These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are super soft pumpkin muffins filled with cream cheese. These pumpkin muffins are full of spices and bake really tall. They taste amazing and the cream cheese filling makes a satisfying treat in the middle!
These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are a delicious fall breakfast with lots of pumpkin spice flavor combined with a sweet cream cheese filling. They are the BEST pumpkin muffins and anyone who loves pumpkin spice flavor will love them. The best part is that it is an easy recipe with simple ingredients and only 8 steps! Make this pumpkin muffin recipe your go to breakfast this pumpkin season!
For more pumpkin recipes, try Pumpkin Cupcakes, Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars, and Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.
Try pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
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Why This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin Recipe Works
- Pumpkin flavor- These muffins welcome fall with pumpkin flavor and have lots of pumpkin spices! The perfect fall treat!
- Cream cheese filling- Pumpkin and cream cheese are a perfect combination, and this cheesecake filling feels like a surprise treat in the middle!
- Soft muffins- These muffins are tall and fluffy! They are moist muffins with the perfect tender muffin texture that makes it hard to stop eating them!
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full ingredients list, check out the recipe card below.
- Pumpkin puree- Make sure not to use a pumpkin pie filling as it has added ingredients we do not want. You can use canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree.
- Sour cream- Use full fat sour cream or greek yogurt. Pull this out 2 hours before baking.
- Egg- Pull the large egg out 2 hours before using.
- Baking powder + Baking soda- Both are used to give the muffins a better rise.
- Unsalted butter- The butter needs to be melted and then cooled before use. If it is too warm it will affect the texture.
- Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar will work too.
- Buttermilk- Pull this out 2 hours before baking. You can substitute in milk if you do not have buttermilk.
- Cream cheese- Pull this out 2 hours before baking to get to room temperature.
- Coarse sugar- A coarse sugar will make a better crunchy sugar topping on top of the muffin, but regular can be substituted if needed. I use Sugar In The Raw.
Step By Step Instructions- Pumpkin Muffin Batter and Cream Cheese Filling
Here is how to make and bake these pumpkin cream cheese muffins.
STEP 1: Dry ingredients. Use a large bowl to mix together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Set it aside. Prep the pumpkin puree now by placing it on a plate and pressing a paper towel into it to absorb excess liquid. Do this roughly 4 times.
STEP 2: Wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, sour cream, and buttermilk. Pour them into the flour mixture and mix them until combined.
STEP 3: Prep. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Meanwhile, line a 12 cup muffin tin with 6 muffin liners alternating holes. The extra space allows for a higher rise.
STEP 4: Scoop. Use a large cookie scoop (2 tablespoon or 2 oz) to scoop a heaping scoop of pumpkin muffin batter into each liner. Sprinkle the coarse sugar on top.
STEP 5: Beat cream cheese filling. Use a small bowl and hand mixer to beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, milk, and vanilla extract on high speed until smooth.
STEP 6: Pipe filling. Place the cream cheese mixture in a piping bag. Press the tip of the bag into the center of each muffin and squeeze until a dollop appears in the center. Use all of the filling between the 12 muffins (2 muffin tins)
STEP 7: Bake. Bake at 425°F for 6 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for 6-8 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Avoid the filling for this test.
STEP 8: Cool. Let the muffins cool in the hot pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Expert Baking Tips
- Flour- Make sure the flour is spooned and leveled. If you stick the measuring cup into the flour, it will compact it. Compacted flour will dry out the muffins.
- Bake 6 muffins at a time, to get a bigger rise and larger dome. A bigger rise also gives them a better texture.
- It is easy to over mix muffin batter. As soon as it is combined, stop mixing.
- Muffins are baked at a high heat first to activate the rising agents and get a taller muffin.
- For the toothpick test try to get the toothpick close to the center of the muffin without going into the filling. We want to test if the muffin batter is fully baked, but the cream cheese will stick to the toothpick.
FAQ
Make sure that the dairy ingredients are at room temperature before using. Also, the sour cream will help the muffins be very fluffy.
Dry muffins have to do with over baking or over measuring too much flour. If your oven runs hot, check the muffins early.
Yes you can! You will have to reduce your bake time for mini muffins compared to regular size muffins.
Why do you only put 6 muffins in your 12 muffin pan?
Separating the muffins only using alternating muffin cups allows the air to get to the muffins evenly. This will also allow them to bake faster than a full 12 muffins. This extra room will give your muffins a larger rise and incorporate more air for an better texture.
Storing and Freezing
Store these pumpkin cream cheese muffins in the fridge in an airtight container. Store up to 5 days.
Freezing
The pumpkin cream cheese muffins can be frozen. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container and freeze up to 30 days.
Thaw frozen muffin for 1-2 hours before eating.
Other Muffin Recipes To Try
Make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
Pumpkin Muffins
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 15 oz Pumpkin puree 1 can of puree
- ½ cup Unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ¾ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- 1 Large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup Sour cream room temperature
- ½ cup Buttermilk room temperature
- Coarse sugar like sugar in the raw
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tablespoon White granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Milk
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Pumpkin Muffins
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Set aside. Place the pumpkin puree on a plate. Press a paper towel on the plate. Do this about 4 times so it soaks up the extra moisture.2 cups All-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon Baking powder, ½ teaspoon Baking soda, ½ teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice, ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg, 15 oz Pumpkin puree
- In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, sour cream, and buttermilk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix until just combined.½ cup Unsalted butter, ¾ cup Brown sugar, 1 Large egg, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, ½ cup Buttermilk, ¼ cup Sour cream
Cream Cheese Filling
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Place 6 muffin liners per 12 cup muffin pan (separate them out, this gives them a chance to rise higher)
- Use a large cookie scoop and scoop a heaping scoop into each liner. Sprinkle the coarse sugar on top.Coarse sugar
- In a small bowl using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, milk, and vanilla on high speed until smooth.4 oz Cream cheese, 2 tablespoon White granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon All-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Milk, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- Place the cream cheese filling in a piping bag. Place the bag in the middle of muffin batter. Squeeze until a dollop appears in the center of the muffin. You will use all of the filling for the 12 muffins.
- Bake at 425℉ for 8 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 350℉. Bake for another 6-8 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the muffins sit in the hot pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before storing in the fridge. These taste best cold.
Megan says
AMAZING!!! Made these this morning. Easy to follow instructions, appreciate how explicit everything was, and they are BEAUTIFUL! Perfect rise and SOOOO delicious! Thank you!
Alyssa says
This is delicious! The muffins are not too sweet and so fluffy. I’m so happy to use a whole can of pumpkin instead of finding something else to do with half of it. I also really appreciate the ingredients list after each step. Will definitely make them again.
Kristina says
Which brand of pumpkin puree did you use for this recipe? Also, does the crumble need to be chilled?
Stephanie Rutherford says
Hello!
I prefer to use Libby pumpkin puree (the big can). Although sometimes it is hard to find, so you can use the store brand kind. It takes more than 1 15oz can to get a stronger pumpkin flavor. Yes the crumble gets chilled. Put it in the fridge while you make the batters.
Cecilia says
These are currently in the oven.. however, my crumble was more of a paste... are the measurements right for the butter? I double checked mine. Thanks!
Stephanie Rutherford says
The crumble will need to be in the fridge while you make the rest of the batters. This will solidify the butter as it chills. If it still feels too wet, you can add an extra 1 TBSP of flour to the crumble. I hope it turns out yummy!
Kathy says
These muffins were so insanely good. The pumpkin flavor was absolute perfection and had me feeling all the fall feels. The cheesecake layers touched my soul. And the cinnamon crumbles were phenomenal to top off the most beautiful and delectable treat I cannot wait to enjoy again this fall! Yummy!