Pumpkin Brown Butter Crumb Muffins

Instructions

Preheat the oven to  375°.  Meanwhile, in a sauté pan set over medium-low heat, melt the butter.  Continue cooking the butter, stirring frequently, until it has foamed and the milk solids have sunk to the bottom of the pan.  When the milk solids have turned a light golden, immediately remove from the heat and pour into a large mixing bowl, taking care that the browned particulate matter in the bottom is discarded.  Allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding in 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, one of the two eggs, vanilla extract, and the pumpkin puree.  Stir to combine evenly.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.  In a third bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese with the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and the remaining egg.  Stir to combine evenly and set aside.  Meanwhile, make the crumb topping by combining the butter, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Using a fork or your fingers, cut the mixture together until it forms crumbling clumps about the size of a pea.  Line a standard muffin tin with muffin cups.  Using an ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup about a third of the way up.  Using a teaspoon, carefully drop a dollop of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each well of muffin batter.  Scoop the remaining muffin batter on top, filling each muffin cup to 3/4 of the way full.  Carefully distribute the crumble topping atop each muffin, and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin batter–not the cream cheese center–comes out clean.  Serve and enjoy!