pumpkin cinnamon chip muffins

Pumpkin Brown Butter & Cinnamon Chip Cupcakes

•3/4 cup unsalted butter

•1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

•2 teaspoons baking powder

•1 teaspoon salt

•1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

•1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

•1 cup homemade pumpkin puree

•1 cup packed light brown sugar

•1/2 cup granulated sugar

•2 large eggs

•1 cup cinnamon chips, plus more for sprinkling on top

•2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place muffin liners in tin and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown. Skim foam from top, and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl to stop the cooking, leaving any burned bits behind; let cool.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, both sugars, eggs, and brown butter mixture. Add the flour mixture, and whisk until just combined. Fold in cinnamon chips until evenly distributed. Top each cupcake with a few more cinnamon chips and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (about 1/8 teaspoon per cupcake).

Divide the batter evenly among lined cups, filling each one 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

To finish, dip top of each cupcake in icing (recipe follows), then turn over quickly and let set. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are glazed; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Makes 15 cupcakes