Elizabeth Daisy

These muffins were amazing! I found them on Pinterest and when I read the post about how good they were I said sure, whatever. They’re probably good. But when I made some healthy improvements to them and they still turned out delicious, that’s impressive.

I have been in the mood for something pumpkin-y. The weather is starting to change, leaves are falling and I can smell Fall in the air. We walked down the lane to get the mail yesterday and my oldest picked up a leaf and we talked about Fall. I walked down a sidewalk with leaves scattered around and I took a moment to be thankful for Fall. If you haven’t noticed I love Fall. I love the leaves on the ground, the smell in the air, the pumpkins and ghosts, harvesting the garden and having the satisfaction of canning my own food, I love the cool crisp mornings and the warm sunny afternoons. In fact every Fall I sit facing the sun, at every possible moment, I close my eyes and I try to soak in all the vitamin D I can. When my daughters asks what I’m doing I tell her I’m saying goodbye to the sun and to summer. To hot days and warm nights, to swimming and sweating.

Anyway let’s move back to these muffins.

They filled my house with an aroma that is so inviting. Is there anything better than the smell of fresh baked goods?

I ate these straight out of the oven and almost burned myself on the hot muffin. The cream cheese was a nice surprise, although I knew it was there.

Here’s the recipe, I’m sure you don’t want me spouting off some more about what I love about Fall. I’ll just add one more thing to my list, these muffins.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

Makes 24 muffins

3 cups whole wheat flour (all purpose flour will work too)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 eggs

1/2 cup applesauce

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups sugar (original recipe calls for 2 but I cut it down)

2 cups pumpkin puree

Filling:

8 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese room temperature

1 cup powder sugar

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup all purpose flour

4 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Add eggs, applesauce, oil, sugar, and pumpkin puree. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.

Spray muffin tin or use paper liners.

Filling: Combine cream cheese and powder sugar and set aside.

Topping: Combine sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon. Use a fork to cut the butter until mixture is crumbly.

Fill muffin tins a fourth of a way full. Add about two teaspoons of filling. Finish filling muffin tin until muffin tin is 3/4 full. Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden brown on top and spring back when touched.