This post may contain affiliate links.
These are the best and softest Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. These pumpkin muffins have a delicious cream cheese filling. These copycat Starbucks pumpkin muffin are so easy and delicious, that you won't need to head to Starbucks for a delicious fall muffin. These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are incredibly moist and super easy to make, making them sure to be a family hit!
These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins is full of pumpkin flavor and is the best pumpkin muffin recipe! They are super easy to make and takes no time to whisk together and taste absolutely amazing. They are simple and full of flavor, as well as having the softest texture with a perfect crispy muffin top.
For more breakfast recipes, try Triple Chocolate Muffins, Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins and Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls.
Jump to:
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make: These muffins are quick and easy to make.
- Pumpkin: These muffins are full of pumpkin flavor!
- Cream cream filling: These delicious muffins are filled with cream cheese!
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy muffin. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
- Dark brown sugar: The brown sugar helps add extra toffee flavor to the muffins.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help leaven and rise the muffins, so it has light and fluffy texture.
- Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the muffins.
- Egg: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking, so it comes to room temperature. (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Vegetable oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
- Pumpkin puree: Use store bought or make a homemade pumpkin puree. See how to make a homemade pumpkin puree in the FAQ further down the blog post.
- Pumpkin spice: Use either a store bought or homemade pumpkin spice mix. See notes under the recipe for the recipe of a homemade pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice are added to the muffins to enhance the pumpkin flavor.
- Cream cheese: For the filling I recommend using full fat cream cheese.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. For this recipe you'll need two bowls, a whisk and a rubber spatula. As well as a cupcake or muffin pan lined with paper liners.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
STEP 1: In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, spices and salt. In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined.
STEP 2: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir it all together with a rubber spatula. Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and let the batter rest for 1 hour.
While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF conventional oven.
STEP 3: Prepare a 12-cup cupcake pan with 6 cupcake liners, only lining every other cupcake hole, as it helps them to dome up. Then make the cream cheese filling.
STEP 4: Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix it together until smooth. Place the cream cheese mixture in a piping bag. Divide the muffin batter into the 6 cupcake liners.
STEP 5: Squeeze the cream cheese into the middle of the muffin to fill it, while moving upwards with the piping bag. Top the muffins with the cinnamon sugar and bake them for 7 minutes and then reduce the heat to 175ºC/350ºF and further bake for 10-12 minutes.
STEP 8: Let the muffins cool in the hot pan on a wire rack. After 5 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool down completely.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
To check when they are done, insert a cake tester or a toothpick in the muffin, not in the cream cheese filling. Once it comes out clean, with no muffin batter on it, they are done.
Yes, you can either make the batter the night before, and covered with cling film, let it rest in the fridge overnight. Or they can be baked and stored in an airtight container. They'll stay moist for 2 days.
Preheat the oven at 200ºC/390ºF conventional oven. Half a pumpkin e.g. a hokkaido pumpkin. Remove the seeds and place it upside down so it sits flat on the baking tray with baking paper and bake until soft, about 30-40 minutes. Then scrape out the pumpkin meat and add it to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Let it cool down, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
Mix together 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground cloves, ¾ teaspoon ground allspice. Store at in a cupboard in an airtight container.
HOW TO STORE
Store these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
If freezing, you can freeze the muffins for up to three months. To enjoy them later, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and, if you like, warm them up in the microwave.
Other Breakfast Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
PUMPKIN MUFFINS
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 125 g dark brown sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice (See notes below to make your own)
- 150 g canned pumpkin purée room temperature (see FAQ on how to make it homemade)
- 55 g oil room temperature
- 1 eggs room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
- 100 g cream cheese full-fat, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
PUMPKIN MUFFINS
- In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt.120 g all-purpose flour, 125 g dark brown sugar, 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined.150 g canned pumpkin purée, 55 g oil, 1 eggs, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir it all together with a rubber spatula. Make sure there are no dry flour left in the batter.
- Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and let the batter rest for 1 hour.
- While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF conventional oven 30 minutes before baking. Prepare a 12-cup cupcake pan with 6 cupcake liners, only lining every other cupcake hole, as it helps them to dome up. Then make the cream cheese filling.
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
- Add the cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla extract to a bowl and mix it together until smooth. Place the filling in a piping bag.100 g cream cheese, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Divide the muffin batter into the 6 cupcake liners. Place the piping bag in the middle of the muffin batter, squeezing the cream cheese into the middle of the muffin to fill it, while moving upwards with the piping bag. Top the muffins with the cinnamon sugar and bake them for 7 minutes and then reduce the heat to 175ºC/350ºF and further bake for 10-12 minutes.1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- To check when they are done, insert a toothpick in the muffin, not in the cream cheese filling. Once it comes out clean, with no muffin batter on it, they are done.
- Let the muffins cool in the hot pan on a wire rack. After 5 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool down further. Enjoy them lukewarm or cooled down.
Adelaide Miller
Oh my goodness, these are delicious! They are perfectly moist, squishy, and fluffy, with plenty of pumpkin flavor and warm fall spices. I LOVE the cream cheese interior, and the crunchy top from cinnamon sugar is a nice touch too! I'll be making these on repeat for the rest of fall!
Alysia
Oh my word thhese muffins are a crowd pleaser! Like so good. I wasn't sure how I felt about the recipe only making 6 but I actually love it now. It is so much easier in my opinion to have to double or triple a recipe versus having to cut it in thirds or quarters. Made a batch of 6 and a batch of 24 both amazing.
Julie Marie
Thank you so much for your sweet words! I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe 😀
Cristina
These were absolutely phenomenal. The muffin was so fluffy and moist. The cream cheese center was delicious . My muffin tops rose sky high with the cooking method. I plan to double up and make a full dozen on my next go-around.
Julie Marie
I'm so so happy that you enjoyed the recipe 😀