These Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins are a homemade version of a Starbucks classic, with a soft pumpkin muffin filled with a dollop of smooth creamy cream cheese filling! The crunch from the pepita seeds with the smooth creaminess of the cream cheese and then soft pumpkin muffin make a pairing that is full of flavor!
What are Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins?
Usually, I'm a pumpkin bread kind of girl, (hello, Pumpkin Crumble Bread!) but one time my local Starbucks ran out so I was forced into choosing this pumpkin muffin. Unlike typical pumpkin muffins, this one had a dollop of sweet cream cheese in the middle, almost like a cheesecake dollop. The tangy cream cheese paired so beautifully with the pumpkin muffin that I was hooked from the first bite!
I knew I had to make these at home (especially with that $5 price tag)! These are a soft pumpkin muffin with tangy cream cheese center and to add extra crunch to the top, I add crushed pepitas with a sprinkle of turbinado sugar! It's so good!
Cream Cheese Center
I love a good cheesecake but I don't have it often enough! This is my excuse to add a little bite of cheesecake in each muffin!
The cream cheese center is made with powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream! This creates a very light and creamy center!
I add a little bit of flour to help the cream cheese center hold it's shape while it bakes! This center is so good, you'll probably want to add it to every muffin.
And honestly, I love that idea.
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins Tips and Tricks
- My first tip for these muffins is to add the cream cheese filling to a piping bag. This helps the process be a little less messy. You can also get more cream cheese through the center of the muffin by placing the piping bag slightly into the muffin first before you start squeezing the cream cheese out! If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop!
- Fill your muffin liners about ⅔'s of the way full because they do puff up a lot when you add the cream cheese and then again while they bake!
Ingredient List:
- Oil
- Brown Sugar
- Sugar
- Pumpkin Puree
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- 1 ½ cups Flour
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin Pie spice
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Heavy Cream
- Pepita Seeds
- Turbinado Sugar
Have you got all your ingredients ready!?! Who needs to run to the coffee shop when you can make it all by yourself!!
These Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins are the perfect combination with the crunch from the pepita seeds and the smooth creaminess of the cream cheese with the soft pumpkin muffin.
Cheers!
-Holly Michelle
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
- ½ cup Oil
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 2 Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 1 ½ cups Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons Pumpkin Pie spice
Cream Cheese mixture:
- ½ block Cream Cheese softened
- ⅓ cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 teaspoons Flour
- 1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
- Pepita Seeds for garnish
- Turbinado Sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a bowl, combine oil, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla extract.
- Stir together.
- Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Whisk everything together and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add cream cheese, powdered sugar, flour, vanilla, salt, and heavy cream. Use a mixer to whip until smooth and creamy.
- Line muffin tin with liners, and use a large cookie scoop to scoop the pumpkin muffin batter into the liner.
- Then dollop a small amount of cream cheese in the middle. I find it's easiest to use a piping bag!
- Sprinkle turbinado sugar and chopped pepitas on the edge of the muffin around the cream cheese.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean!
- Let cool slightly and enjoy!
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