I do this fun thing when I’m sleeping…and by fun, I mean obnoxious.
Throughout the night I will either kick blankets or hoard them. I may start out the night kicking the blankets right off the bed and onto the floor. Then, I will wake up in the wee hours of the morning, shivering, only to roll myself up into a burrito of warmth. Add my tendency to sleep-talk, and I am a dream (read, nightmare) of a bedmate. I just want to have it all, all at once–blankets, no blankets, conversation, and sleep. I mean, at least I don’t sleep-walk…anymore, right?
These muffins came to be because of my inherent desire to have it all. Yesterday, mid-morning, all I wanted was something warm, pumpkin-y, spiced, streusel AND glaze topped. I wanted the perfect fall muffin–not too sweet so I could glaze it, slightly healthy (pumpkin AND wheat germ, holla!), moist yet sturdy, spiced without getting face-punched, a muffin with a hint of brown butter and a bit of crunch. I made it happen and got my way… as it often goes around here when it comes to muffin baking and blanket-hoarding/shunning.
So, tell me, are you a sleep kicker, blanket stealer, talker or walker? Or, are you the type who, once your head hits the pillow, you’re there to stay?
Pumpkin Streusel Muffins w/ Cream Cheese Glaze
Makes 12-14 muffins (depending on how you fill the cups).
Adapted from Damn Delicious.
I reduced the flour from the original recipe and added wheat germ for health and science. I also tinkered with the spices and browned up the butter for good measure. These muffins–sans glaze–are not very sweet, which is how I think a muffin should be. While the insides are moist and tender, a pat of butter smeared on a warm muffin would be totally appropriate. I like to place the streusel in the refrigerator while assembling the batter–I find it encourages more pebbly/rocky streusel as opposed to a crumbly/sandy topping.
Spice Mix:
1/2 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
2 hefty teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Streusel Topping:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, browned
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup vanilla sugar (or plain or brown)
3 Tablespoons sunflower seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon spice mixture
Muffin batter:
3 Tablespoons wheat germ
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
remaining spice mixture
1 cup plain pumpkin puree
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, browned
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze:
2 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-3 Tablespoons milk
Preheat your oven to 350*F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
Begin by browning your butter, 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons, divided. Jessica from How Sweet It Is recently posted this great step-by-step. Set aside the butter to cool slightly.
Make the streusel: Mix together 2 tablespoons of the browned butter with flour, sugar, spices, and sunflower seeds, until the mixture clumps together when pinched between your fingers. Place the streusel topping in the refrigerator until ready to use.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the wheat germ, flour, baking powder, sugar, and remaining spice mix. Set aside and in a seperate bowl whisk together pumpkin, remaining butter, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry and fold until just combined. Fill the prepared muffin cups 3/4 full (I did 2/3, making them a litte under filled). Sprinkle with the streusel mixture and bake in the center of the oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before glazing. While muffins cool, make the glaze by stirring the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together, adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Best enjoyed warm from the oven. Can be kept in an airtight container for 3 days.
These photos are outta this world, girlfriend! LOVE them. I need me a white tabletop in my life. It’s just how it is!
Also, I’m a tosser and a turner. A takes-too-long-to-get-comfy-er. Once at camp as a young lady post 3rd grade a girl switched bunks based on my movin’ around. Not cool, girl who switched bunks. Not cool at all.
And now I want muffins.
thanks, girllll!
I totally toss and turn and take forever to get comfy too…and sometimes I sigh about it. Restless sleep twins!
That’s hilarious! My sleeping pattern has evolved over the years. Right now I curl up and don’t move at all once I’m comfortable. I love pumpkin muffins. Adding streusel and glaze makes them even better!
Nice, I envy your calm sleeping!
beautiful pictures and i love those straws! I want to eat anything with pumpkin these days 😀 so this recipe comes just right!
Thank you!
Ooo, those look so toasty and comfy. Get in mah belly!
And I’m a great cosleeper, once I actually fall asleep. Tossing and turning is occasionally a problem.
way to be!
I just made pumpkin muffins yesterday! Very similar to these, except no streusel and no glaze… Just a bit of brown sugar on the top. So basically they pale in comparison 😛
Oh, I bet they were delish!
I’m glad you got to have it all in these muffins! They look fantastic. I’m a bit of a blanket hoarder, but I’m not really sure beyond that. Thank goodness Marc is ok with my blanket stealing ways 🙂
What a guy!
Bookmarked and pinning this right now. Sounds delish, friend 🙂 Come visit GR soon ok! xoxo
Yay! I really do need to come your way soon!
Yum! These scream Fall! Something I too have been craving for. I love this time of year 🙂
yes! me too 🙂
Ha ha, sounds like your husband deserves a medal! 😉 Although you appear to make up for your sleeping habits with your ability to create delicious food!
I don’t make a lot of noise or move around much in my sleep. However, I do drool, so you wouldn’t want to share my pillow. 😉
He really does!
I’m a total blanket hoarder! There’s nothing wrong with wanting it all 😉 Yay for all things pumpkin!
haha, yes! Kindred!
I’m a tosser-and-turner plus, a blanket hoarder for sure 😉
Those muffins are simply delectable!
Thanks, Kiran!
Dayummmm. This is everything that’s awesome about fall in one muffin cup! I’m drooling.
I’m a takes-forever-to-get-comfortable type, but once I am I barely move at all. My husband tries his best the entire night to leave me blanketless. Combination hoarder/kicker. It’s insane.
The joys of co-sleeping!
I just made these! So good–thank you!
Great! Thanks for letting me know Mary!
Thank you for this recipe! I didn’t realize how big of a hit it would be. My husband begged me to make them again and when I told the girls at work that I was making them again, I actually got cheers. They think I can bake, but I think it’s the brown butter;)
Yes! This is the best comment 🙂 Thank YOU, Suzy!