2 cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour, almond flour)
1 cup pumpkin puree (or butternut squash puree)
1 cup sugar (or brown sugar, coconut sugar)
1 teaspoon baking powder (or baking soda with 1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or pumpkin spice mix)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (or cloves, allspice)
2 large eggs (or flax eggs for vegan option)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond extract)
8 oz cream cheese (softened; or Greek yogurt for a lighter filling)
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
In another bowl, beat the eggs and then add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold them together until just combined.
In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth, adding sugar for sweetness if desired.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pumpkin batter into each muffin cup, add 1 teaspoon of cream cheese filling, and top with another tablespoon of pumpkin batter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cover with foil if tops brown too quickly.
Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy warm or store in an airtight container for up to a week.
