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Cozy Copycat Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins: Easy Recipe

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These tender, perfectly spiced pumpkin cream cheese muffins feature a luscious cream cheese ribbon that stays right in the center. Ready in about 35 minutes, they’re the ultimate fall comfort food, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy treat.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (100% pure, not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces block cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Make the cream cheese filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened block cream cheese with the powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. If too soft, refrigerate for 10 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until no lumps remain.
  4. Combine the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  5. Combine wet and dry mixtures: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are fine. The batter will be thick and slightly fluffy.
  6. Fill the muffin cups: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
  7. Add the cream cheese filling: Drop a generous teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the center of each muffin. Do not press it down. Use a small offset spatula or toothpick to gently swirl the cream cheese into the batter with a few figure-eight motions.
  8. Bake: Place the muffin pan on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the cream cheese) comes out clean. The edges should be lightly golden.
  9. Cool in the pan: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes to allow the cream cheese filling to firm up.
  10. Transfer to a cooling rack: Carefully lift the muffins out of the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Let them cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

For picture-perfect domed tops, let the batter rest for 5 minutes after mixing before filling the muffin cups. Room temperature ingredients (eggs and cream cheese) blend more smoothly. Do not overmix the batter to avoid dense muffins. Always bake one pan at a time on the middle rack for even results. These muffins taste even better the next day as the spices meld and the cream cheese firms up.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cream cheese muffins, copycat pumpkin muffins, fall muffins, pumpkin muffins, cream cheese filled muffins, easy pumpkin recipe

Find it online: https://spoonluma.com/cozy-copycat-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-easy-recipe/