PUMPKIN STREUSEL MUFFINS

I love fall, it is easily my favorite time of year, and that is simply because of the desserts, bakes and treats that are seasonal. One of which is pumpkin! Although pumpkin is sold year round in a puree form, it only feels right to bring the cans in the fall. Something about this time of year – the cooler weather, the home decor, the candle scents change, everyone’s favorite coffee shops add pumpkin spice to their menus and so much more. I typically would eat a slice of pumpkin loaf or a muffin year round from my favorite bakeries or coffee shops but I typically only bake it during this time of year. Baking these leave your kitchen and house with that warm and cozy aromatic smell of pumpkin spice – nutmeg, cinnamon, all spice, cloves and ginger! There is honestly nothing better.

Growing up, before school drop-offs, Starbucks was our go-to place to hang out before school started each morning. Although that was our favorite place to get hot chocolate and a slice of lemon pound cake; there were those rare occasions we would stop at Peet’s Coffee (if you are from or have visited the west coast of the very few on th4e east coast and midwest of the United States, than you know), which happened to be my parents favorite coffee shop. Now this was the very first time I had ever had a slice of anything pumpkin related. It was a pumpkin loaf cake with a cream cheese swirl.

My parents use to get it every once in awhile, and one day, I caved and finally tried it after much debate about pumpkin being a dessert/sweet food. Let me tell you, there was no turning back since then. I absolutely love pumpkin muffins and loaves both with a cream cheese swirl or streusel on top and even sometimes with chocolate chunks. That slice of heaven was my inspiration for creating a super moist, soft fluffy but a little dense pumpkin muffin/loaf. It is so full of flavor with pumpkin puree, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, sugars, flour, eggs and oil to create this melt in your mouth piece of fall.

TIPS

ONE BOWL RECIPE – this is yet another one bowl recipe that you can just start with all the wet ingredients (in an order I have provided below) and mixing in the dry. You can by all means measure everything out ahead of time, but if you are in a rush or do not like doing dishes and cleaning up a huge mess like myself, than by all means make this in just one bowl and it will turn out amazing!

OIL – oil is extremely crucial in any cupcake or muffins to help lock in that moisture. Oil is indeed what gives this muffin that slightly wet crumb and soft and moist texture. I would highly recommend sticking to the oil and not substituting it out for butter if you want that fluffy outcome.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE PUMPKIN SPICE:

Not everyone lives close to a grocery store or wants to go on the hunt for a premade pumpkin spice blend. Luckily most of these spices everyone usually already has in their pantry/spice cabinet.

The ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoons of ground cloves

This can also be double or triple if you want to make a larger batch to have throughout the fall season or to last you a few months or even years. These can be kept in a airtight seale container in your cabinet for a few years! I made a batch last pumpkin season and still have some leftovers for this fall, so it definitely can last you quite some time.

PUMPKIN STREUSEL MUFFINS

Recipe by sugaredkneads

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

21

minutes

Ingredients

• MUFFIN

• 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour

• 1 Tablespoons Pumpkin Spice

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 (15 ounce) can of Pumpkin puree

• 1 cup sugar

• ½ Cup brown sugar, packed

• ½ cup canola/vegetable oil

• 2 eggs, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• STREUSEL TOPPING

• ¾ cup flour

• 6 Tablespoons butter, melted

• 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (gives more fall flavors – optional)

Directions

• STREUSEL TOPPING
• Melt butter in a saucepan
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir together until crumbs are formed – large and small pieces
• MUFFINS
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees & line a muffin pan with liners
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin spice, & baking soda; set aside
• Whisk together pumpkin puree and sugars
• Add eggs, vanilla, and vegetable oil until combined. Whisk in the dry ingredients until smooth.
• Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 full and top with streusel mix
• Bake muffins at 400 degrees F for 5 mins; then turn down the temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 15-17 mins until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a slightly wet crumb. If the toothpick comes out dry it may be over-baked.
• Leave in muffin pan for 2-3 mins to help set the muffins; remove from pan and enjoy!