Spiced Sweet Potato Muffins 🥔✨

These delightful Spiced Sweet Potato Muffins are a comforting treat perfect for breakfast or a snack any time of day. With a warm blend of spices and the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes, these muffins are fluffy, moist, and completely irresistible. Enjoy them fresh out of the oven or toasted with a pat of butter for a cozy start to your day!

Ingredients

For the muffins

• 1 cup mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium sweet potato)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional mix-ins

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it lightly.

🔥 Preheating your oven is crucial to ensure your muffins rise perfectly and develop a golden crust.

• In a large bowl, combine the mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, maple syrup (or honey), vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well combined.

🍠 To easily mash your sweet potato, you can cook it in the microwave or steam it until tender. Let it cool before mashing!

• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.

• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!

🥄 Overmixing can lead to dense muffins, so just mix until you see no dry flour remaining.

• If desired, fold in any optional mix-ins like nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips.

• Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. They should be about 2/3 full.

• Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

⏰ Keep an eye on your muffins, as baking times may vary depending on your oven.

• Let the muffins cool for a few minutes in the tin before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Variations

• Gluten-free: Substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The muffins might be slightly denser but still delicious! 😋
• Vegan: Replace the eggs with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 2.5 tablespoons water) and use a plant-based oil.
• Spicy twist: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to give your muffins a mild kick!
• High altitude: Reduce the sugar slightly and increase the baking time by 2-3 minutes for optimal results at higher altitudes.

Enjoy your delicious Spiced Sweet Potato Muffins! Perfect for sharing with friends or savoring all on your own. 🧁💛