Pumpkin Crunch Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon allspice

Dash Mace- optional

¼ teaspoon Penzey’s Baking Spice

1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 (15-ounce) can 100% pure pumpkin

1/2 bag Mini Chocolate Chips - optional

Topping:

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

6 tablespoons demerara sugar (raw cane sugar, also called turbinado)

3/4 cup chopped pecans or pumpkin seeds

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine the flour, butter, demerara sugar, chopped pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl. The mixture will be quite wet. Set aside, it will firm up.  Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Prepare muffin pan.  I used cupcake liners, these are a very delicate muffin.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, baking spice, allspice, mace and nutmeg. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at low speed until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; continue beating at medium speed until very light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary. Hand mix in the flour mixture and mini chips until just combined.

Use an ice cream scoop to transfer batter to muffin pans, filling each muffin liner about ¾ full. Using your hands, divide the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.