Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are everything you love about fall baking in one irresistible bite. Warmly spiced with pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon, the muffin batter bakes up incredibly moist and tender thanks to real pumpkin puree and vegetable oil — and hidden inside each one is a sweet, silky cream cheese filling that melts right into the center. They come together with just two bowls and no mixer for the batter, making them easy enough for a weekday morning yet impressive enough for a holiday brunch table.
Equipment
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Paper muffin liners Or grease the cups with non-stick spray
- Large mixing bowl Two needed — one for dry, one for wet ingredients
- Medium mixing bowl For the cream cheese filling
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Medium cookie scoop or large spoon For portioning batter evenly
- Hand mixer or stand mixer For beating the cream cheese filling smooth
- Wire cooling rack
- Oven thermometer Recommended for accurate baking temperatures (optional)
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Muffin Batter
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 220g; spoon into measuring cup and level off
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree 245g; not pumpkin pie filling
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- ¼ cup brown sugar 55g, packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil 120ml
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz full-fat block cream cheese 225g; softened to room temperature — do not use spreadable cream cheese
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and position the rack in the center. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease generously with non-stick spray.
- Beat the softened cream cheese, ¼ cup granulated sugar, egg yolk, and ½ tsp vanilla extract together with a hand mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes until completely smooth. Set aside at room temperature.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
- In a second large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together gently with a rubber spatula until just combined — stop as soon as no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Fill each muffin cup halfway with pumpkin batter, add 1–1½ tablespoons of cream cheese filling in the center, then top with more batter until cups are about ¾ full. Cover the filling completely with batter.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20–24 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin portion (not the filling) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Allow at least 10–15 minutes before eating so the cream cheese filling can set to a creamy texture.
Notes
- Do not overmix: Fold the batter just until no dry flour remains — overmixing develops gluten and leads to dense, tough muffins.
- Use block cream cheese only: Tub-style spreadable cream cheese contains more water and stabilizers and will make the filling too soft and runny.
- Room temperature ingredients matter: Cold cream cheese will be lumpy and won't blend smooth; cold eggs can cause uneven mixing in the batter.
- Pure pumpkin puree, not pie filling: Pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced — using it will throw off the balance of the recipe entirely.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off; scooping directly packs it down and can result in dry muffins.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days due to the cream cheese filling. These muffins can sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours after baking.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze fully cooled muffins in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave for 30–45 seconds.
- Streusel topping variation: Mix ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon, and 2 tbsp cold butter until crumbly and sprinkle over muffin tops before baking.
- Add-in ideas: Fold ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped toasted pecans into the batter for extra flavor and texture.
- Mini muffin option: Use a 24-cup mini muffin tin and reduce baking time to 12–14 minutes. Perfect for parties and snack platters.
Nutrition
Serving: 1MuffinCalories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 220mgPotassium: 115mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 70IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 6mg
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