PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFINS: FALL’S DELICIOUS TREATS

The fall season is here! Which not only means that the leaves are changing and the weather is getting cooler, but pumpkin spice flavored products are back. Pumpkin spice flavored latte, pumpkin spice cookies, yummy pumpkin pie, you name it. Here is a recipe taken from the Land o Lakes website: https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/19549/pumpkin-spice-muffins/ that will get you right into the pumpkin spice spirit and indulge your taste buds!

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Quantity: Can bake up to 12 muffins

Ingredients:
Spread

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 3 tablespoons softened butter

• 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup sugar (I recommend raw sugar!)

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin*

• 1/2 cup melted butter

• 2 large eggs
  *Substitute 1 cup canned pumpkin

Topping

• 1/4 cup sugar (I recommend raw sugar again)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Place paper baking cups into 12 muffin pan cups or grease muffin pan cups; then set aside.

2. Combine all spread ingredients in bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

3. Combine flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in bowl; set aside.

4. Combine pumpkin, 1/2 cup melted butter and eggs in another bowl; stir until well mixed. Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture just until combined.

5. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin pan cups; spread batter to level. (Muffin cups will be full.) Bake 22-23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack.

6. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in bowl. Dip tops of warm muffins in melted butter and then sugar-cinnamon mixture. Serve warm with cream cheese spread.

I recommend putting the cream cheese spread to the side if you are serving the muffins at a party, just to make it look classy.

And if you have any remaining pumpkin, you can use it to create pumpkin ice cream by combining 1 pint softened vanilla ice cream with remaining 2/3 cups pumpkin, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger and a dash of ground cloves. Put the ice cream into re-sealable freezer container, then freeze it until it is somewhat frozen solid.

Enjoy and happy fall!