Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

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Our creamy spiced pumpkin cream cheese muffins are the perfect fall muffin to whip up for breakfast.

Our delicious pumpkin cream cheese muffins live up to all that is warm and cozy about (in my opinion) the best season of all. Spiced pumpkin muffins with a sweet cream cheese filling are just magical when the weather starts to cool and will find a permanent place on your breakfast table

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS INGREDIENTS

pumpkin cream cheese muffins raw ingredients that are labeled

WATCH VIDEO: LEARN HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Pumpkin Cream Cheese MuffinsPlay Video

You’ll need:

For the Pumpkin Muffins:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice blend
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg yolk

PRO TIP:

Watch out when you are at the grocery store that you buy pure pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Add chocolate chips to the muffins to create delicious pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.

PUMPKIN SEEDS: I have seen variations of this recipe with pumpkin seeds baked into the batter or a few on top of the cream cheese mixture for decoration. This would add a lovely crunch to an already scrumptious muffin.

VEGETABLE OIL: You can use any neutral oil for this recipe (canola, vegetable, avocado). I would not use coconut or olive oil as they will give the muffins a stronger flavor that may not work well with the pumpkin and cream cheese for this recipe.

CREAM CHEESE: Make sure you use full-fat cream cheese for this recipe. I have found that the ⅓ less fat and fat-free versions make the cream cheese mixture much thinner and it does not work well for the recipe.

kitchen tools you actually need

HOW TO MAKE THIS PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS RECIPE

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two standard muffin tins with 20 paper liners. Set aside.

PRO TIP:

I like using muffin liners that are parchment paper because the muffins come out of the liners much easier than some of the paper brands available. I do not suggest using the generic brands of paper liners as they are pretty but they tend to really make the muffins stick to the paper.

STEP TWO: To make the cream cheese filling, add the cream cheese and granulated sugar into a medium-sized mixing bowl. With a handheld mixer, on medium-low speed, beat together the cream cheese and granulated sugar for 1 minute or until smooth. 

cream cheese and sugar blended together in a bowl

STEP THREE: Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds to fully incorporate and create a smooth cream cheese filling. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Set aside.

PRO TIP:

Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature, or you will end up with lumps in your creamy filling.

egg yolk and vanilla added to the bowl of cream cheese mixture

STEP FOUR: In a medium bowl, add the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice blend, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.

dry ingredients combined in a bowl

STEP FIVE: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the canned pure pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, large eggs, vanilla extract, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk until all the ingredients are completely blended and the mixture is smooth.

STEP SIX: Add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and whisk just until all the ingredients are combined and the batter is thick and smooth.

flour mixture added to the bowl of pumpkin mixture to make a batter consistency

STEP SEVEN: Fill all 20 muffin liners ¾ full with the pumpkin muffin batter.

batter filled into a muffin pan

STEP EIGHT: Squeeze 1½ to 2 teaspoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of each pumpkin muffin.

PRO TIP:

A 2-inch cookie scoop or ice cream scoop works well to fill the muffin tins.

cream cheese mixture spooned onto the batter

STEP NINE Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin part of the muffin comes out clean. Allow the pumpkin cream cheese muffins to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

muffins after being baked in a muffin pan

HOW TO SERVE

These moist pumpkin muffins would be perfect for a quick breakfast. Serve with a warm pumpkin spice latte or cup of tea. 

Add these to a basket of muffins along with our peach cobbler muffins and blueberry sour cream muffins and share them with friends. 

MORE MUFFIN RECIPES

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STORAGE

IN THE FRIDGE: Store the pumpkin cheesecake muffins in an airtight container for 4 days. 

IN THE FREEZER: Freeze these pumpkin muffins with cream cheese filling for up to 1 month sealed in an airtight container.

close up shot of muffins in a muffin tin pan

Pumpkin, spices, and sweet cream cheese are the flavors that are synonymous with fall. These pumpkin and cream cheese muffins are the ideal recipe to enjoy that delicious combination of creamy sweetness and spice.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSCan I keep these muffins on the counter?

Because they have cream cheese in them, we would recommend keeping them in the fridge rather than on the counter.If I can’t find pumpkin pie spice, what can I use instead?

If you can’t find pumpkin pie spice in the store, you could use either cinnamon or a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg.Can you freeze these muffins?

You can freeze the muffins for up to a month although the texture of the cream cheese filling may change slightly once thawed.

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

4.67 from 3 votesOur creamy spiced pumpkin cream cheese muffins are the perfect fall muffin to whip up for breakfast.PREP TIME20 minutesCOOK TIME25 minutesTOTAL TIME45 minutesSERVINGS20PRINT RECIPEPIN RECIPEREVIEW RECIPECOOK MODEPrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients  

Muffins

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice blend
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg yolk

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two standard muffin tins with 20 paper liners. Set aside.
  • To make the cream cheese filling, add the cream cheese and granulated sugar into a medium-sized mixing bowl. With a handheld mixer, on medium-low speed, beat together the cream cheese and granulated sugar for 1 minute or until smooth.
  • Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds to fully incorporate and create a smooth cream cheese filling. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, add the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice blend, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the canned pure pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, large eggs, vanilla extract, light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk until all the ingredients are completely blended and the mixture is smooth.
  • Add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and whisk just until all the ingredients are combined and the batter is thick and smooth.
  • Fill all 20 muffin liners ¾ full with the pumpkin muffin batter.
  • Squeeze 1½-2 teaspoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of each pumpkin muffin.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin part of the muffin comes out clean. Allow the pumpkin cream cheese muffins to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Notes

  • Watch out when you are at the grocery store that you buy pure pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling.
  • I like using muffin liners that are parchment paper because the muffins come out of the liners much easier than some of the paper brands available. I do not suggest using the generic brands of paper liners as they are pretty but they tend to really make the muffins stick to the paper.
  • Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature, or you will end up with lumps in your creamy filling.
  • A 2-inch cookie scoop or ice cream scoop works well to fill the muffin tins.

Nutrition

Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg