Go Back

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Ultra moist, warmly spiced pumpkin muffins with a creamy sweet cream cheese filling hidden inside and a golden cinnamon streusel on top. The famous Starbucks knockoff — made from scratch and genuinely
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 24 muffins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cream cheese filling:
  • 8 oz cream cheese 226g full-fat block , softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar 120g
Pumpkin muffin batter:
  • 3 cups 375g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups 400g granulated sugar
  • 2 cups 450g pure pumpkin puree
  • 1 and 1/4 cups 300ml vegetable oil
Cinnamon streusel topping:
  • 1/2 cup 100g granulated sugar
  • 5 tbsp 39g all-purpose flour
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into pieces

Method
 

  1. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Scoop 24 small portions onto a lined tray and freeze for 15 to 20 minutes until just firm.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
  3. Make streusel: whisk sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse wet sand. Refrigerate until needed.
  4. Whisk all dry batter ingredients together in a large bowl.
  5. Whisk eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, and oil together in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  6. Fill each muffin cup with 1 to 2 tbsp of batter to cover the bottom. Place a frozen cream cheese portion in the center, positioned low. Cover with remaining batter. Sprinkle streusel over each muffin.
  7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin portion comes out clean and streusel is golden.
  8. Cool on a wire rack at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Storage: keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing: cool completely, then freeze in an airtight bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Use a standard 15 oz can of pumpkin — it is just slightly under 2 cups. Open a second can for the small difference, or top up with unsweetened applesauce.
  • Full-fat block cream cheese only — not tub-style, not low-fat.
  • Position the cream cheese filling lower than feels right — it rises significantly during baking.
  • Pumpkin pie spice substitute: use 2 tbsp total of pumpkin pie spice to replace all four individual spices.