pumpkin cream cheese muffins*

I don't know when the first official day of Fall is, but I am actually really excited that is going to finally get cooler and for all of the flavors of Fall to make their appearance! This week the weather has really simmered down, and yesterday I was feeling especially festive. I started my day off with a Pumpkin Spice Mocha from Starbucks and then I was definitely in the Fall mood. We had a smoothie's day for all of the staff, and of course we can't have a smoothie's day without a goodie to munch on! What better munchie than a pumpkin cream cheese muffin? Pumpkin - Cinnamon - Cream Cheese. Enough said.

I was introduced to Pinterest this last week. I had heard about it over and over on Facebook, and finally decided that it is now my time to know what the fuss is all about. Oh man alive, someone is a genius! It's like my obsession with food blogs on steroids. If you haven't checked it out, you must like right now. I found these amazingly delicious muffins on Pinterest!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
from Annie's Eats

Yield:  24 muffins

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
1¼ cups vegetable oil
For the topping:
½ cup sugar
5 tbsp. flour
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
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 1½-inches 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 2 hours.

Remember - I cook for a crowd. You will not have nearly this much cream cheese :)

To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  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 just until incorporated.

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.

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 log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces.  Place a slice of the 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.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.  (It may be hard to resist immediate consumption, but the cream cheese filling gets very hot!)

Enjoy all ya'll!

-alyssa*