Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

This is my favorite muffin in the whole. wide. world. 

These pumpkin muffins are moist and spicy and bursting with fall flavor.  I'm conviced that I could eat these everyday and never, ever grow tired of them.  Mmmmm...one of these muffins (actually more like two!), a cool, crisp, fall morning and a cup of hot apple cider...heavenly!    

{Pumpkin Spice Muffin with Cream Cheese Filling}

I make this muffin one of two ways: with streusel or without streusel.  Pictured is a "non-streusel", simply because I was out of butter when I made these.  (Bah-humbug.)  They are delicious without streusel, but if you really want to kick it up a notch, add it...you won't be sorry! 

Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling 
Yields: 20-24 muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin pans.

Muffin batter:
1 Spice Cake Mix
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Allspice
1/4 tsp. Cloves
1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
A few dashes of Ginger
2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
2 eggs
1tsp. Vanilla extract


1 15oz. can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1. Combine cake mix and spices.
2. Combine all wet ingredients.
3. Combine wet and dry and mix very well.

 Cream Cheese Filling:
1 -8oz. Package of cream cheese, softened
A few dashes of allspice
¼ tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tbsp. Sugar

1. Stir cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
2. Add vanilla, sugar and allspice.
3. Mix well.

 Streusel topping (optional):
½ c. flour
½ c. brown sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
dash of Salt
¼ c. walnuts
1 stick of cold butter

 1. Cut butter into chunks.
2. Combine butter and dry ingredients in food processor and pulse until well combined and crumbs are about pea-sized or smaller.
3. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.


Assembling the muffins:
*Try to do this as quickly as possible...the faster the better! You don't want flat muffins. =)

1. Place enough batter in each muffin cup to cover the bottom. Do this carefully...it's easy to go overboard and not have enough to cover the filling.
2. Make a little well in the center of the batter with the back of a teaspoon.
3. Put a rounded teaspoon of cream cheese filling in each well.
4. Cover each glob of filling with more muffin batter.
5. Lightly smooth the tops of the batter to cover the cream cheese.
6. Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over all of the muffins. If you like them really “streuselly”, use it all, if not, you'll have some for another recipe!
7. Bake at 350 for about 18-20 minutes. (When you check these, just check around the edge since the middle will obviously be gooey!)
8. Remove from pan to a wire rack after about 2-3 minutes of cooling.


Then smuggle the muffins to your favorite hiding place.  Relish each bite as you secretly eat them all.  Light a candle...that way when your family asks about the delicious smell wafting from the kitchen, you can just grunt and point at it.  Pretend you know nothing.  What they don't know won't hurt them.   

Just kidding.  I would never think of doing something like that! {cough:cough}  =)


 So....what is your favorite muffin?  Are you a lover of "fall" foods?




Linking up to the Fall Nesting Party @ The Inspired Room, and 320 Sycamore