates
Egg
Ginger Root
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Baking Soda
Salt
Vanilla Extract
Walnut Pieces
Coconut Shavings (Optional)

Truth be told, this should be called a Pumpkin Ginger Walnut Oat Muffin, but that wouldn’t hold anyone’s attention.

Round 1 included shredded, unsweetened coconut. Mainly because I had just about 1/4 Cup left in the bag and I wanted to use it up. Round 2 did not include it. I’d say it’s just a matter of preference if you like to use coconut or not. If you don’t it won’t detract from the flavor at all. If you like that extra bit of coconut-iness then go for it.

For the ginger, I use a fine grater until I have a juicy pile of minced-like ginger that fills a tablespoon. There are strings of fibers that don’t quite break down in the grating processes. I don’t mind those so I throw it all in.

Walnuts give a fun crunch to the end result, reminding me of banana bread. You certainly don’t have to use them but I don’t know why you wouldn’t want too.

You can take your Pumpkin Ginger Muffins a step further and turn them into a fabulous fall dessert with a Chocolate Cinnamon Frosting (recipe also included). Four ingredients make this “frosting” super simple to whip up. It is a smooth frosting and only sweet enough to turn a relatively healthy muffin into a relatively healthy, super dense, not so pretty cupcake.

Unfortunately, my muffins don’t photograph super well. They taste great though, which is far more important to me. Also, I finally found a good use for those mini pumpkins we got in our CSA box – photo props!

Pumpkin Ginger Muffin Recipe

Here is the written recipe for both the Pumpkin Ginger Muffin and Chocolate Cinnamon Frosting. However, if you really want to take this muffin for a spin, pin the recipe at the bottom!

Preheat Oven to 350

Ingredients:

1 Cup Coach’s Oats (or regular rolled oats)
1/4 Cup Flax Seed Meal
1/4 Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut (Optional)
1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

–Mix above dry ingredients together in a bowl–

1 Can Pumpkin Puree
1 Egg
1 Overripe Banana
1/2 Cup Pitted Dates
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Fresh Grated Ginger

–Blend above wet ingredients in a food processor–

Combine wet and dry ingredients with

1/2 Cup Walnut Pieces

Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray or use paper liners. I used a 12-cup muffin pan. Spoon in muffin batter until all cups are even. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool before eating or frosting.

Chocolate Cinnamon Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
2 Tablespoons Agave Honey or Simple Syrup (I used my Cinnamon Syrup*)
3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Teaspoons Cinnamon

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan on low heat. Stir until fully combined and heat until the chocolate is easy enough to spread on the muffins. You can sprinkle pumpkin seeds on the top before the chocolate cools for a more interesting looking muffin.

*Really LOVE ginger? Swap the Cinnamon Syrup for the Ginger Syrup in my Falliday Recipe ingredients and give that whirl!

If you try these out, let me know how you like them!