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Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Glaze {Gluten-free}

October 14, 2014 by Sarah Menanix · Modified: May 11, 2019

On our flight back from Philadelphia two weeks ago, I found myself in a middle seat caught in a conversational crossfire between Lucas and the founder of HotorNot.com at the very moment I'd decided to get some dissertation writing done. If ever there was place to be a fly on the wall. After forcing Lucas to swap seats with me, I threw some instrumental music on my headphones to drown out their animated discussion. Which would have been a solid plan except Explosions in the Sky's A Song for Our Fathers was the only instrumental song on my iTunes.

So obviously I listened to it on loop for three straight hours. And let me just say: never was I more productive.

My friend Jamie just told a story about her 7-year-old daughter reading a novel while listening to Adventures in Odyssey at the same time. When her Grams asked how she could make sense of both stories at the same time, she simply explained, "Grandma, it's no problem because my brain has two sides."

All I'm asking is to be able to put my iTunes library on shuffle on in the background while I work. Meanwhile this kid's successfully splitting her attention between a book and the radio. Can you IMAGINE how productive you'd be if you had her skills? Instead I'm sitting here listening to A Song for Our Fathers for the ~~fourth~~ twelfth time in a row since starting my quest to tell you about these pumpkin muffins.

As if mother nature knew I was in a pumpkin spice state of mind, it's finally feeling like fall around here. The wind is dragging thin branches against my window like fingernails and the sky a dull gray with a hint of a chill in the air. Plus, I have a sore throat which is a clear indication that the weather's changing. I'm sure I'm jinxing it and it'll be warm again at a moment's notice, but for now I'm snuggled up with a scarf, a cat, and a cup of hot tea wishing I could build a fire and dreaming about squash and pomes.

You know when it wasn't so chilly? When I baked these pumpkin spice muffins last weekend...two times in a row because the first attempt needed tweaks. Hours with the oven on brought the kitchen to a toasty 90°F, but these streusel-topped fall muffins were completely worth the sweat. With all my petty weather complaints, it's striking me that I live just where I belong - in a climate that fluctuates no more than 30 degrees all year round. Life is good.

Back to the muffins. These pumpkin spice muffins are an updated gluten-free version of the pumpkin pie muffins I made two autumns ago. In addition to the optional flour swap, I lightened them up by replacing some of the sugar with honey and oil with applesauce. Then I added an oat flour streusel and thin drizzle of cinnamon cream cheese glaze to make breakfast feel just a little bit more like dessert.

Whether you've been on the fence about the texture of gluten-free baking, or you're the muscle behind the "I hate muffins" brigade, these pumpkin spice muffins are here to win you over. They're moist and hearty without being heavy or chewy. The fall spices draw out and highlight the rich pumpkin while the streusel and cream cheese drizzle make it all taste a tad tart and indulgent, but not cloyingly so. I'm going to go ahead and call this the official muffin of fall 2014.

For more pumpkin inspiration, check out these pumpkin recipes from around the web:

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal by Set the Table

Cheesy Pumpkin Quesadillas by Climbing Grier Mountain

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi from The Bojon Gourmet

Vegetarian Pumpkin & Kale Pasta Bake by The Adventures of MJ & Hungryman

Pumpkin Pie Spice Popcorn by Dine and Dish

Pumpkin Pie Brown Rice Crispy Treats by Snixy Kitchen

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Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Glaze {Gluten-free}

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Muffins {gluten-free}

⅓ cup oat flour (1½ cups all-purpose flour can be substituted for the first 6 ingredients if not making gluten-free)
⅓ cup millet flour
⅓ cup white rice flour
¼ cup sweet rice flour
¼ cup tapioca starch
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2½ tablespoons applesauce
2 large eggs
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel Topping

2 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ cup oat flour (Note: I grind gluten-free oats in a food processor until fine)

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Glaze

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ teaspoons non-fat milk

Instructions