Pre-Seasonal Muffins: All of the Flavor, Half of the Guilt!

I thought maybe Cyd might like a break from her daily breakfast smoothie, plus I really miss baking! So I tried to fashion a batch of low-carb, reduced sugar, maple pumpkin pecan muffins. I am very pleased with how they taste, and they are so light and tender! But they are so soft, that they kind of fall apart, at least when warm. Maybe I need to try adding a little of one of those weird binders like xanthan gum next time? An extra egg? Or maybe just a little coconut flour? (Paleo/Primal/Gluten-Free bakers, feel free to chime in down in the comments.) Anyway, these were an admirable first effort!

Low Carb/Reduced Sugar Maple Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

2 eggs (next time, I might try three)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup Stevia in the Raw
1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 1/2 cups almond flour (next time, I might try adding a 1/2 cup coconut flour)
3/4 cup pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 325, and line a 12-muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, fold all ingredients together by hand until well-combined. Use a standard muffin scoop to portion batter into muffin cups, and press down any bumps on the tops with your wet fingers before baking.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and a toothpick comes out clean.

Number of Servings: 12