Fall is my favorite time of the year! (Well, I say that about every season… but right now Fall is definitely top of the list!) My heart gets so happy when the leaves begin to change colors. I keep finding myself wondering “How lucky are we that God created our world to be so extravagantly detailed and beautiful?” This time of year makes me feel so thankful that I have the gift of seeing His spectacular creation every day.
This fall has been exceptionally busy, with lots of travel for work and our family’s first (and must i add PRECIOUS) grandbaby entering the world! (Pics of baby Andrew Keaton to come this weekend!)
I commute to Indianapolis every day for my job. And while the drive can get boring, this time of year is so beautiful that I love it! I blare the music, horribly singing along to TSwift’s EPIC new album 1989 and make up weird names for the different colors of leaves I see on the way… most of which are named after food … since it’s 5:00 and I’m usually starving.
Last week’s leaves were a bright orange, inspiring me to bake these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. (It’s fall. How much inspiration does anyone really need to bake something pumpkin?) I hope you enjoy them!
Assembling the muffins!
Final result! Large muffins on the right. Mini-muffins on the left. (The mini-muffins took about 7 minutes less to bake).
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Flour (I used Organic, Unbleached White Flour)
- 1 Cup Pastry Flour (I used Whole Wheat) (If you don't have Pastry Flour, just use total of 3 C. Flour)
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 1 Tbsp. Pumpkin Spice
- 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon* (see note)
- 2 Cups Pumpkin Puree
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 1/4 Cups Olive Oil
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese
- 1 1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 5 Tbsp. Flour (I used the Whole Wheat Pastry, but plain flour will work great, too!)
- 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
- 5 Tbsp. Butter, cold and cut into pieces
- * I LOVE Cinnamon and added in a few more dashes. If the batter tastes a tad plain to you, (i mean who doesn't sneak tastes of the batter?!) add in more!
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Line muffin pans with paper liners. (I also sprayed mine lightly).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl (electric mixer) combine the pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs and oil. Mix only until blended.
- On low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. (over mixing will cause your muffins to fall flat after baking!)
- Combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator while you prepare the muffins.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, sugar and flour.
- Using a pastry blender (or two forks), cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.
- Transfer topping mixture to the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Using a cookie scooper (or two spoons), fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (~2 tablespoons).
- Scoop a dollop of the Cream Cheese mixture on top of the muffin batter- about half the size you did for the batter. Use a spoon to flatten out the cream cheese so it spreads across most of the muffin.
- Scoop the remaining batter on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. The muffin wells should be filled almost to the top.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells. (Don't worry about clumps of butter in the topping, those get crispy and delicious!)
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let sit for at least ten minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
- *I made one 12-count pan of large muffins, one pan of 12-count mini muffins, and two small loafs of bread. Baking time will be quicker for mini muffins and a little bit longer for the bread loafs. Don't worry if they seem too gooey when you first take them out. That what will keep them moist once they cool.
https://themidwestskinny.com/pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-with-cinnamon-streusel-topping/