Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe calls for Mace which is not a regular spice we usually have on hand. In fact, alot of people have never head of Mace as a spice but as something to spray in the eyes of the bad guys! Mace is a spice made from the waxy red covering which covers nutmeg seeds. The flavor is similar to that of nutmeg, with a hint of pepper and a more subtle note which can be overwhelmed by heavy-handed cooks. So if you don't have Mace you can substitute the same amount of nutmeg. I didn't have any Mace. And since spices lose their 'oomph' after a while, even when I found it I didn't buy it as this is the only recipe I've come across that calls for it.

Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

Makes 18 Muffins

1 Muffin = 4 PointsPlus™

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup Splenda granulated (I actually use the WalMart brand because it's @$2 cheaper)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground mace
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup fat-free egg substitute
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup light butter, melted
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Line muffin pan with cupcake/muffin papers. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, Splenda, cinnamon, baking soda, mace, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves. Make a well in the center and set aside.

In another medium mixing bowl, combine egg substitute, pumpkin and melted butter. Add this to the flour mixture. Stir until just moistened. Fold in chocolate.

Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling @2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Remove muffins from muffin pan to cool.

Remember.......all these measurements are level NOT heaping.....except for the cinnamon if you like it as much as I do! And the mace......if you don't have any the TOTAL amount of nutmeg for this recipe will be 1 teaspoon. In my opinion, these actually are more like a yummy cupcake than a muffin. But whatever you want to call them.....they're yummy!!!

Now for the 'legal mumbo-jumbo' to keep me out of court! *The PointsPlus™ value for this recipe was calculated by me (Jan Gomes) and is not an endorsement or approval of this recipe by Weight Watchers International, Inc., the owner of the PointsPlus™ registered trademark.*

Later!

Loving Life(time)!
Jan