These make a tasty snack or a healthy dessert if you make them with chocolate centers. And since nothing is more satisfying than warm chocolate coating your mouth and making an appearance all over your child’s happy face, I recommend serving them before the chocolate hardens. They are delicious and perfectly sweet enough sans chocolate should you worry about your child eating nothing but the chocolate center (surely you realized this possibility, yes?).
Mini Pumpkin Bran Muffins with Chocolate Centers
1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
¼ t. fine sea salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. cardamom
¾ cup oat bran
¼ cup brown rice syrup
3 T. pure cane sugar
15 oz pumpkin puree
2 whole eggs
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
Handful of large bittersweet chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare mini muffin tin by lightly coating with butter or oil.In medium bowl sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Add oat bran to flour mix.
In large bowl combine all remaining ingredients except chocolate chips, whisk until well combined. Add flour and bran mixture, stir to combine. Fill miffin tins ¾ full with batter and place a single chocolate chip in the center of each muffin cup.
Bake 12-14 minutes. Cool in pan 2-3 minutes, then move to cooling rack to cool completely.
