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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins – tender and delicious pumpkin muffins loaded with fall spices and a sweetened cream cheese surprise center!
If there is one thing you know from coming to this site, it is that I love muffins! It can be Lemon Blueberry Muffins in the summer or healthy Chocolate Oatmeal Blender Muffins. There is just something about pretty much getting to eat cake for breakfast!
And as soon as the weather has any chill in the air, I am all about pumpkin and apples and all things fall. These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are one of my all time favorites. They are super moist and tender, because I used a FULL CAN of pumpkin in the recipe! Plus it has all the traditional fall spices.
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Nutmeg
- Salt
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in baking
- Pumpkin (a full 15 oz can)
- Vanilla Extract
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
These muffins are so moist and tender and loaded with flavor from the full can of pumpkin in the recipe! Plus, you don’t have to figure out what to make with the little bit left in the can, so it is a win-win!
How To Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar until it is super smooth and creamy. You can use a hand mixer for this if you have one, it comes together in no time.
- In one bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg and salt. Set aside once the spices are incorporated.
- In a separate bowl beat together the pumpkin, eggs, both kinds of sugar, melted butter and vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin and stir until the flour is just incorporated, and there are no more white steaks.
- If you have cookie scoops, they work great for filling the muffin cups. Scoop 1-2 Tablespoons (the medium sized cookie scoop) of muffin batter into the base of 18 muffin cups. Scoop 1 Tablespoon (the small cookie scoop) into the center of the muffins. Then top with another 2 Tablespoons of muffin batter to fully cover the cream cheese mixture.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until they are cooked through and a tester comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storing Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Because of the cream cheese mixture, you will need to store these in the fridge. I think they are best enjoyed closer to room temperature though. So take them out 20-30 minutes before serving, if you can, for best results.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Muffins
Absolutely! I was a little nervous about the cream cheese mixture in the center, but they freeze really well! And considering the recipe makes 18 muffins, that is great, because you can stash some in the freezer and just let them thaw at room temperature when you are ready to eat them.
You can also microwave frozen muffins for 30-45 seconds per muffin if you are in a furry.
Muffin Making Tips
- Measure the wet and dry ingredients separately! I know it gets another bowl dirty, but it is really what makes for the most tender muffins. You get to fully beat the eggs, or incorporate the spices with the flour before blending everything together. So you are mixing as little as possible.
- When you are making these muffins, I like to use cookie scoops to fill the muffin cups. I use my smallest cookie scoop for the cream cheese mixture and then the larger cookie scoop for the pumpkin batter.
- This recipe doesn’t call for a streusel topping, because I thought they were great without it. But if you want one, use the one on these Apple Cinnamon Muffins and it will work great!
- The best way to know when muffins are done baking is to lightly press on the top. They will spring back when they are fully cooked. You can also use a toothpick that you insert into the middle. If it comes out mostly clean (crumbs are perfectly fine, just not batter), then they are done.
- I like to use paper liners for these muffins. Sometimes you can have some of the cream cheese filling leak out the sides if you didn’t scoop the batter perfectly, so that helps them still come out of the pan cleanly and not make a mess.
- It is ok if some cream cheese mixture leaks out. It happens if you don’t get the pumpkin batter fully around the cream cheese. It does tend to rise in the muffins, which is why you start with less batter in the base before adding it to the muffins.
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Pumpkin Waffles
- Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Bread
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Bars
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
Pumpkin Muffins
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 can, 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 2 whole large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sweetened Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners or grease very well.
- Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together until nice and smooth. Set aside.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a separate bowl mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth and eggs are completely incorporated.
- Fold in flour mixture until white streaks just disappear.
- Fill lined muffin cups with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of muffin batter (suggest using a medium-sized cookie scoop). Place 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture in center (suggest using a small-sized cookie scoop). Cover with 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons of more batter.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes until a tester comes out clean and when you gently press on top they spring back.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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That is such a fun idea! I love the cream cheese mix hidden in the center of the muffin like that!
These muffins are so good! They’re perfect with coffee!
I would like to wake up with these muffins! They are everything I need in the morning!