Pumpkin Muffins With Cream Cheese Streusel Topping

Ingredients

• 2 12 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 12 teaspoon allspice
• 12 teaspoon nutmeg
• 12 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 13 cups canned pumpkin
• 13 cup olive oil (NOT virgin or extra virgin)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 12 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 34 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons pecans
• chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Cream cheese topper: Beat cream cheese until slightly soft.
3. Add 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 3 tbs brown sugar.
4. Beat until mostly smooth (lumps are OK).
5. Put in the refrigerator to allow it to firm up.
6. Streusel: Mix 4.5 tbs flour, 5 tbs sugar, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, and pecans.
7. Add 3 tbs melted butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly.
8. Sift together 2.5 cups flour, 2 cups brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, all spice, nutmeg, and salt.
9. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and add 2 eggs, pumpkin, olive oil and 2 tsp vanilla extract, then beat together until smooth.
10. Optional: Add 1 cup chocolate chips to mixture and fold in with a spatula.
11. Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2-2/3 full.
12. Make a hole in the middle of the muffin mix, then add about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture, trying to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup.
13. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.
14. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
15. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack.