pump it up

Now that we're in October, I've decided to focus my baking on two fall staples: pumpkin and apple. I've got a lot of great recipes in store for this month (and none of them are pumpkin or apple pie!) so stay tuned and hopefully you'll enjoy what I'm dishin' out.

I'm so excited to share these beauties. I love pumpkin muffins with cream cheese, and when I came across this recipe over 8 years ago, I fell in love a little more because there was an amazing topping. 

Cinnamon, sugar, pecans and coconut all on top of an already delicious muffin?! Yes, these truly are worth making. 

As always with muffins, they're wonderful for breakfast (accompanied with a pumpkin chai tea... just sayin') or as an afternoon snack (or both!).

Pumpkin cream cheese muffins with coconut pecan topping
Recipe adapted from here

Makes 10 large muffins, or 24 small muffins

Recipe Notes-

- I lessened the flour just a little, because they were on the dry/dense side, I also added more cinnamon-y seasoning.

- The topping isn't necessary, since these are great on their own, but it does add a lovely crunch on the top. 

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ¼ Cups granulated sugar

1 Cup solid packed pumpkin

½ Cup vegetable oil or nonfat, plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp. cinnamon

For the cream cheese filling:

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1 Tbs. granulated sugar

For the topping:

¾ Cup flaked coconut

½ Cup pecans, chopped

¼ Cup granulated sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

For the muffins:

1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil (or yogurt), and vanilla until combined. Sift in the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon; mix with a wooden spoon just until combined.

For the cream cheese filling:

2. In a small bowl, whisk the cream cheese, egg and granulated sugar until smooth.

For the topping:

3. In a small bowl, combine the coconut, pecans, sugar and cinnamon.

To assemble:

4. Preheat oven to 350° F. Spoon, or scoop, half of the batter into either 10 large muffin cups, or 24 regular-sized muffin cups, filling half full. Spoon the cream cheese filling evenly over the partially filled muffin cups. Spoon the remaining batter over the cream cheese filling. Sprinkle the coconut pecan topping over the muffins, pressing slightly so that the filling adheres well.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in a pan for 10 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Muffins should keep at room temperature, in a box, for 2-3 days.