It’s that time again, pumpkin season!!! Things are cooling off here in Ohio and fall is quickly setting in.  I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year.  I love the fresh air, the flavors, the leaves changing colors… but I hate that winter will be here sooner than I’d like.

I tried to hold off on baking with pumpkin for as long as I could, but I just could not hold back any longer. Tomorrow night a friend is hosting a Lia Sophia jewelry party, so I used that as an excuse to bake.  These pumpkin cheesecake muffins are to. die. for.  Every bite is like a little party in your mouth, I’m not even kidding.  I got this recipe idea from the lovely Pinterest, of course.  The original recipe came from Annie’s Eats. 

If you are a pumpkin fan of any sorts, make these asap! Seriously.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.  🙂

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 8 ounces  cream cheese, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoont flour
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the muffins:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbls vegetable oil

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp. flour
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instructions: 

1. To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese, egg, flour and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Set aside.

2. To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

3. To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

4. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin about 2/3 full with batter. Add a dollop of filling on top. Sprinkle with topping. Bake or 15 minutes