Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

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Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• For the muffins:

  1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

  1/2 cup granulated sugar

  1/2 cup dark brown sugar

  2 large eggs, room temperature

  3/4 cup pumpkin puree

  1/4 cup milk

  2 tsp vanilla extract

  2 cups all-purpose flour (option for gluten-free)

  1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice*

  2 tsp ground cinnamon

  1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder

  1 tsp baking soda

  1/2 tsp salt

• For the cream cheese filling:

  5 oz cream cheese

  1 tbsp maple syrup

• For the pecan topping:

  1/4 cup pecans, crushed

  1 tbsp granulated sugar

  1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions (yields 15 muffins):

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray two large muffin tins with nonstick spray or line with muffin liners and set aside.

• For the muffins: Whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

• In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together. Add in the eggs and mix. Add the pumpkin, milk, and vanilla and mix again until incorporated.

• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix.

• For the cream cheese filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and maple syrup on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.

• For the pecan topping: Mix the crushed pecans, cinnamon, and granulated sugar together in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.

• Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of muffin batter into the prepared muffin tins. Layer with about 1 spoonful of cream cheese filling, then another tablespoon of muffin batter. (I like to use a large cookie scoop for the base, a small spoon for the filling, and then a smaller cookie scoop for the top.) Sprinkle the pecan topping onto each muffin.

• Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 13-15 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan before serving. Repeat with the remaining batter.

• Nutrition

  Calories: 227

  Fat: 12 grams

  Carbohydrates: 27 grams

  Fiber: 1.5 grams

  Added Sugar: 14.5 grams

  Protein: 3 grams

• Recipe Notes

  If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own using: 1 and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground allspice, and 1/4 tsp ground cloves.

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