Description

Enjoy these easy, homemade Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, a delicious copycat recipe that’s perfect for fall. They feature moist, warmly spiced pumpkin muffins with a tangy cream cheese center and a crunchy pepita topping.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cream Cheese Filling:
6 oz cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Muffins:
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ cup canned pumpkin purée
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
¼ cup milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping:
2 tablespoons raw sugar
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

Instructions

Prepare the cream cheese filling: In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag or a zip-top bag and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
Combine wet ingredients: In a separate large mixing bowl, mix the pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, melted butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold them together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Assemble the muffins: Divide the pumpkin muffin batter evenly among the prepared liners, filling each about ¾ full.
Add the cream cheese filling: Pipe about 1 tablespoon of the chilled cream cheese filling into the center of each muffin.
Add the topping: Sprinkle the top of each muffin with raw sugar and pumpkin seeds.
Bake: Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the muffin tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin part of the muffin comes out clean.
Cool: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For a neat cream cheese center, ensure the filling is well-chilled before piping.
Avoid overmixing the batter to keep your muffins tender and ensure a good dome.
Filling the liners to ¾ full allows for optimal rise without overflowing.
When checking for doneness, insert the toothpick into the pumpkin batter portion, not the cream cheese filling.
Allowing the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes helps set the crumb and keeps the cream cheese center intact.
You can substitute 2 to 2½ teaspoons of pre-made pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices.
If you don’t have pumpkin seeds, chopped pecans or walnuts can be used as a substitute for crunch.
Store these pumpkin cream cheese muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
For longer storage, wrap individual muffins and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently before serving.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 muffin
Calories: 325 kcal
Sugar: 28 g
Sodium: 269 mg
Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
Trans Fat: 0.2 g
Carbohydrates: 43 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 56 mg

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