I’ve been making these muffins for about 15 years. You can certainly substitute other kinds of nuts, add coconut or dried fruit like chopped apricots or currants, or omit the nuts and chocolate chips altogether.
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 2/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds on a baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes or until golden.
Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line pan with individual paper liners.
Thoroughly mix flour, sugar, spice, baking soda and powder, and salt in a large bowl. Break eggs into another bowl. Add pumpkin and butter and whisk until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds. Pour over dry ingredients and fold in with spatula just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Scoop batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes or until puffed and springy to the touch. Turn out on to rack to cool. Makes 12 muffins.
