Muffin Monday: Pumpkin Molasses Surprise

Pumpkin Molasses Surprise Muffins

Finished muffins

INGREDIENTS:

Muffins:

• 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 cup White Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1 cup packed Brown Sugar
• 3 tablespoons Molasses
• 1/4 cup Oil
• 2 Eggs
• 1 cup canned Pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 cup Almond Milk

Filling:

• 8 oz  softened Cream Cheese (I used light Cream Cheese)
• 1/2 cup White Sugar
• 1 cup canned Pumpkin

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare 14 muffin cups with cooking spray and a light dusting of flour.

2. Combine the Whole Wheat Flour, the White Flour, the Baking Soda, Salt, Ginger and Nutmeg in a medium bowl.

3. In a large bowl, mix the Brown Sugar, Molasses, Oil and Eggs until smooth. Add 1 cup of of Pumpkin and Vanilla and mix well. Add the Milk and mix well.

4. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until well combined.

5. To make the Filling: Combine the Cream Cheese, White Sugar and remaining Pumpkin from the can (about 1 cup) and mix until smooth.

Partially filled muffins cups on the right and top have batter and filling. The one at the bottom left is complete with a top layer of batter.

6. Partially fill the 14 muffin cups about 1/2 full of the Muffin batter. Center a generous tablespoon of the Filling in each muffin, top with the second half of the batter. (Be sure to cover all the Filling.)

8. Bake for 20 minutes. Test to see if the muffins are done by employing the toothpick test. The Filling will still be soft, but the muffins should be done.  Let cool completely before eating. (That filling is really hot! Don’t burn yourself == no matter how wonderful they smell right out of the oven.)

The molasses gives these muffins a powerful punch of flavor. The pumpkin/cream cheese filling serves to sweeten and balance the muffins. These would be excellent with some hot tea.

Muffins fresh from the oven.

Related articles

• Muffin Monday: Pumpkin Muffins (ritalovestowrite.com)
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• Pumpkin Applesauce (Low fat, low sugar) muffins Trim Healthy Mama E (grassfedmama.wordpress.com)
• Pumpkin Molasses Muffins with Streusel Topping (Vegan) (watchhatchfly.com)
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Recipe (freehealthandwellness.com)
• A weekend away and Pumpkin Muffins (chefswithbabies.wordpress.com)
• Pumpkin Tartlets (thegreatamericanfeast.wordpress.com)

Special thanks for Amy Mc for suggesting the muffin recipe I used for inspiration.