If you want to add a little pumpkin to your diet this Fall (bonus, pumpkin is packed with antioxidant carotenoids, fiber, potassium, vitamin A and a few other vitamins and minerals), check out my recipe for Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins. Also, below you’ll find a variety of other pumpkin recipes from my fabulous dietitian colleagues.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

•  1 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour (or all purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (if you like sweet, add more brown sugar!)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I like Penzeys)
• 4 Tbsp butter (oil does not work very well in this recipe!)
•  1 cup fresh pumpkin (or 1 cup canned)
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 egg
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 2.5 Tbsp sugar
• pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and a pinch of salt until fluffy. Set aside.

Cream together butter and brown sugar and add the egg and blend until smooth. Scoop 1 cup fresh pumpkin and puree in a food process or Vitamix. Stir in evaporated milk until smooth and then mix with butter/brown sugar mixture. Add pumpkin pie spice and baking powder. And finally, blend in flour carefully (do not overmix). Pour batter into muffin cups or nonstick muffin pan sprayed with cooking spray until 1/2 full. Top with 1 spoonful of cream cheese mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Additional Recipe Redux recipes: