These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are hands down one of my favorite muffin recipes. A soft, warmly spiced pumpkin muffin hides a sweet cream cheese filling in the middle, and the crumbly topping on top makes every bite taste like a bakery treat.
They are very moist, and they are a wonderful choice for a fall breakfast with a hot cup of coffee. Yes, they really are that good.
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Last October I got caught in one of those sudden Florida downpours at my boys’ soccer practice. We were soaked, the parking lot had turned into a small lake, and my car decided that was the perfect moment to refuse to start.
My husband was out of town, so a friend called her husband, who showed up in the rain with jumper cables and a very patient attitude. The car ended up in the shop for a couple of days.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Recipe For A Perfect Fall Breakfast 19
So we were home. I pulled out the Halloween decorations to keep the kids busy, and somewhere between a plastic skeleton and a pumpkin garland, I decided we needed something warm to come out of the oven.
This recipe had been floating around the internet for years, always described as a Starbucks knockoff, and I figured it was finally time to find out whether the hype was real.
It is real. These muffins are super moist, chock full of spices, and every bit as good as the bakery muffins I have paid too much money for. The pumpkin batter is tender without being heavy, the spice level is generous, and the cream cheese filling in the center turns a plain muffin into something people talk about.
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That filling is also the one part that needs a little attention. You beat cream cheese with powdered sugar until it is smooth, then pop it in the freezer just long enough to firm up while you make the rest of the batter.
If you are working in steps or get interrupted, keep it in the fridge instead so it does not freeze solid. Cold filling holds its shape and stays put in the middle of the muffin instead of disappearing into the batter.
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There are a few moving parts here. You make a filling, a batter, and a topping. Nothing is difficult, but it is the kind of recipe where reading it through once before you start saves you a scramble later. Line your pans, preheat the oven, and set your ingredients out, and the whole thing comes together quickly.
As for how to eat them, I have no rules. I like them warm from the rack, cold from the fridge the next morning, and at plain room temperature when I walk past the counter. I am impatient, so warm usually wins.
Keep the cream cheese mixture cold the whole time you are working. Warm filling spreads into the batter and you lose that creamy center.
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They also happen to be a lovely addition to a holiday table. I have brought a basket of them to a fall potluck and to Thanksgiving morning, and the plate always comes home empty.
We wrapped up a plate for the friends who came to our rescue that rainy afternoon, and I have baked these every fall since. They are a keeper, and they have earned a permanent spot in my fall baking rotation.
Ingredients
This recipe has three parts, so I like to set everything out in three little piles before I start. It yields 24 muffins, which is two standard pans, so grab a helper if you have one.
For the filling
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
For the muffins
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
For the topping
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
You will also want a muffin pan, paper liners, an electric mixer, and a pastry blender or two forks for the topping.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line your muffin pans with paper liners before you start assembling. This recipe has three parts, and they come together in a natural order once you have everything within reach.
Make the filling
Combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and completely smooth.
Transfer the mixture to the freezer while you prepare the rest of the batter. You only want it to firm up. If you are making these in steps and have a long stretch before assembly, chill it in the fridge instead so it does not freeze all the way through.
The cream cheese mixture should stay cold from this point on. If you handle it and it starts to feel soft, put it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes before you scoop it.
Make the muffin batter
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to blend.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, and oil. Mix on medium low speed until blended.
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Stop as soon as the flour disappears, because a muffin batter that gets beaten too long turns out tough instead of tender.
Make the topping
Combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk to blend.
Add the cold butter pieces and cut them into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.
I always get impatient at this point and finish the job with my hands until it looks like the texture of wet sand. You are not supposed to do it that way, but I am impatient and it works for me. Transfer the topping to the refrigerator to chill until you are ready to use it.
Assemble the muffins
Fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner. That is about 1 to 2 tablespoons.
Place a scoop of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. I use my smallest cookie scoop. Put the cream cheese lower than you think you should, because it rises a lot during the baking process.
Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing it on top of the cream cheese so the filling is completely covered.
Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.
Bake
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and let the muffins cool completely before serving. I like them warm, cold, and at room temperature, so in my house they rarely make it to completely cool.
A few pieces of equipment make this easier. A standard muffin pan lined with paper liners, an electric mixer for the batter, and a pastry blender or two forks for the topping. If you do not own a pastry blender, two forks or your fingertips will do the job just fine.
Notes
A standard can of pumpkin is 15 ounces, which is just under the 2 cups (16 ounces) this recipe calls for. I simply use one can rather than opening a second one, and the small difference does not noticeably change the finished muffins.
If you do open a second can, the extra pumpkin can be frozen for another batch. That shortcut has never let me down.
Recipe details
This recipe yields 24 muffins. Prep time is 10 minutes and total time is 40 minutes. The recipe card lists a cook time of 30 minutes, while the baking step itself runs 20 to 25 minutes in the oven, which is the range I go by when I am standing there with a timer.
Detail
Amount
Yield
24 muffins
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
30 minutes
Total time
40 minutes
Oven temperature
350 degrees F
FAQs
What makes pumpkin cream cheese muffins so moist?
The use of vegetable oil instead of butter is the key to these muffins' moist texture. Oil stays liquid at room temperature, while butter solidifies, making muffins feel drier. This recipe also uses a generous amount of pumpkin puree and eggs, which add further moisture and a tender crumb.
How do you keep the cream cheese filling from sinking to the bottom of the muffins?
To prevent the cream cheese from sinking, place the filling scoop lower in the muffin liner than you think is necessary; the batter will rise and push it upward. It also helps to chill the cream cheese mixture in the freezer until it is firm before assembling the muffins.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree for these muffins?
Yes, you can use homemade pumpkin puree, but it often contains more water than canned puree. To prevent dense or soggy muffins, drain the homemade puree in a cheesecloth-lined sieve for an hour or two to remove excess liquid before using.
How should I store leftover pumpkin cream cheese muffins?
Because these muffins contain cream cheese, they should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days according to food safety guidelines. For a freshly baked texture, warm individual muffins in a microwave for 10 to 15 seconds or in a 300°F oven for a few minutes.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are hands down one of my favorite muffin recipes. A soft, warmly spiced pumpkin muffin hides a sweet cream cheese filling in the middle, and the crumbly topping on top makes every bite taste like a bakery treat.
Total Time:40 min
Yield:24 cupcakes 1x
Ingredients
Scale
For the filling 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar
For the muffins 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 4 large eggs 2 cups sugar 2 cups pumpkin puree 1 cups vegetable oil
For the topping 0.5 cup sugar 5 tablespoons flour 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
1-To prepare the filling, combine the cream: To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer to the freezer while preparing the rest of the batter. We just want the mixture to firm up. If you are making these in steps and have a long time before you’re assembling, just chill the mixture in the fridge so it doesn’t freeze all the way. 2-To make the muffins, preheat the oven: To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. 3-To make the topping, combine the sugar,: To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. I always get inpatient here and mix it together with my hands so that it looks like the texture of wet sand. I know you aren’t supposed to do it this way but I’m impatient. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill until ready to use. 4-To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin: To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Place a scoop of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. I use my smallest cookie scooper. You want to put the cream cheese lower than you think because it will rise a lot during the baking process. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells. 5-Bake for 20-25 minutes: Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving. I like them warm, cold, and room temperature.
Last Step:
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