Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Muffins

Fall is quickly on it's way, and pumpkin and cheesecake have never tasted better together! Each muffin is packed with a soft pumpkin flavor and beautiful swirl of cream cheese for the perfect combination of each flavor in each bite.

Funny story. I tried to buy canned pumpkin in the beginning of August and the fates laughed in my face for almost an entire afternoon. I went to 5 different stores, and called 3 additional ones before attempting to drive to them. Apparently no one carries canned pumpkin before Fall actually begins (seasonal, blah-blah). 

As a foodie blogger, I like to get a head start on the Fall backing season to try recipes that will soon to be your favorite in your kitchens all season long! Apparently since I wasn't hoarding the canned pumpkin since last fall, I've missed the boat on having some around for recipe testing! I thought I was going to have to wait another month or so before trying out some of these recipes, but thankfully, I called Whole Foods on a whim (I don't usually shop there), and they HAD SOME! Funny story, though - they only had it in stock because people apparently use it for making their own homemade dog food. haha. So thank you dog lovers, for the cans of 100% pure pumpkin I cleared off their shelves that afternoon. So, moral of the story, if find canned pumpkin right now (which I've seen it now at Harmons, etc), stock up, yo! Even if you buy it to make these pumpkin cheesecake swirl muffins on repeat all season. 

So thankfully, I'm now stocked with plenty of canned pumpkin to last all season long, and have already tried a bunch of pumpkin recipes that I seriously can't wait to share with you! Here's the first one. I fell hard for these muffins, you guys. And they didn't last very long around here, which means we definitely had a winner! 

Each muffin was perfectly soft, with just the right amount of pumpkin spice in the base. The cheesecake swirl has only four ingredients (super easy to whip together), and tasted so incredibly creamy. Swirled together was a match made in heaven, and made each muffin satisfy all that the pumpkin-lover inside you could ever dream of. So if you are lucky enough to have some canned pumpkin around, make these ASAP, my friends. They're the best way to kick-off all the pumpkin goodness we've all been waiting for, all year! :) Happy baking! 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Muffins

makes 18 muffins

ingredients:

1 3/4 C all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tablespoon pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 (15oz) can pumpkin (100% pumpkin puree)

1 C granulated sugar

1/2 C packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

cheesecake swirl ingredients:

8oz cream cheese

1/4 C granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and place cupcake/muffin liners in muffin pan. Set aside. 

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined (don't overmix, though). 

4. About 1/2 C at a time, whisk in the flour. With an ice cream scoop with a trigger release, scoop in the batter into the muffin tins, filling about 3/4 full each. 

5. For the cheesecake swirl, in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and beat well until combined. 

6. Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of the cheesecake mixture on top of each muffin cup filled with pumpkin batter, and use a toothpick to swirl them together using a figure 8 pattern. 

7. Bake from 18-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, and enjoy! 

Recipe adapted from: The Novice Chef