Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Good Morning!  If it's not a good morning, you can make it one by making these delicious muffins!  These are my knock off Starbucks Pumpkin cream cheese muffins.  Years ago, when my husband and I were living in Atlanta I would go to Starbucks everyday (yes, everyday!!) and get something for breakfast and an iced coffee on my way to work.  I worked full time then and we had only one child who was in school.  So I justified my morning Starbucks habit.  One of my favorite things to get in the fall was their pumpkin muffin.  Flash forward some years, we have 3 kids and I bake from my home part time.  Not to mention we live in a much smaller town in Tennessee.  Needless to say there is no daily Starbucks runs.  I don't mind though.  Now I can't imagine spending that much a day on coffee and a muffin.  Plus, my breakfast company is so much cuter!  I do however still want my muffin and my coffee.  I brew my own now using the cold brew method ( I'm going to share that with you later) and I make my own muffins.  I have to say i think these are better then Starbucks.  They are lighter and I sweeten the cream cheese a bit making it even better.  They are easy to make and will make a perfect weekday breakfast to go for those busy mornings.

Tip:

I bought pre roasted and salted pumpkin seeds at my local grocery store.  They really make these special and they make a great snack, salad topper, or pasta topper too.

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

1 ( 15 ounce) can pumpkin

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

8 ounces cream cheese,

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

pumpkin seeds (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.  Set aside.

Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Slowly beat in powdered sugar.  Set aside.

In a large bowl mix together flour and next 5 ingredients.  Make a well in the center. 

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil.  Fold into dry mixture until there is no large lumps.  Do not over mix.

Spoon mixture into muffin cups filling half full.  Place one heaping teaspoon of cream cheese mixture into each muffin cup.  Using a wet finger flatten cream cheese down a little.  Top each with some more of the muffin batter.  Don't fill more then 3/4 full.  Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

Bake at 350. for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in comes out clean.  Don't touch cream cheese mixture.

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