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Pumpkin Cheddar Muffins from Baked Explorations

Pumpkin Cheddar Muffins | TeenieCakes.com

If you’ve been my guest here on Teenie Cakes for any length of time, it’s no secret of how fond I am of muffins, how I’ve had my fair share of obsessions with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, and that I adore cheeses.

Last week I received the beautiful and highly anticipated new cookbook, Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito, for review by the publisher.  Please read more of  my initial perception and experience with the cookbook below (after the recipe).   I’ll be continuing my review with a series of two additional recipes within the next week.

This recipe for Pumpkin Cheddar Muffins screamed for my immediate attention.    Pumpkin and cheddar cheese?    Really?

Wow!  These are the boss of savory, seasonal pumpkin muffins.  If you take a look at the ingredient list, you may be scratching your head trying to make sense of the amount of cayenne and black pepper used, WITH extra sharp cheddar cheese in a pumpkin muffin.     This is a keeper of a recipe.    Enjoy it any time of the day and it’s sure to get some ooo’s and aaaah’s at your holiday gatherings.     It’s moist, has a slight pepper bite with a fantastic textured muffin crown of cheddar and pepitas.    I enjoyed it fresh out of the oven and room temperature the next day.   When serving fresh out of the oven, pulling them apart reveals cheese goodness.      The recipe is straight-forward…it’s a sure thing, and by that mean, it’s packed with unusual but complimentary flavors.   It just works!

I was initially concerned that the muffins would be a mess with melted cheddar cheese all over the pan, this was not an issue. I adjusted the baking temperature and time from 400 degrees/20 minutes to 375 degrees/15 minutes. Basically, know your oven and the other variables that need to be accounted for when baking:

  • Where your baking rack is set in the oven (if not specified, set to middle);
  • the thickness of the baking pan you’re using;
  • convection or traditional oven

Pumpkin Cheddar Muffins | TeenieCakes.com

Teenie Notes
  • I usually end up with over-baked muffins when baking at 400 degrees.  I adjusted the temperature on these to 375 degrees and the baking time for 15 minutes.
  • Trader Joe’s has 16-ounce bags of raw pepitas for $5.49.
  • Used Lite sour cream and it turned out wonderful.
  • Used an extra sharp cheddar by Kraft.  Matt and Renato suggest using a raw-milk cheddar explaining that they are more nutty and earthy.   The sharper the better for these muffins.
  • Instead of trying to measure out the cheese by cups, weigh it and use the full 4-ounces
  • For muffins, I don’t use baking papers.

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Pumpkin Cheddar Muffins
Pumpkin Cheddar Muffins

source slightly modified from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 1/4 cups (about 4 ounces) grated sharp cheddar

2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

Directions

Place oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray each cup of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick spray. Distribute spray evenly, making sure to cover each well.

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin and sour cream. Add eggs and butter and whisk until combined.

In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and brown sugar. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well, and with a large rubber spatula, fold until just combined. Fold in three-quarters of the cheese.

Evenly divide the batter amongst the muffin cups. Sprinkle remaining cheddar and pumpkin seeds on top of each muffin.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown AND a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the muffin pan cool on a rack for about 10 minutes before gently removing muffins from pan.

Serve them warm!

Muffins taste best when eaten fresh, but they can be made ahead of time and reheated in oven at 200 degrees.

Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented

by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito – Photography by Tina Rupp

Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

I first heard of Matt Lewis and his previous book, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking from the Martha Stewart show when he, with Martha, made Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream-Cheese Filling.   I had no idea he and Renato Poliafito were about to release their second book this month, until a couple of weeks ago.

Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented is a compilation of 75 recipes consisting of dessert classics, with a “Baked” spin on those recipes and thus adding their own signature on those treasures.

The cookbook is a tribute to beloved American treats and baked goods that have not only been many of our country’s favorite gems, but some emphasis on regional favorites, as well.   Five Chapters are laid out as follows:

Chapter 1 – Breakfast (Mom’s Olive Orange Bundt, New York Style Crumb Cake and 12 more)

Chapter 2 – Tarts and Pies (Almond Joy Tart, Whiskey Pear Tart, Sawdust Pie and 9 more)

Chapter 3 – Cookies and Bars (Chocolate Salt-‘N’-Pepper Sandwich Cookies, Cowboy Cookies, Black and White Cookies and 14 more).

Chapter 4 – Cakes (Tomato Soup Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting, Caramel Apple Cake and 11 more)

Chapter 5 – Confections and Pastry (Bananas Foster Fritters, Vanilla Bean and Milk Chocolate Budino and 12 more)

There’s also a Kitchen Tools and Equipment Terms and Brand Recommendations section.

Perceptions of the cookbook:

The book is beautifully organized and well laid out, keeping a consistent them throughout the entire book.   The 45 or so full-page images/photography by Tina Rupp is absolutely gorgeous and keeps to the theme of exploring new frontiers by incorporating a warm, familiar ambiance, welcoming colors to the sweet treats.    Every recipe has a personal head note and if there are additional notes or “Baked Notes” to be shared by the authors, they run consistently alongside the borders of the page next to the recipe’s directions.

I’ve only just begun to try the recipes in this cookbook, but so far – I’m so pleasantly surprised.   The Pumpkin Cheddar Cheese Muffins were right on by following the directions.     I have two more recipes to share and complete my review of the book.   Please join me in the next days while I continue Baked Explorations!

Other recipes inspired by Matt Lewis:
Disclosure: I received the cookbook “Baked Explorations – Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito” for review purposes by the publisher.   I am under no obligation to write a favorable review of the cookbook, contents of the book or the authors.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. FOODESSA says

    Cristina…I obviously missed this post…however, here I am to grab this recipe from you…it looks too promising not to give them a go in my kitchen too ;o)

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

  3. Karen says

    I think my eyes actually bugged out a little when I saw this muffin. This looks amazing! I never would have put those flavors together, but it really sounds fantastic. Definitely a keeper for the holidays…Thanks for sharing!

  11. Patty says

    Yummy!!! These are out of this world incredible! I never would have considered a pumpkin/cheddar muffin, but your description makes me want to bust these out ASAP. It would make a lovely snack for my daughter who is currently in JK and always needs a snack at school! Thanks for teh inspiration….

  13. Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says

    Very interesting recipe. I’d have never thought of combining pumpkin with cheddar and the two peppers, but my goodness it sounds divine! I’d love one of these along with a nice bowl of chili. Yum…

  14. Devaki @ weavethousandflavors says

    This is so clever – finally a savory pumpkin muffin recipe. With the pepper, cayenne, cheddar and pepitas, it is nothing short of genius! Right there with you when it comes to the love of muffins, Cristina 🙂

    Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors

  19. Susi says

    Now, this is a great recipe! I love this savory pumpkin muffin recipe which I bet would be delicious with a big bowl of soup. Your pictures are wonderful and I really appreciate the tip on where to find the pepitas! :o)

  21. Jeanne says

    I have their first book and love it! I’m looking forward to the rest of your review of the new book. I can’t wait to give these muffins a try!

  24. Lauren says

    I love pumpkin muffins but so far they have always been sweet, I have never had a good savoury muffin – but maybe that will change!

  26. Jeannie says

    Wow! Peppery cheesy muffins with pumpkins? Sounds really good to me and love the bright colour too!

  27. Kim - Cook It Allergy Free says

    This would be the perfect accompaniment to a pumpkin chili recipe that I make! You are really racking up the recipes that I need to try and convert to be gluten-free. These would be pretty easy, I think, with my flour blend. Now, just to find the time. 😉

  28. Monet says

    So this is what I’ve been looking for. I’m loving all the pumpkin recipes, but I wanted to find a more savory baked good. This would be perfect with a bowl of fall-inspired soup. Thank you for sharing! I love the seeds sprinkled into the batter…they must add a lovely crunch. Just perfect!

  30. marla says

    Between the cheese, the pumpkin & the pepitas, these sound like the perfect savory muffins. The book sounds amazing too -great review! xo

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