Leslie's recipe

Brrr. . . As I sit here typing, I am freezing my toosh off. My California body is just not used to these freezing temperatures. . . but thankful that I am not in sub-zero temperatures like my sister! Last weekend, I needed to use up some cream cheese and a friend from high school had emailed me this recipe back in October. What better reason to make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins!
These muffins ended up being a little bit of work, but resulted in a beautiful combination of pumpkin, cream cheese, and strussel.

Yummy! Thanks Leslie for this great recipe!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

1 pkg. cream cheese

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

3 tbs melted butter

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon (I added more, plus nutmeg, cloves, and ginger)

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin (I didn't measure, I used the whole 15 oz. can)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put liners in your muffin tin or oil your pan.

Cream Cheese Mixture: Mix cream cheese, 1 egg, and 3 tbs sugar until nice and creamy. Set aside.

Strussel: Toss 5 tbs sugar, melted butter, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Set aside.

Muffins: Whisk together egg, pumpkin, vanilla, and oil. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir until moistened.

Fill liners with half full pumpkin and then place a spoonful of cream cheese mixture into pumpkin and then top with more pumpkin. Sprinkle strussel over the tops.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Happy Baking!