Food for Fall

As Thanksgiving approaches the hubs gets more and more excited about all things pumpkin, asking me frequently if I will make him a pumpkin pie.


Now. Pumpkin pie is just fine and everything, but one or two slices a year is enough for me. And when I know there are going to be opportunities for pumpkin pie right and left during the Thanksgiving season, I try to appease the hubs' monstrous pumpkin appetite with other pumpkin treats.


Cue these pumpkin cream cheese muffins.

When I make these the hubs tells me over and over how much he loves them. Which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and wife-like, since I don't spend as much time as I would want to making him his favorite foods.

The recipe is from the always wonderful Annie's Eats. It makes 24 muffins but I only ended up with 22 1/2 because I apparently ate a muffin and a half's worth of batter. Why is batter so good????


AND I've got another pumpkin surprise for the hubsy up my sleeve as well! But because of my crazy frazzled week it may not happen until after Thanksgiving. Which is ok. Pumpkin lovin' can be for any time of the year. 


SO. IF you like pumpkin, you should definitely try these out.


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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (24 muffins)


Filling:
8 oz cream cheese softened
1 cup powdered sugar


Muffins:
3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
1 tbspn + 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


Topping: (I had lots of this leftover and probably could've halved it)
1/2 cups sugar
5 tbspn flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 tbspn butter cut in pieces




Filling: Combine cream cheese and sugar in bowl, mix well until smooth. Cover bowl and refrigerate until needed.


Muffins: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with liners. In bowl combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl combine eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin puree. Add in dry ingredients after combined. 


Topping: Mix all ingredients together until coarse and crumbly.


Assembly: Fill each muffin liner with a small amount of batter (1-2 tbspns). Add a spoonful of filling. Cover filling with more batter (I filled to just about the top of the liner.) Sprinkle topping on each muffin. Bake for 20-25 minutes.