Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

The other day at work, a co-worker walked in with a pumpkin muffin from Dunkin Donuts.  It looked so good, that I thought about stopping to get one myself.  Then I remembered what my daughter told me about muffins - "a muffin is just a cake in disguise" and I thought of all those calories and although it might taste good I could make some at home and have it just the way I want it - in a smart sized portion made with ingredients I could pronounce.

I did think about that muffin all day...about how I was going to make a better one when I got home.  I knew I wanted a streusel topping and lots of it because I like the tops best.  I decided to make them in the square muffin pan to give me more surface for the topping and not too deep of a bottom.

I have heard that there may be a pumpkin shortage this year and had bought a couple of cans a few weeks ago, just in case. Having a pumpkin craving without pumpkin would be a sad thing. 

 This muffin would be my pumpkin debut for the season and I enthusiastically anticipated this taste of fall.  I ate one as soon as they were cool enough to pick up.  These muffins were delicious, light and not too sweet.

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Makes 18 muffins

1 can pumpkin (15 oz)  I used Libbys
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Streusel Topping
1/2 cup sugar
5 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 Tablespoons cold butter


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare muffin pans with grease and flour or liners.

Combine flour and baking powder, set aside.  Stir together pumpkin, oil, eggs, sugar,  baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl.  Once mixed, stir in flour mixture until combined.

In a separate bowl combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.

Fill muffin cups with batter about 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with streusel.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Place on rack to cool.