Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
The ultimate fall treat, these pumpkin cream cheese muffins are a must-try. Bursting with pumpkin flavor and warm fall spices, these muffins have a rich and tangy cream cheese center that makes them even more irresistible. They are the perfect breakfast sweet treat or midday snack during the autumn season.
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Muffin Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cup pumpkin purée
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz (1 block) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Topping
- ⅓ cup raw pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
Equipment
Instructions
Preparing the Cream Cheese Filling
- In a medium-sized bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add in sugar and vanilla, and continue to mix until well combined (about 2 minutes), scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.8 oz (1 block) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature⅓ cup granulated sugar½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- Chill the cream cheese filling in the freezer for at least 25 minutes, stirring it midway. (It will firm up — this is okay!)
- After at least 25 minutes, spoon chilled cream cheese filling into a piping bag (or resealable plastic bag) and return to the freezer, until needed below.
Preparing and Baking the Muffins
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425℉ and prepare a muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour1 tsp baking soda½ tsp baking powder½ tsp kosher salt2 tsp ground cinnamon¼ tsp ground cloves¼ tsp ground nutmeg¼ tsp ground ginger
- In a second large bowl, whisk eggs until homogenous. Add in pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and vegetable oil. Whisk to combine and set aside.3 large eggs, at room temperature1 ½ cup pumpkin purée1 cup granulated sugar½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed½ tsp pure vanilla extract½ cup vegetable oil
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, half at a time, and whisk just until smooth and combined.
- Pour muffin batter into muffin liners, right to the top. (This recipe yields 12 to 14 muffins.)
- Remove chilled cream cheese filling and cut the tip of the piping bag (or resealable plastic bag) to create an opening between ¼" and ½" wide.
- Insert the tip of the piping bag into the center of each muffin. Slowly, but firmly, squeeze the piping bag while pulling it upward to create a small peak of cream cheese filling on the top of the muffin batter. (You should aim for about 1 to 1 ½ Tbsp of filling in each muffin.)Note: I recommend working relatively quickly, so the cream cheese filling remains as firm as possible during this step.
- Sprinkle the top edges of each muffin with chopped pumpkin seeds.⅓ cup raw pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
- Bake at 425℉ for 5 minutes, then immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350℉ and continue baking until the muffins have puffed up and browned around the edges (about 17 to 20 minutes more). To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the muffin at an angle (avoiding the filling); it should come out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Once fully cooled, store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Storing Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling: After the muffins have cooled to room temperature, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge — just to be on the safe side. They are perfectly delicious straight out of the fridge, but if you prefer them warmed, you can easily reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds or in a low-temperature oven for a few minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 288mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 5089IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg