Flavor of Fall

Well, it's fall and that means holiday meals to come, my favorite time of the year!  The flavors of fall and winter are inherently warm flavors that make us feel cozy in the cold. Apples, pumpkin, cranberries, squash, and cinnamon are a few of foods synonymous with this time of the year. More forgotten than not when it comes to fall and winter meals, is breakfast, and it’s the most important meal of the day! Now this recipe isn’t the healthiest type of breakfast, but ya know, it's not bikini season right now people so chill out! If you wanted, you could substitute the sugar with Splenda or Agave nectar, and the flour with whole-wheat flour to make it a little more figure friendly. But really, in my opinion it’s all about portion control and you can eat whatever you want.

This is a great recipe to get the kids and the family involved in the baking process on a cold and snowy day. Great paired with a cup of Joe, or just as a mid-day snack, your family and friends are sure to love these creamy, moist, pumpkin cream cheese muffins!

 

 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

 

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp brown sugar

 

4 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour

5 tbsp white sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp chopped pecans

 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.

To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, and then set aside.

For the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

For the muffin batter: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, canola oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.

Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes