These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are soft, warmly spiced, and filled with a smooth, sweet cream cheese center. Made with pumpkin puree, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and a buttery muffin batter, they have everything you want in a cozy fall bake. A sprinkle of coarse sugar adds a lightly crisp topping that makes every bite even more inviting.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and flavorful: Pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice create rich autumn flavor.
- Creamy center: A sweet cream cheese filling adds a delicious contrast to the tender pumpkin muffin.
- Simple ingredients: Most of the ingredients are everyday baking staples.
- Easy technique: No mixer is needed for the muffin batter, and the cream cheese filling comes together quickly.
- Family-friendly: These muffins are perfect for breakfast, brunch, snacks, lunchboxes, or a cozy afternoon treat.
- Bakery-style tops: Starting the muffins at a high temperature helps encourage beautifully domed muffin tops.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 15 oz pumpkin puree, blotted dry
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Remove the egg, sour cream, buttermilk, and cream cheese from the refrigerator about 2 hours before baking so they can come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line muffin pans with paper liners, spacing the liners apart by using only 6 liners in each 12-cup muffin pan.
- Spread the pumpkin puree onto a plate. Cover it with paper towels and gently blot the puree 3–4 times to remove excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the blotted pumpkin puree, melted and cooled butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, sour cream, and buttermilk until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a rubber spatula just until combined. Avoid overmixing; the batter should be thick with a few small streaks or lumps remaining.
- Divide the batter between the prepared liners, mounding it almost to the brim. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar.
- Beat the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar, flour, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag. Insert the tip about one-third of the way into each muffin and gently squeeze a dollop of filling into the center.
- Bake the pumpkin cream cheese muffins at 425°F (220°C) for 8 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 6–8 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin portion away from the cream cheese comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to rest in the hot pan for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.
Tips & Tricks
- Blot the pumpkin well: Removing excess moisture helps keep the batter thick and prevents the muffins from becoming overly wet.
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Room-temperature dairy and eggs blend more evenly and help create a smoother batter.
- Do not overmix: Fold the wet and dry ingredients together only until combined. Overmixing can make muffins dense.
- Do not test through the filling: The cream cheese center will remain soft, so insert a toothpick into the pumpkin muffin portion instead.
- Keep the butter cool: Melt the butter ahead of time and let it cool before adding it to the other ingredients.
- Use softened cream cheese: Cold cream cheese can leave lumps in the filling.
- For taller muffins: Keep the liners spaced apart and follow the initial 425°F baking temperature before lowering the heat.
- For a different topping: Replace the coarse sugar with a light sprinkle of cinnamon sugar if preferred.
- For extra spice: Add a small pinch of ground cloves or ginger to the dry ingredients.
Details
- Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus room-temperature time
- Cook Time: 14–16 minutes
- Total Time: About 2 hours 35 minutes, including ingredient warming and cooling
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American-inspired
- Difficulty: Easy
- Dietary Notes: Vegetarian; halal-friendly
Notes
For the best texture, use plain pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains added sweeteners and spices and will change the balance of the recipe.
These muffins are delicious served slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Pair them with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk for an easy breakfast or afternoon snack.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per muffin:
- Calories: 280
- Protein: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fat: 12g
Nutrition values are estimates and can vary depending on the specific brands and ingredient quantities used.
FAQ
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree for pumpkin muffins?
Yes. Homemade pumpkin puree can be used, but it should have a similar consistency to canned puree. If it is watery, drain or blot it well before adding it to the batter.
How do I keep the cream cheese filling in the center?
Pipe the filling into the muffin batter about one-third of the way down rather than placing it directly on top. This helps the filling stay surrounded by the pumpkin batter as the muffins bake.
Why do you bake these muffins at two temperatures?
The initial high temperature helps the muffins rise quickly and develop taller tops. Lowering the temperature afterward allows the centers to finish baking without over-browning the tops.
Can I make these cream cheese muffins without a piping bag?
Yes. Place the cream cheese filling into a small zip-top bag, snip off one corner, and use it in place of a piping bag.
Can I make these pumpkin spice muffins ahead of time?
Yes. Bake them a day ahead and store them properly in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese filling. Let them sit briefly at room temperature or enjoy them chilled.
Can I use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar?
Yes. Either light or dark brown sugar works well. Dark brown sugar will give the muffins a slightly deeper molasses flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: Because the muffins contain a cream cheese filling, store cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer: For longer storage, wrap individual cooled muffins tightly and place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 2 months for the best quality.
Reheating: Thaw frozen muffins overnight in the refrigerator. For a slightly warmer texture, microwave a refrigerated or thawed muffin for about 10–15 seconds, checking carefully before serving.
Similar Recipes
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 15 oz pumpkin puree blotted dry
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream at room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling
- 4 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Remove the egg, sour cream, buttermilk, and cream cheese from the refrigerator about 2 hours before baking so they can come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line muffin pans with paper liners, spacing the liners apart by using only 6 liners in each 12-cup muffin pan.
- Spread the pumpkin puree onto a plate. Cover it with paper towels and gently blot the puree 3–4 times to remove excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the blotted pumpkin puree, melted and cooled butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, sour cream, and buttermilk until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a rubber spatula just until combined. Avoid overmixing; the batter should be thick with a few small streaks or lumps remaining.
- Divide the batter between the prepared liners, mounding it almost to the brim. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar.
- Beat the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar, flour, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag. Insert the tip about one-third of the way into each muffin and gently squeeze a dollop of filling into the center.
- Bake the pumpkin cream cheese muffins at 425°F (220°C) for 8 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 6–8 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin portion away from the cream cheese comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to rest in the hot pan for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.
Notes
Conclusion
These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are an easy way to bring cozy fall baking into your kitchen. The tender pumpkin-spiced crumb, creamy center, and crunchy sugar topping make them feel special without requiring complicated techniques. Once you have the ingredients at room temperature and the pumpkin properly blotted, the batter comes together quickly and bakes into a batch of irresistible homemade muffins.