Pumpkin spice is one of the things to look forward to in the fall. It’s not just for coffee; pumpkin spice can be incorporated baked goods, like these yummy muffins. Did you know that there are oral health benefits to eating pumpkin? There are many vitamins and minerals to strengthen your gums and teeth. Pumpkin contains Vitamin C, iron, and zinc that work to improve gum health. It also contains magnesium, which works to strengthen your enamel. So bake a batch of these yummy pumpkin spice muffins to ring in the fall. Just remember: even though pumpkin is good for your oral health, you will still need to brush afterwards.
Ingredients
A. Cream cheese butter spread:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
B. Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned (or mashed) pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
Directions
- Heat oven to 400°F. Place paper baking cups into 12 muffin pan cups.
- Combine all ingredients for cream cheese spread in bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
- Combine ingredients for muffins: flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in bowl; set aside.
- Combine rest of ingredients for muffins: pumpkin, 1/2 cup melted butter and eggs in another bowl; stir until well mixed. Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture.
- Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups; spread batter to level. (Muffin cups will be full.) Bake 22-23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack.
- Add cream cheese spread on top of muffins. Optional: top with cinnamon-sugar (1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon).
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