Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Source:  Annie's Eats

These muffins are the perfect way to break away from the very boring breakfast choices that I normally give myself.  They go perfectly with a nice cup of tea and the cream cheese in the middle makes it even better than a regular muffin.  I will never want to go back to my high fiber low fat english muffin or bagel thins again.

Ingredients
For the filling:
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup confectioners sugar

For the muffins:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
11/4 cup vegetable oil

For the topping:
1/2 cup sugar
5 tbsp. flour
11/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. cold unsalted button, cut into pieces

Directions:
Prepare filling, combining the cream cheese and confectioners sugar in a medium bowl and mixing well until blended and smooth.  Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 11/2 inches in diameter.  Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log and transfer to the freezer to chill until firm at
least 2 hours. 

To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumppie spice, salt and baking soda.  Whisk to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil.  Mix on medium-low speed until blended.  With the mixer on low, add in dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon in a small bowl.  Whisk to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or with two forks until mixture is course and crumbly. 

To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter.  Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces.  Place a slice of cream cheese mixture into each muffin well.



Divide remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to completely cover.  Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. 

Enjoy!!    Susan