Healthy Pumpkin Muffins with Spiced Cream Cheese.
Pumpkin muffins packed with lots of real pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and chock full of chopped walnuts.
Typically pumpkin muffins are bland and overally sweet. Not these. This is a pumpkin muffin for pumpkin lovers and spice lovers, because there’s double the earthy pumpkin and double the spice in these earthy, sweet and delicious muffins.
Instead of the usual sugar or brown sugar in these Pumpkin Muffins with Spiced Cream Cheese, I used pure maple syrup, which makes the muffins a true autumn treat with just the right amount of sweetness. The spiced cream cheese is optional, but so creamy and good on top of the muffins.
These pumpkin muffins are a must-make for fall. I made them a few weekends ago when Lucca, Lexi and I went to CT to visit my mom. Lucca gobbled up at least 3 fresh out the oven before they made it to CT and kept asking for more “muppins.” My mom loved them too … but the biggest fan of all was my 9 month old niece, Finley. She had never had a pumpkin muffin before – or walnuts – and she loved them! She happily ate the whole thing, with no “yucky” face. Then she ate another the next day. This post and recipe is really dedicated to Finley, so her momma can whip up a batch for the little muffin lover.
These muffins freeze well, so you can easily freeze the muffins you won’t eat within a day or so.
These fall muffins are packed with nutrition – loaded with fiber, healthy fats, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium and more. We love the walnut addition because they add crunch, plant protein and fiber for staying power and those heart-smart omega 3 (ALA) fats. If you have nut allergies in the family or if your kiddos don’t like nuts in their muffins, simply omit.
Here’s how to make these Healthy Pumpkin Muffins with Spiced Cream Cheese:
Healthy Pumpkin Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 15 ounce cans pure pumpkin puree
- 1 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup soymilk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Spiced Cream Cheese
- 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with muffin liners and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, walnuts, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a medium mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, maple syrup, eggs, soymilk, oil and vanilla.
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix just until combined. Add batter to muffin tins, filling ¾ of the way.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly. Cool on wire racks.
- Stir together cream cheese, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar until well combined. Serve with muffins.
Nutrition
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