Pumpkin and semi-sweet chocolate combine in these delicious muffins, which are perfect fare for a cool autumn day. Good for breakfast or dessert!

Ingredients

Streusel Topping:

• 4 Tbsp. firm stick margarine or butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Muffin Batter:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or apple sauce)
• 4 eggs
• 1 regular size can plain pumpkin (or 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 3 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (mini chips for mini muffins)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.

To make streusel topping: Cut margarine into flour, brown sugar and cinnamon, until it forms fine crumbs. Set aside.

To make muffin batter: Mix sugar, oil (or apple sauce), eggs. Add pumpkin and water. Mix with whisk.

In another bowl, sift together flour, baking flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. You can use more or less spice depending on personal taste. Add wet mixture to dry and stir in chocolate chips. Do not over-mix.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Top with streusel topping crumbs. Bake 20-22 minutes for regular muffins, 15 minutes for mini muffins. Test for doneness with toothpick. Watch carefully and do not over-bake.

Notes: This recipe yields a great abundance of muffins, perfect for sharing with family, friends, naighbors or co-workers. These can also be baked as mini loaves. I have not tried it, but believe that these would be good with whole wheat flour in place of regular. Instead of adding the individual amounts of cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon to the batter, you can use about 6 tsp. of "pumpkin pie spice."

Source: Adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com, with several alterations, including the topping (which enhances them greatly).

By Shawna from Paris, TN