These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are the perfect fall breakfast. Soft, pumpkin muffins with a sweet cream cheese filling and topped with a buttery streusel are even better than Starbucks!
Make sure to try my Pumpkin Bread Recipe too…it’s the absolute BEST!
These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Are My Version Of A Starbucks Copycat Recipe!
These Pumpkin Muffins are so incredibly delicious! They are my version of the popular muffin that comes out at Starbucks every year, but even better. I have made these three ways: with the cream cheese on top surrounded by streusel topping, with the cream cheese inside and the streusel covering the top of the muffin, AND with the cream cheese on top without any streusel if that’s what you like! I wanted to give you a few options and show you just how easy these pumpkin muffins are!
You Will Love the Cream Cheese Filling!
The cheesecake filling inside (or on top of) these muffins is absolutely delicious. It’s a creamy bite that pairs beautifully with the spiced pumpkin muffin. The cream cheese adds a little something special to this recipe, in my opinion, but if you don’t like cream cheese you can absolutely omit it. But I love it, and I think you will too!
Ingredients/Yield: 24 Standard Muffins
I’ve broken up the ingredients list into 3 parts here for you to make it easier: the cream cheese filling, the muffins, and the streusel topping! The full ingredient list with the measurements is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Cream Cheese Filling:
- Cream Cheese at room temperature
- Large egg
- Granulated Sugar
Pumpkin Muffins:
- All purpose flour
- Pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice use 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
- Cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- Baking soda
- Vegetable oil. You can also use canola oil as well.
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Pure pumpkin puree. Don’t get this mixed up with pumpkin pie filling. Make sure you’re using 100% pure pumpkin!
Streusel Topping:
- Light brown sugar
- Butter at room temperature
- Quick oats. You can also use old fashioned oats if that’s what you have on-hand. I prefer the texture the quick oats give as they are cut into smaller pieces.
- All purpose flour
- Ground cinnamon
- Pumpkin seeds. I like to use salted pumpkin seeds in the streusel topping, for a little bit of a salty bite!
How To Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins:
These muffins are simple to make, they just have a few steps. You don’t even need to use a mixer if you don’t want to, and can omit the topping or the filling if you desire!
- Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, egg, and 3- tablespoons sugar with a hand mixer until combined and smooth, 1-2 minutes. You can also do this step by hand, I just prefer to use the hand mixer for ease!Transfer the cream cheese mixture into a bowl and refrigerate while you complete the next steps.
- Streusel: In a medium bowl mix together the light brown sugar, butter, oats, flour, cinnamon, and pumpkin seeds until combined and coarse crumbs form. Set this aside.
- Muffins: Line 2 muffins tins with cupcake liners and preheat your oven to 350°F. You can also coat your muffin tins with nonstick spray if you don’t want to use liners.
- In a large bowl whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.) Set aside. In another bowl mix together the wet ingredients (oil, 2 cups sugar, eggs, and pumpkin puree.) Stir until smooth.
- Add the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture, stirring until combined.
- To create muffins with the cream cheese INSIDE: Fill the liners halfway full with the muffin batter. Drop a spoonful of the cream cheese into the batter and top with a tablespoon more of batter covering the cream cheese. Repeat this process with the remaining batter and cream cheese. Then Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly on the muffins and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the muffins are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- To create muffins where the cream cheese REMAINS ON TOP (like Starbucks): Fill the muffin tin 3/4 full and spoon the cream cheese in the center. Sprinkle the streusel mixture around the edge of the cupcake, not covering the cream cheese. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Can I Make These Without the Cream Cheese Filling?
Yes, absolutely! The base recipe for these Pumpkin Muffins is standalone great! You could even use the recipe for the streusel on the muffins without the cream cheese!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
This recipe works on so many different levels:
- The pumpkin muffin is light enough to enjoy on its own. It has the perfect crumb and moistness. It also is sturdy enough to hold up to the cream cheese filling. It’s a completely adaptable pumpkin muffin recipe with the ideal amount of spice and pumpkin flavor!
- The streusel topping is crunchy and delicious without overpowering the muffin. It includes pumpkin seeds with adda little protein and crunch! I like to use salted pumpkin seeds to add a slightly salty bite!
- This recipe is also great to cut in half if you would only like to make 12 muffins! You can also use large muffin tins if you want a true bakery-style muffin!
How To Store Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins:
Store these muffins airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You need to keep these in the fridge due to the cream cheese. If you omit the cheesecake filling, you can store them at room temperature for 3 days.
Freezing:
These muffins freeze beautifully. Store them airtight in the freezer for up to 30 days for best freshness. Thaw them in the refrigerator!
Here are some other pumpkin recipes you will love!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
Description:
These moist Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are sweet, delicious, and adaptable! Perfect with a cup of coffee!
Ingredients:
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8– ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Streusel:
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
Muffins:
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 (15- ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, egg, and 3- tablespoons sugar with a hand mixer until combined and smooth, 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the cream cheese mixture into a bowl and refrigerate while you complete the next steps.
- Streusel: In a medium bowl mix together the light brown sugar, butter, oats, flour, cinnamon, and pumpkin seeds until combined and coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
- Muffins: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 tins with liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In another bowl mix together the oil, 2 cups sugar, eggs, and pumpkin puree. Stir until smooth.
- Add the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture, stirring until combined.
- Fill the liners halfway full with the muffin batter. Drop a spoonful of the cream cheese into the batter and top with a tablespoon more of batter covering the cream cheese. (This creates muffins where the cream cheese is inside the muffin. See the notes for other methods.). Repeat this process with the remaining batter and cream cheese.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly on the muffins and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the muffins are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes:
To create muffins where the cream cheese remains on top, fill the muffin tin 3/4 full and spoon the cream cheese in the center. Sprinkle the streusel mixture around the edge of the cupcake, not covering the cream cheese. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
If you don’t prefer streusel, you can omit it.
Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Keywords:: cookies and cups, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin recipe, starbucks copycat
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