Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
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These pumpkin muffins are filled with a cream cheese center and topped with streusel and a dusting of powdered sugar for a seasonal treat. Pumpkin muffins are made with pumpkin purée, packed with the warming seasonal flavors of fall. The muffins make a great snack or breakfast. I love making a batch for easy breakfasts on the go.
This pumpkin muffin recipe is moist with a creamy center and crumbly topping. Much like a carrot cake, the sweet cream cheese center complements the savory flavor of the roasted pumpkin.
Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Pumpkin purée – Pumpkin purée, also known as canned pumpkin is made from roasted pumpkin that has been blended to a smooth consistency. It is made with no additional ingredients apart from pumpkin so it is also easy to create your own from roasted, blended pumpkin.
- Pumpkin pie seasoning – Pumpkin pie seasoning, also known as pumpkin spice, is a fragrant combination made with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.
- Cream cheese – Softened cream cheese is blended with a bit of confectioners sugar to create the tangy, creamy center similar to a cheesecake filling for these muffins. I recommend using full fat cream cheese rather than reduced fat for the best flavor. The cream cheese mixture should have a thick consistency. I don’t recommend substituting store-bought cream cheese frosting because it will be too light and will rise to the top of the muffins.
- Brown sugar – I use dark brown sugar which contains 6.5% molasses (in comparison to 3.5% in light brown sugar). A combination of the brown sugar with granulated sugar gives the muffins a deeper color. To get an accurate measurement, be sure to tightly pack the brown sugar in a measuring cup.
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins
For the streusel topping:
- Mix the streusel. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter, stirring until crumbs form.
For the cream cheese filling:
- Beat the cream cheese filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on low and slowly begin to add the confectioner’s sugar, little by little. Once it is all combined, beat on medium for another minute then set aside.
Instructions for the pumpkin muffins:
- Prepare the muffin tin. Heat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a jumbo (6-cup) muffin tin with baking cups and spray lightly with vegetable cooking spray.
- Whisk dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, kosher salt and pumpkin pie seasoning.
- Mix the wet ingredients and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl whisk the pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well combined.
- Make the batter. Slowly add the flour, mixing to combine on low speed. Mix until there are no streaks of flour left in the batter, being careful not to over mix.
- Fill the muffin tins. Fill each cup ¼ of the way full. Add 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture and then fill each cup almost to the top with the pumpkin batter. Crumble streusel over the top.
- Bake the muffins. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips for Pumpkin Muffins
How to make the best muffins
- Be sure to use room temperature eggs in the pumpkin muffin batter.
- To test if the muffins are cooked through, a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
- Lining the muffin tins with muffin cups keeps the batter from sticking to the sides of the muffin pans.
- The dry ingredients should just be combined with the wet. Prevent over-mixing, otherwise the muffins may be tough.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice or seasoning you can make your own with a combination of the following: 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground ginger and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling in this recipe, be sure to use pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and already has spice added. Because of this it’s also a slightly different texture.
- You can substitute roasted pumpkin for the store-bought can of pumpkin purée. “Sugar”, “sugar pie” or “pie pumpkins” are the best types of pumpkins to use for baking because they have a smooth, firm and sweet flesh. Simply roast and puree.
How to Make in a 12 cup Muffin Tin
While I use a jumbo muffin tin for this recipe for larger muffins, you can easily use a classic 12 cup muffin tin instead. Cut the amount of cream cheese filling to one tablespoon. They will take less time to cook. Simply bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients:
For the streusel topping:
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
For the cream cheese filling:
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
For the pumpkin muffins:
- Vegetable cooking spray as needed
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie seasoning
- 1½ cups pumpkin puree
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
For the streusel topping:
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter, stirring until crumbs form.
For the cream cheese filling:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on low and slowly begin to add the confectioner’s sugar, little by little. Once it is all combined, beat on medium for another minute then set aside.
For the pumpkin muffins:
- Heat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a jumbo (6-cup) muffin tin with baking cups and spray lightly with vegetable cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, kosher salt and pumpkin pie seasoning.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl whisk the pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well combined.
- Slowly add the flour, mixing to combine on low speed. Mix until there are no streaks of flour left in the batter, being careful not to overmix.
- Fill each cup ¼ of the way full. Add 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture and then fill each cup almost to the top with the pumpkin batter. Crumble streusel over the top.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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