Welcome back to the Fancy Fork – your seasonal produce insight and farm-style recipes that are made to satisfy. 

There’s nothing better than a slow morning with a hot coffee and something sweet taken fresh out of the oven. And, with the winter season upon us, all the different varieties of pumpkins, cranberries and persimmons make for incredible baking. But, you’ll also find other fruits in season like apples, clementines, dates, figs, grapes, grapefruit, kiwi, limes, oranges, pears and pomegranates. There’s also a lot of veggies like arugula, beets, bell peppers, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, celery, kale, radishes, parsnips, sweet potatoes, turnips and radicchio in season. 

Last month, we featured a savory pumpkin recipe, but it wouldn’t be fair to pass up on a sweeter pumpkin recipe that is effortless for holiday hosting or mornings with family in town! We’ve already discussed how the vitamins in pumpkins have been studied to boost your immune system, promote healthy eyes and how they’re full of heart healthy fibers. But, did you know pumpkin can be incorporated in your daily skincare routine? Pumpkin has the highest content of naturally occurring vitamin A which helps minimize acne scars, salicylic acid to help reduce acne and beta carotene to help decrease wrinkles and dark spots. Who knew our craving for pumpkin flavored everything could be so beneficial?

Healthier Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Servings: 12

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Pumpkin Muffin Batter:

• 1 ¾ cup All Purpose Flour
• ½ cup Granulated Cane Sugar
• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 15 oz Pumpkin Puree
• ½ cup Olive Oil
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

• 4 oz Softened Cream Cheese
• 2 T Maple Syrup, or sugar
• 1 T Flour
• 1 T Milk, or heavy cream
• Pumpkin Seeds, for topping

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Using either homemade parchment paper liners or regular store bought liners, line every other muffin tin. You’ll bake in two batches, but if you have two pans, you can bake all at once.
2. In a bowl, whisk the flour and baking soda. Set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, beat the sugars, eggs and olive oil for 1-2 minutes. 
4. Add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and vanilla. Mix well, then fold in the flour mixture just until incorporated. 
5. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin liners. 
6. In either a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, maple syrup, flour and milk until smooth. 
7. Pipe ½ tablespoon dollops in the centers of each muffin, then top with pumpkin seeds. 
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. 
9. Let cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before enjoying!