Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

 

These muffins are amazing! From the pecan streusel topping to the cream cheese filling, yum oh! And the pumpkin muffin is a good cross between a cupcake and a muffin, a big hit with my family!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla 

3 tablespoons brown sugar

4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons chopped pecans

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin

1/3 cup oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with Pam and 2 small ramekins.

Filling:

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, then set aside.

For the streusel topping:

In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

For the muffin batter:

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.

Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.

Bake at 400 degrees  for 20 to 25 minutes.