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Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Recipe

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Moist, spiced pumpkin muffins with a tangy cream cheese center and buttery streusel topping. These bakery-style muffins are easy to make and perfect for fall baking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar (for streusel)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (60g) cold butter, cut into small cubes (for streusel)

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 cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and egg yolk. Beat until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
  3. Prepare the streusel topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the cold butter cubes. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs with some bigger clumps. Set aside in the refrigerator.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Set aside.
  5. Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
  6. Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are okay.
  7. Fill the muffin cups: Use a cookie scoop to drop about 2 tablespoons of batter into each liner, filling each cup about one-third full.
  8. Add the cream cheese filling: Remove the cream cheese mixture from the freezer. Use a small cookie scoop or teaspoon to drop a generous dollop (about 1 tablespoon) into the center of each muffin cup, on top of the batter.
  9. Top with remaining batter: Divide the remaining batter evenly over the cream cheese filling. Use the back of a spoon to gently spread it to cover the filling completely. The cups will be about three-quarters full.
  10. Add the streusel: Sprinkle the streusel topping generously over each muffin. Use your fingers to press it lightly into the batter.
  11. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the filling) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The tops should be golden brown.
  12. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are crucial for proper emulsification. Freeze the cream cheese filling for 10 minutes to prevent it from sinking. Do not overmix the batter to avoid tough muffins. Let muffins cool completely before storing to keep streusel crunchy.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cream cheese muffins, pumpkin muffins, cream cheese filled muffins, streusel topping, fall baking, pumpkin spice

Find it online: https://spoonluma.com/perfect-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-recipe/