Pumpkin Muffins: Played Like Jazz

My six year old came home from school a week ago and said, "I love pumpkin muffins. Will you make me some please?" Oh dear, I don't have any go to pumpkin muffin recipes. I told him I would have to look for some and get back to him. Good ole Pinterest never fails. Seriously, how blessed are we that we can have hundreds of recipes on hand at the click of a mouse. Genius! and a time saver! I didn't have to try more than one before we found "our family recipe" for pumpkin muffins. It's no big deal to make either which is a requirement for me.  I sent a batch of these along with the hubby for his week long work trip. Everyday he's raved about how great they are and that they taste gourmet. He is not one to pass out praise for food unless it is actually awesome particularly because I have to use gluten free flour. It also passes the munchkin's vote of approval and they did a dance for joy when I made another batch of muffins for just them.

I read once about recipes not necessitating a strict following of instructions, but rather that they are to be played like jazz. I fall into the jazz category and enjoy that sense of deviation to make beauty and delicious things. I make substitutions for our needs with the recipe. I don't use walnuts or raisins. I'm allergic to nuts and those just doesn't sound good to me in pumpkin muffins. It may appeal to you. I used the pumpkin spice package I had on hand instead of the specific measurements given. I use Pamela's GF Baking Flour and mine don't rise as much as this picture shows. But around here I am more concerned about taste than plating. I've got too many things working against me to be concerned about looks when the taste is fantastic. One last thing, I need to keep them in the fridge to keep them together. May be a GF flour thing, it may not. I don't know enough of the science of these things to be certain.