Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
User Reviews
4.6
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Description
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins begin with a spiced batter combining all-purpose flour, pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pumpkin pie spice. A smooth cream cheese and powdered sugar filling is chilled before being dolloped inside each muffin, providing a rich, tangy contrast. The muffins bake with a buttery streusel topping made from flour, sugar, cinnamon, and cold butter, which adds a crisp, crumbly finish. The muffin texture is moist and tender from the oil and pumpkin, while the filling stays creamy after baking. The combination of autumn spices and pumpkin defines the flavor profile.
Cream cheese filling gives these muffins a pleasant surprise inside and can be prepared in advance and chilled. Using a standard 15 oz pumpkin can is recommended, with any leftover puree usable for freezing. These muffins suit fall breakfasts or snacks and pair well with coffee or tea.
When making the filling, chill it in the freezer briefly to firm up before assembling the muffins, or refrigerate if preparing ahead. Adjust pumpkin quantity slightly if needed without affecting the muffin structure significantly.
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
For the muffins:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cloves ground
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 egg large
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups pumpkin see Note, puree
- 1¼ cups vegetable oil
For the topping:
- ½ cup sugar
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons butter cold, unsalted, cut into pieces
Instructions
- To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer to the freezer while preparing the rest of the batter. We just want the mixture to firm up. If you are making these in steps and have a long time before you're assembling, just chill the mixture in the fridge so it doesn't freeze all the way.
- To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
- To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. I always get inpatient here and mix it together with my hands so that it looks like the texture of wet sand. I know you aren't supposed to do it this way but I'm impatient. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill until ready to use.
- To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Place a scoop of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. I use my smallest cookie scooper. You want to put the cream cheese lower than you think because it will rise a lot during the baking process. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving. I like them warm, cold, and room temperature.
Notes
- Use a standard 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree for the batter; extra can be frozen or reserved for other uses.
- Chill the cream cheese filling in the freezer briefly to help it firm before filling the muffins, or keep it refrigerated if not assembling immediately.
- These muffins feature a spiced streusel topping combining cold butter with cinnamon sugar and flour for added texture.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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