Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffin Melts

When I turned on my computer this morning, I intended to search for something fun for Mike's birthday breakfast. I was so grateful that this recipe was sitting in my email from the Simple Homeschool blog! The smell of pumpkin had filled the house by the time Mike returned from the gym.

Make these very, very soon. You'll thank me!

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar (I used agave nectar and reduced the milk to 1/4 cup...you could also use maple syrup)

1 egg

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

For topping:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar mixed with 2 Tbsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

2. Mix together milk and pumpkin. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar/agave/maple syrup until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue mixing.

4. In a smaller bowl, mix the milk and pumpkin.

5. Whisk together the rest of the dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, alternating with the pumpkin/milk mixture.

6. Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full. Reduce oven to 325 degrees and bake 20 minutes.

7. Cool muffins in the pan for a few minutes, then remove to a plate or cooling rack. When cool enough to handle, dip the top of each muffin in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Yields 30 mini muffins.