If you are looking for a wonderful muffin recipe to serve for breakfast during the holidays, or just any day, you might want to give these a try. With a wonderful streusel topping and a batter rich in real butter and cream cheese, you just can't go wrong.

These muffins are perfectly moist and not too spicy.  The pumpkin flavor shines through more than the spices giving them a great balance.

Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons oats (roughly)
2 tablespoons all purpose flour (15 grams)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips (40 grams)

Muffin Batter:

3 ounces cream cheese, softened (I use 1/3 less fat)
2 ounces unsalted butter, softened (4 tablespoons)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (150 grams)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners. Set aside. In a medium sized bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients, except the chocolate chips. With your fingers, rub the ingredients together until butter is well combined with the rest. Add the chocolate chips and stir together. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter and sugar. Beat until well combined, 2-3 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl. Add the egg and beat well. Beat in the pumpkin and vanilla until well combined. It will look a little curdled. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and sift together with a wire whisk. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir together just until combined with a spatula. Do not overmix. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full. Pile the streusel topping onto each one. Press it down slightly. Bake the muffins for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let muffins sit in tin on wire rack for 5 minutes, then carefully remove each one to cool completely on rack.

If you want to go more simple without all the topping, these would still make a great muffin with just some pecans or chocolate chips mixed in with the batter.  Enjoy!

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