Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Recipe from: Everyday Annie

Ingredients for filling:

8 oz cream cheese

1 c powdered sugar

Ingredients for muffins:

3 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cloves

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 (4.5 oz can will work)

1¼ cups vegetable oil

Ingredients for topping:

½ cup sugar

5 Tbsp. flour

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

4 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions: 

1. To prepare filling, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer mixture to piece of plastic wrap and shape into log about 1½-inches in diameter. Smooth plastic wrap tightly around log, and reinforce with piece of foil. Transfer to freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.

2. To make muffins, preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. 

In bowl of electric mixer combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil. Mix on med-low speed until blended. With mixer on low speed, add in dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

3. To make topping, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in small bowl; whisk to blend. 

Add in butter and cut into dry ingredients with pastry blender or two forks until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to refrigerator until ready to use.

4. To assemble muffins, fill each muffin well with small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of liner (1-2 Tbsp). Slice log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place slice of cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. Divide remaining batter among muffin cups, placing on top of cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle small amount of topping mixture over each.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before serving.