Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Confession 1: I actually made these muffins back in October for Big Bear so we would have breakfast/snacks/delicious baked goods to munch on.

Confession 2: The first time I made these muffins was actually 3 years ago in my house at Wesleyan and they were a huge hit and disappeared way too quickly.

So this is the first pumpkin recipe I had made this year. I don't know why it took me so long (until October 24) or why it's taken me this long to post it (November 21), but the great thing about these muffins, is that they're good all year round. They're good to eat on a cold fall or winter morning with a cup of coffee or tea or hot chocolate (whatever you're into). You should make them for Thanksgiving breakfast or to eat while traveling for the holidays.

It's no secret that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and it's only a week away and I am SO excited. I'm sad I won't be home with my family for it, but I will be in San Francisco with my best friend and her family, so that's a good alternative. The turkey, the gravy, the potatoes, the stuffing.. I absolutely live for Thanksgiving food (except for the cranberry sauce - not a huge fan) and for sitting around a table with family and just being with each other.

Most Thanksgivings I would spend the morning with my mom at the stables taking care of Ashley or going for a run, sitting around my grandparents' living room snacking until "dinner" and then napping on the same couches a few hours later. It was just a day of being together.

The recipe comes from Annie's Eats and the only change I made was the amount of pumpkin - I used a whole can instead of having an awkward amount leftover. The best part about these is that they're delicious cold, at room temperature, and after being heated up. There's no wrong way to eat them.

They're delicious, moist (sorry), pumpkiny and nicely spiced. The cream cheese on the inside is delicious and adds a nice balance to the muffin. Please, do yourself a favor and make these.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

makes about 2 dozen

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

For the muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil

For the filling: In a medium mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and combined. Transfer cream cheese mixture to a large piece of plastic wrap in the shape of a log. Smooth the plastic wrap around the log tightly so that the cream cheese is roughly 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly and cover with a layer of foil. Chill in the freezer at least two hours, or overnight, until mostly firm.

For the muffins: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with liners. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, and oil on medium speed until blended. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.

To assemble: Fill each muffin liner with about 1 tablespoon of batter, just so it covers the bottom. Slice cream cheese log into 24 equal circles and place one in each liner. Fill the muffin liners with remaining batter, until about 3/4 of the way filled and cream cheese is covered.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove muffins from tins and transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

[source: barely adapted from Annie's Eats]