Orange Mac-Nut Pumpkin Muffins

It is September!!  My very favorite time of the year.

In my book, September means FALL.
Fall Fall Fall.
I don’t care of it is still 90 degrees, and we just got in from the beach.
It. Is.  FALL.
(Just be glad I’m not pulling out my Christmas lights…)
And fall means pumpkin anything and everything.
Agree?

Pumpkin lattes.  Pumpkin pie.
And today:  Pumpkin muffins.

In this case, Pumpkin muffins with orange zest, and toasted macadamia nuts…

I even made them in my fall-orange (spider-bottomed) muffin cups…(because I still had them from last year.)

And because I want my kids to remember me well–
I topped half of them with cream cheese frosting.

Because pumpkin and cream cheese are a very sweet pair.

These are extremely tasty.  I didn’t do anything crazy to make them gluten-free, low-fat, or anything else.
(Sorry to some of you.)
(You’re welcome to others of you.)
But they do have FALL written all over them.  And that makes a little indulgence excusable.
Agree?

Have you started your fall baking yet? What is first on your fall baking list?
Have a wonderful week…I’ll see you soon.
Much Aloha!

Grommom
More about my love of FALL….

 PS  Please PIN to share with others! 🙂

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Orange Mac-Nut Pumpkin Muffins

Orange Macadamia Nut Pumpkin Muffins: @monicaswanson.com

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 12 -18

Author monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

• nonstick spray
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powered
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs at room temp.
• 2 tsp of orange zest finely grated orange peel.
• 1/3 cup of toasted chopped macadamia nuts (Optional.)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup milk
• 5 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• FROSTING: Basic Cream Cheese Frosting
• this is half of a regular cream cheese frosting recipe size.
• 1/4 cup of butter 12 stick, room temperature
• 4 oz of cream cheese 1/2 package, room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups of powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray muffin tins with cooking spray, or line with muffin cups.
2. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl until combined.  Add toasted, chopped macadamia nuts to the dry mixture.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten, then whisk the brown sugar until thick and dark brown.  Add the pumpkin, milk, melted butter, and vanilla.   Next add 2 tsp. orange zest, and combine well.
4. Fill the prepared muffin tins 3/4 full.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, checking to see the tops are brown, and cracking.  Use a toothpick to check to make sure they are baked in the center.
5. Let cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then carefully release each muffin and let cool on rack at least five more minutes.
6. Once cooled, frost the muffins with cream cheese frosting.