Easy Pumpkin Muffins and Cookies

We are busy decorating for Halloween and fall which calls for a snack with pumpkin. Happily, it is already in the grocery store this year!

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Cookies

I'm not sure who to credit this recipe to since I've heard about it from so many places. It is easy, tasty and free of many common allergens (egg, soy, milk, peanut.) We have always enjoyed muffins. But, this year we discovered that it bakes very nicely as a soft cookie too. In case you are not aware of this simple recipe, here it is:

Ingredients:

1 Box Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix (or yellow cake mix or carrot cake mix)
1 can pumpkin
1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Directions to make regular-sized muffins or cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pour ingredients into a bowl and mix well. (Don't be alarmed..it is a little tough to stir!)
3. Grease cookie sheet or muffin tins with cooking spray or use paper inserts for muffins.
4. Portion approximately 1/4 cup of the mixture into each regular muffin tin. For cookies, portion out about 1 Tablespoon of mixture per cookie. (A scoop is a really helpful tool for uniformity and quick release! See picture below.)
5. For cookies, press mixture down slightly with a fork. (Spray the fork with cooking spray so it won't stick.) 
6. For regular-sized muffins: cook approximately 21 minutes. For cookies: cook approximately 18 minutes. Let rest a few minutes.
7. If you have leftovers, they do freeze well. Wrap in plastic and store in a plastic bag.

Use a scoop to portion out pumpkin cookies.

We love this recipe because it is peanut, soy, egg and milk free!