Pumpkin Muffins with Vanilla Glaze (Doughnut Muffins!)

So, it officially has started looking like fall here in London. The leaves are starting to turn red, brown, orange and yellow. The weather is definitely getting colder. And supermarkets and farmer's markets are piled high with apples, pears and pumpkins.

I have never ever baked with pumpkin before. I haven't even tasted pumpkin pie. Don't kill me yet. I took this opportunity to make scrumptious pumpkin doughnut muffins (the vanilla glaze makes them doughnut-y). Pumpkin combined with cinnamon and nutmeg - it just screams fall!

I made my own pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkins following this method. I highly highly highly recommend doing the same because the flavor is so much richer, it's more fresh and there are no sketchy additives! 

Unlike most other recipes, the glaze here is a must. It adds that tad bit of crunch, sweetness and most of all, gives them the doughnut feel.

Fall, muffins, pumpkin, faux-doughnut. What are you waiting for?

Ingredients

For 9 large muffins
For the muffins:
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup baby/quick-cooking oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp baking soda
 4 tbsp greek yogurt
1 cup homemade pumpkin puree
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
Preheat oven to 195 C.
Prepare a muffin tin with 9 muffin liners and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda.
In another mixing bowl, beat brown sugar and egg until thick and pale. Add in the vanilla extract, pumpkin puree and greek yogurt. Beat again.
With a spoon, mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the 9 lined muffin cups. Fill each fully.
Bake 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in a center comes out clean.
While the muffins are cooling, make the glaze. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix in the milk and vanilla extract.
When muffins are almost cool, dip and swirl tops of muffins into the glaze and let the glaze run off the sides. Place in a plate or on a wiring rack till muffins come to room temperature and glaze has hardened.
As always, enjoy!