Ingredients
- Candied Pumpkin Seeds:
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup pepitas
- Cream cheese:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- For 12 jumbo muffins, double the recipe.
- Muffin Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil or you can use the ratio of 1/2 C melted butter to 1/4 C evoo)
Preparation
Step 1
Make candies pumpkin seeds first & set aside to cool
Heat seeds in a medium saucepan over medium to medium hi heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until the seeds begin to pop. Add sugar, and stir constantly about 1 minute or until sugar begins to liquefy and caramelize; add cinnamon and salt. Spread seeds on prepared baking sheet, and cool. Break apart the seeds that are stuck together, once they have cooled.
Make cream cheese:
Using an electric mixer combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Cover and chill until firm.
Preheat oven 350*
Muffin Batter:
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, combine eggs, sugar and vanilla, mix on low speed just to combine ingredients. Add pumpkin and oil and continue to mix about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until batter is smoother, about 30-60 seconds.
Use a non-stick muffin pan and grease it well.
Spoon batter into greased muffin cups, making batter level with top of the muffin cup. Add approximately 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture to the top of each muffin and slightly press cream cheese down into each muffin cup of batter. Sprinkle muffins with candied pumpkin seeds.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until slighly browned on top. For jumbo muffins bake 7 minutes longer & then test. Muffins may look like they are going to overflow the pan, but they won't.
To test for doneness insert a toothpick on the side of top of muffin (not cream cheese), & it will come out clean.