Description
These Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are moist, spiced, and filled with a creamy tangy center. Ready in about 30 minutes, they are the ultimate fall treat for breakfast, brunch, or any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240g) pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for filling)
- ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
- ¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed (for streusel)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
- 3 tablespoons (42g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for streusel)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Make the cream cheese filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and beat until well combined and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
- 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.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold them together gently until just combined. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.
- Fill the muffin cups: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about ⅔ full.
- Add the cream cheese filling: Drop a generous spoonful (about 1 tablespoon) of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin. Do not press it down.
- Make the streusel topping (optional): In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the tops of the muffins.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the cream cheese center) comes out clean. The tops should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Do not overmix the batter to avoid tough muffins. Soften cream cheese properly for a smooth filling. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the muffin part, not the filling. Let muffins cool completely before storing to prevent sogginess. These muffins taste even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 295
- Sugar: 21
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 37
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, fall baking, easy muffin recipe, pumpkin cream cheese muffins