Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Since it's fall, I decided to do another pumpkin recipe. Love pumpkin! These pumpkin muffins are super easy to make...you don't even have to use a mixer! I used whole wheat flour which makes me feel like it's healthy. no guilt! I got the recipe (and picture below) from one of my favorite blogs, www.cupcakesandcashmere.com.

Pumpkin Muffins
Letters, Gourmet, November 2006
Adapted from the American club, in Kohler, Wisconsin
1½ cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice (instead I used 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg)
1¼ cups (plus 1 tablespoon) sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional...of course I used them though. haha)

Preheat oven to 350°. Put liners in muffin cups. Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin-pie spice, 1¼ cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour and baking powder until just combined. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture (I added some flaxseed to make it healthier). Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature. Enjoy!