Pumpkin Banana Chip Mini Bread-Muffins

These are fantastic!  Every year around Christmas time I make pumpkin cranberry bread.  It is amazing and I actually have to freeze it because my family will eat it all.  That or I make it the day before I give it away so they can't tear into it.  I am bringing a snack to my son's kindergarten class and I was thinking of the pumpkin bread for something different.  I usually  make five mini loaves, but have been thinking mini muffins sound good.  Does a bread recipe become a muffin recipe if you put it in a muffin tin?  I don't know, but whatever it is called, it worked perfectly.

I made a batch of plain pumpkin ones, which the family loved.  Then I cut up two bananas and added a cup and a half of chocolate chips to it and WOW.  I baked them for 12 minutes and let them cool.  They are actually better when completely cooled. 

Place these dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk them together:

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon plus 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

Place these ingredients into a mixer bowl and mix until combined:

3 cups sugar

1 can (15 oz) 100% pure pumpkin

4 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup orange juice or water (I always use juice)

Once mixed I used a small scoop to put even amounts in the mini muffin pan.  I made one batch like this.  Then I added two bananas (cut into small cubes) and 1 1/2 cups of ghiardelli chocolate chips.  Yes, I do think it makes a difference if you bake with those chips.  They just taste better!

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

And here are the Pumpkin Banana Chip.

Give it a try.  At Christmas make these with 1-2 cups of fresh cranberries.  Or if you are a friend of mine, make sure I get a loaf to you!  :)