Pumpkin cranberry oatmeal muffins

We're completely out of baking at the moment, primarily due to the nasty stomach bug that's laid all of us up for the last ten days.  Yuck.  So it's time for an über-baking morning.  On this morning's list is banana bread (recipe to come later), multi-grain bread and buns, shortbread cookies, and pumpkin cranberry oatmeal muffins (made with the last of the pumpkin puree I made in December ... of which I will make much, much more next year).

Pumpkin Cranberry Oatmeal Muffins

(adapted from The Kitchen Magpie)

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup of organic pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup packed organic, unsulphured brown sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened organic applesauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup organic stone ground red spring wheat flour
• 1/2 cup steel cut whole flake organic oatmeal
• 1/4 cup ground organic flax seed
• 3/4 cup organic cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• 4 tsp organic, non-aluminum baking powder
• 1 tsp organic cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp organic ginger
• 1/4 tsp grated fresh organic nutmeg
• pinch organic cloves
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. 
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix eggs, pumpkin, water, applesauce, and brown sugar in a medium bowl until well blended.  Do not overmix.  
4. Fold in cranberries.
5. Make a well in the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.  
6. Pour batter into a greased muffin tin.  Note:  Do not use paper liners, as these muffins will stick.  
7. Bake 18 - 20 minutes, until tops spring back lightly when touched.  (If using whole wheat flour, decrease cooking time to 15 - 17 minutes.)