Make a batch of pumpkin cream cheese muffins for a quick, easy, fall-inspired breakfast. Each handheld treat contains fresh pumpkin, bold spices, a creamy filling, and crunchy praline pepitas.
Recipe Science
- The molasses in brown sugar enhances the subtly sweet pumpkin flavor. It’s also humectant, helping to keep the muffins moist.
- To candy the pepitas, cook with butter and sugar until golden and glossy, reaching 320 to 350ºF. Watch closely to avoid burning!
- Cornstarch in the cream cheese filling thickens it, helping the filling maintain its round shape in the center of the muffin during baking
Jump To a Section
Featured Comment 1
“Just finished baking these. Hot out of the oven and smells heavenly!! Very moist and flavorful. Delicious!!” —Michelle
Why It Works
When the fall season arrives, so do many enticing pumpkin-flavored treats. In particular, the Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins always catch my eye as I order apumpkin spice latte. Just like the drink, here is my homemade version of the muffins so that you can bake a big batch for the family to enjoy throughout the week.
I used my trusty pumpkin muffin recipe as the base. It’s brimming with flavor, brown sugar for a hint of molasses, and plenty of pumpkin pie spice. A tender pumpkin spice cake is ideal for adding a velvety cream cheese mixture and some candied pumpkin seeds. The freshly baked muffins rival coffee shop versions and will save you money by making them at home. Win, win!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pumpkin: Pumpkin puree is added as the base ingredient, adding a creamy, slightly sweet taste of winter squash. For convenience, use canned pumpkin, also labeled as 100% pumpkin. Skip the canned pumpkin pie filling. It is already sweetened with spices added. It will make the muffins too sugary.
- Flour: All-purpose flour has a moderate protein level between 10 to 13%. This gives the pumpkin muffin structure while keeping it tender.
- Leavening Agents: A combination of baking powder and baking soda guarantees soft muffins with the sought-after domed top.
- Sweeteners: A blend of granulated sugar and brown sugar. The molasses in the brown sugar boosts the deep caramel flavor and acts as a humectant, keeping the muffins moist.
- Spices: This is a bold combination of sweet cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Salt and vanilla extract boosts the baked aroma and the taste of the pumpkin recipe.
- Oil: Neutral-tasting vegetable oil keeps the muffin batter tender when baked and prevents sticking to the paper liners.
- Dairy: Whole milk helps to dilute the thick pumpkin batter. The tart flavor of the sour cream balances the sweeteners.
- Eggs: Helps to bind and aerate the batter, while the yolk adds richness.
- Cream Cheese Filling: A simple mixture of softened cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, milk, and vanilla.
- Praline Topping: The tops of the muffins are sprinkled with crunchy, candied pumpkin seeds, which add extra texture to the surface. It’s delicious! I use pepitas, which are hulled pumpkin seeds that are green in color.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This cream cheese pumpkin muffin recipe is easy to customize! Try these delicious options:
- Pumpkin Swaps: You could also make pumpkin puree from scratch and roasted pumpkin seeds for a healthy snack.
- Cornstarch Substitute: All-purpose flour is a good swap if you don’t have cornstarch.
- Oil Options: Use melted coconut oil or avocado oil.
- Flavoring: Try adding cardamom, mace, or almond extract to the muffin batter. Drizzle homemade caramel sauce on top.
- Sour Cream Swaps: Use Greek yogurt, creme fraiche, or cream cheese.
- Pumpkin Seed Alternatives: For a tasty twist, add plain chopped pumpkin seeds (or pepitas), sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, or pecans. Candied pecans work wonderfully, too, if you want an extra touch of sweetness and crunch. Skip the topping completely if desired.
How to Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Place the oven rack in the center for even heat distribution. Then, preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC) to create the perfect baking environment for the muffins.
Step 2: Make the Praline Topping
To candy the pepitas, cook them over medium heat in melted butter and granulated sugar. Once the mixture turns a light golden brown hue and looks glossy, a caramel flavor will emerge in just a few minutes.
Cool the candied seed mixture in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined sheet tray. In about 10 minutes, the sugar coating will harden. You can roughly chop it up or sprinkle it whole on the muffins.
Tips for Perfect Execution: The caramelization process happens between 320 to 350ºF (160 to 177ºC). Don’t let the sugar mixture get too hot, or it will burn!
Step 3: Prepare the Muffin Tin
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or if you prefer, lightly grease each cup with cooking spray or vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
Step 4: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Sifting aerates the dry ingredients and removes any lumps, ensuring even distribution. Whisk to combine and create a uniform mixture for optimal leavening and flavor balance.
Step 5: Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk the room-temperature eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until smooth and pale yellow. Gradually add the vegetable oil, whisking steadily to ensure it’s fully incorporated.
Blend in the pumpkin, whole milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth. This careful mixing process ensures a balanced, silky texture in your final bake.
Step 6: Make the Batter
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Gently fold the ingredients together until just moistened, being sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. It’s okay if a few lumps and flour spots remain—avoid over-mixing the batter to keep it light and tender.
Step 7: Make Cream Cheese Filling
When biting into the muffin, getting a part of the tangycream cheese frosting in the middle of the cake is what makes these muffins special. The filling combines softened brick cream cheese, sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and cornstarch.
The starch creates a thick consistency when baked. Like the Starbucks version, I add about 2 teaspoons of filling per muffin. If you enjoy more cream cheese in the center, double the recipe and the amount added.
Step 8: Assemble the Muffins
Evenly divide the batter among the muffin cups, using about ⅓ cup for each muffin. This helps ensure they bake up uniformly and rise evenly. Use a piping bag to add about 2 teaspoons of filling to the top and center of each muffin. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top of the batter.
Pro Tip: If possible, avoid placing the seeds too close to the edges of the muffin batter. As the muffins rise, seeds near the pan’s edge can burn from direct contact with the hot surface.
Step 9: Bake
Bake the muffins at 350ºF (177ºC) until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
I only let the muffins sit in the pan for 5 minutes after baking, then transfer them to a cooling rack so that they don’t get dried out due to the residual heat. You’ll be enticed by the aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice filling your home!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they are the same ingredient. Pumpkin puree is made with no added seasoning, and just 100% of the cooked and pureed squash has been canned. Different brands use different pumpkin varieties, so the taste and color may vary slightly.
No! The filling is pumpkin puree that has already been sweetened with sugar and has added spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It’s meant to be mixed with eggs and evaporated milk as a shortcut filling for pumpkin pie. Use 100% pumpkin for making muffins and cakes to control the seasoning levels.
Candied pumpkin seeds add a caramelized flavor and extra crunch to the muffins’ surface. You can omit the candying step and sprinkle plain pepitas on top of the muffins.
Typically cakes are done baking when they reach about 210ºF (99ºC. However, there will be carryover cooking once removed from the oven. Muffins are mini cakes and can dry out easily. A toothpick is a good way for a visual check, no crumbs should be attached. Use a thermometer for more accurate measurement. The cake should reach between 200 to 205ºF (93 to 96ºC), and the residual heat will gently complete the cooking of the batter.
More Pumpkin Recipes
If you tried this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
Praline Pumpkin Seeds
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, or pepitas
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, optional
Pumpkin Muffins
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 ¼ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat Oven – Set the oven rack to the center position. Preheat to 350ºF (177ºC).
- Make Praline Topping – In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Immediately add the pumpkin seeds and granulated sugar. Cook, constantly stirring, until the sugar is lightly caramelized and glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat if browning too quickly. Turn off the heat and stir in the pumpkin pie spice (if using).Transfer to a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and spread into a single layer. Cool entirely until hardened, about 10 minutes. If desired, roughly chop for the topping.
- Prepare Muffin Tin – In a 12-cup muffin pan, add paper liners or grease with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Set aside.
- Combine Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and pale yellow in color, 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the vegetable oil into the egg mixture until completely mixed, about 30 seconds. Whisk in pumpkin, whole milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract into the egg mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Make the Batter – Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Gently fold the flour mixture until just moistened, making sure to scrape the bottom with some lumps and flour spots remaining. Do not over-mix the batter.
- Make Cream Cheese Filling – In a medium bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, milk, and vanilla extract. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Assemble the Muffins – Evenly divide the muffin batter amongst the cups, about ⅓ cup per muffin. Add 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each muffin. Alternatively, use a spoon to add the filling. Sprinkle the praline pumpkin seeds on top of the muffin batter, leaving space along the edges.
- Bake – Bake until a toothpick inserted on the edges comes out clean or the internal temperature reaches 200 to 205°F (93 to 96ºC), about 20 to 22 minutes. Cool the pumpkin muffins in a pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool down.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute: Combine 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice for muffin batter.
- More Filling: Double the cream cheese filling recipe, adding 4 teaspoons to the center of the muffin instead of 2 teaspoons.
- Cornstarch Substitute: Use 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour.
- Pumpkin Seed Substitute: Plain chopped pumpkin seeds (or pepitas) can be added to the muffins instead of cooking them in sugar. Sunflower seeds, almond, walnuts, and pecans are delicious swaps, or candied nuts.
- Storing: Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Reheat in the microwave on high in 5 to 10-second intervals until warm.
- Freezing: Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Store in a resealable bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. To warm, wrap the muffin in a paper towel and reheat it in the microwave on medium heat for about 60 to 90 seconds.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Michelle says
Just finished baking these. Hot out of the oven and smells heavenly!! Very moist and flavorful. Delicious!!