Pumpkin Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

Pumpkin is my new best friend. I made cheesecake bars, I made whoopie pies, I made pancakes, and still I couldn't get enough. I was on the hunt for a new and different pumpkin recipe to try when I came across these muffins.



It was love at first sight.

You can't tell from the photo, but there's a nugget of cream cheese inside each one of these moist, perfectly spiced little guys. I'd love to try this again with my mini muffin pan to make even cuter, smaller muffin babies. This is one of those baked goods that causes involuntary smiling as a side effect of its deliciousness. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins
Adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from Bakespace
Printable Recipe
Makes 24 muffins

For the muffins:
3 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

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

For the streusel topping:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup and 1 tsp. flour
4 tbsp. butter, cubed
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

1. To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or foil, making sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened, 1-2 hours.

2. To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.

3. To make the streusel topping, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

4. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two muffin pans with paper liners or spray generously with nonstick baking spray. Fill each muffin well halfway with batter. Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 24 equal slices. Place a slice in each muffin well. Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups, on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the top of the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.