Chai White Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins with Espresso Filling

These delightful muffins are a perfect blend of warm chai spices, pumpkin goodness, and a creamy white chocolate espresso filling. They'll keep you cozy during those chilly fall days!

Ingredients

Muffin Base:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

White Chocolate Espresso Filling:

• ½ cup white chocolate chips
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For Topping:

• Optional: Pumpkin seeds or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease it well.

2. Make the Filling:

   • In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the white chocolate chips, heavy cream, and instant espresso powder. Stir gently until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
   • Let it cool while you prepare the muffin batter.

3. Mix the Muffin Batter:

   • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom.
   • In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
   • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.

4. Fill the Muffin Tin:

   • Divide half of the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about halfway.
   • Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the white chocolate espresso filling into the center of each muffin. Then, top with the remaining muffin batter until just full.

5. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (may have some melted filling on it!). If desired, sprinkle pumpkin seeds or cinnamon sugar on top before baking.