Pecan Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

Pecan Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg)

¼ teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups mashed pumpkin

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil

8 ounce package cream cheese

1 egg

3 tablespoons sugar

Chopped roasted pecans (2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 3 tablespoons brown sugar) roasted for 30 minutes at 300º  - turning half-way through cooking.

Beat cream cheese with one egg and 3 tablespoons of sugar until well blended.  Place on waxed paper and roll into log.  Place in freezer.

In large bowl combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, salt and baking soda.  Mix and create a well in the center of the mixture.

In a medium bowl beat four eggs, add sugar, oil and pumpkin.  Add to dry ingredients and blend well.  Spoon into greased muffin tin, filling about three quarter’s full.  Slice the cream cheese into ½ inch disks and press into the center of each muffin.  Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans.  Baked in preheated oven 20-25 minutes (22 worked perfect for me) until toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean.  Do not insert into cream cheese.  Remove from oven and let stand in tins for 5 minutes then carefully remove and cool on wire racks.  Store in refrigerator.

©Crackerberries 2016