Basic Bitch Fall Muffins

Or Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Muffins

I will be the first to admit, I love fall. I love new beginnings, buying new clothes for school, and getting ready for the holidays. I love the way the tree leaves change colors, first slowly, and then all at once. I love listening to my fall playlist, dressing like a Norah Ephron character, and drinking hot coffee again. And yes, I do like pumpkin spice.

I am not afraid to admit it! I think that the mix of spices in a bright orange package is delicious, and I think there is something special about things you only eat at certain times of the year. Pumpkin spice falls into the same category as mulled wine, peppermint toffees and Reese’s pumpkins, a beautiful thing that should be enjoyed during their time.

As such, I could not go through the pumpkin season without making and sharing a pumpkin recipe. So behold, my basic bitch muffins

!

These are a bit of a Frankenstein recipe, which I built from looking at a bunch of different recipes. Ultimately, it is pretty close to the Starbucks pumpkin muffin but less sweet. They are roasty-toasty with brown butter and toasted nuts and creamy from the dollop of cream cheese in the center. A delicious, sweet treat that you still won’t feel bad eating for breakfast (although, as someone who introduced cake for breakfast to my college roommates, I am probably not the best person to ask about that).

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Muffin ingredients

·      ¾ cups butter, browned

·      ½ cup granulated sugar

·      ¼ cup brown sugar

·      1 cup pumpkin puree

·      2 eggs

·      2 cups flour

·      ¾ tsp baking soda

·      ¾ tsp baking powder

·      1 tbs pumpkin pie spice

·      1 tsp vanilla

·      ½ tsp salt

Topping ingredients

·      1/2 cup brown butter

·      ½ cup oats

·      ½ cup toasted nut/seed of your preference (I tried these with pecans, walnuts and sunflower seeds and they were all good)

·      ½ cup flour

·      ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

·      1 pkg cream cheese

Directions

1.        Cream butter, sugars, pumpkin puree, and eggs together in a bowl until light and fluffy, add vanilla.

2.        Sift into the mixture the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix until incorporated and chill for two hours.

3.        Preheat oven to 375° F and add liners to a 12-muffin muffin tin.

4.        Take the second portion of browned butter and mix in all streusel ingredients, except the cream cheese

5.        Divide the muffin batter evenly among the 12 muffin liners and add one tsp of cream cheese to the top of each, lightly swirling through the batter with a knife.

6.        Pile on each muffin a generous helping of streusel, making sue to pat it down so it stays on the muffin

7.        Bake in 375° F oven for 15-20 minutes

8.        Take out and let cool completely.