it's finally fall | all things pumpkin

I decided to take the last two nights off of editing and relax ... and bake :) I have been craving all things pumpkin and made two fall recipes. The first were pumpkin spice rice krispies which of course are ridiculously simple and delicious and the second recipe, a little piece of heaven in each bite, Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Muffins.

 

Here's the recipe for the best pumpkin muffins you'll ever have:

 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

 

24 Muffins

 

Ingredients:

 

For the Filling

8 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened

1 Cup Confectioner's Sugar

 

For the Muffins

3 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 Tsp. Ground Nutmeg

1 Tsp. Ground Cloves

1 Tbsp. + 1 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Baking Soda

4 Large Eggs

2 Cups Sugar

2 Cups Pumpkin Puree

1 1/4 Cups Vegetable Oil

 

For the Topping

1/2 Cup Sugar

5 Tbsp. Flour

1 1/2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

4 Tbsp. Cold, Unsalted Butter, Cut Into Pieces

 

Directions

1. To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1 1/2" in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least one hour.

 

2. To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.

 

3. To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

 

4. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the lof of creame cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

 

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to wire rach and let cool completely before serving.

 

** Side note, I had some left over batter and topping so I used a mini muffin pan and made mini-muffins for my nieces :) **