Pumpkin Surprise Muffins

Pumpkin Surprise Muffins

by

These small batch pumpkin surprise muffins make for a perfect halloween breakfast – all treat, no trick!

About This Recipe

This recipe is really an elaborate excuse to use up that half can of pumpkin you have in the fridge from some of your other fall baking. Has anyone else noticed the annoying tendency of pumpkin recipes to call for partial cans of pumpkins? While we can’t fix all of the pumpkin recipes of the world, we can provide an antidote for their partial pumpkin can use.

This recipe, like our many other mini muffins recipes is dedicated to all the parents out here who need something that can be thrown together in 20 minutes flat and please some very small mouths. This recipe was greeted with a range of reactions, from a little bit of suspicion (four year old who has not eaten a lot of pumpkin delicacies in his life) to glee (seven year old who knows which side his pumpkin bread is buttered on). We hope that you’ll agree with us, and our seven year old, that pumpkin muffins are most definitely improved by a surprise cream cheese filling.

Recipe Facts

  • Yield: 12 mini muffins, serving 3-4
  • Active time: 15 minutes
  • Bake time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients for the Pumpkin Surprise Muffins

For the Muffins:

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 tbsp sour cream
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the Surprise Filling

  • 1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions for the Pumpkin Surprise Muffins

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a mini muffin tin with Pam or some other oil-based spray.
  2. In a large metal bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, sour cream, sugar, and oil.
  3. Sift the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.
  5. Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter. Drop in a portion of cream cheese, then cover with remaining batter.
  6. Bake until top springs back when touched, 5-10 minutes.
  7. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack.