Ditch the coffee shop snacks in favor of this quick and easy recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins that swirls pumpkin batter and tangy cheesecake filling into every bite.
Cream cheese, you complete me. You steal the show in cheesecake. You beautify brownies. (Just look at that swirl in these cheesecake brownie bites!) You kick up coffee cake. You even managed to improve the best chocolate chip cookie recipe of all time. So it should come as no surprise that pumpkin + cream cheese = muffin perfection.
This quick and easy recipe for cream cheese pumpkin muffins is guaranteed to make you pass on the pastry case at your local coffee shop. With plenty of pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice, there’s no doubt this is the pumpkin muffin to end all pumpkin muffins. Add a tangy filling that’s quite reminiscent of cheesecake, and we have ourselves a winner.
How to Make Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins
The setup on this one involves luxurious, thick swirls of cheesecake-like filling marbled with pumpkin muffin batter. I’ve made (and re-made) this recipe a hundred times, sometimes piping the cheesecake mixture into the centers of the muffins, other tips alternating scoops of the two batters and swirling them together.
There is no wrong way to marry pumpkin and cheesecake. These are very forgiving batters, so choose your preferred combination method and get ready for double the flavor.
Success Tips & Variations
- Love a thick cream cheese center? Skip the swirl and pipe the cream cheese filling directly into the middle of each muffin! Just spoon the filling into a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the tip cut off), and pipe a generous dollop into the center of each muffin before baking.
- If you really want these to be a Starbucks copycat, sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top before baking. They add a nice crunch and give your muffins that signature, bakery-style look!
- Craving a plain ol’ pumpkin muffin? Simply skip the cream cheese filling. Or, if you’re a fan of chocolate, be sure to check out my fave pumpkin chocolate chip muffins recipe!
Craving more pumpkin-inspired treats? Don’t miss Pumpkin Banana Bread, Pumpkin Spice Waffles and Pumpkin Cheesecake Pops.
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Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/3 cup water
For the cream cheese filling:
- 1 package cream cheese (8-oz.), at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a muffin pan with baking cups.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set the bowl aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the pumpkin and mix until combined.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and water to the bowl, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Blend the batter well, scraping down the sides as needed. Set the batter aside.
Make the cream cheese filling:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla.
- Alternately add dollops of the pumpkin batter and cream cheese filling into the muffin cups, filling each ¾ full. Using a toothpick or sharp knife, swirl together the mixture.
- Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
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Nutrition
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I made these, but low cholesterol. Egg beaters for eggs, margerine for butter, neufchatel cream cheese. 2 mg cholesterol per muffin vs 46mg. They came out fine!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Betty!
If I want to use real pumpkin and not canned what do you suggest?
Hi Krystie! I’ve never tried this recipe using fresh/roasted pumpkin, but I think you’d want to really drain out any excess moisture. Let me know if you give it a shot!
Hi Kelly, as it’s hard to get cans of pumpkin puree here in Germany, do you think pumpkin puree from the baby food section would work the same? Thanks! Katja
That just might work, Katja! Let me know if you give it a shot!
… tried it today with baby food (pure pumpkin) and it worked very well. ;)
Woohoo! I’m so glad it worked out, Katja!
So beautiful and delicious! Thank you!
You’re so welcome, Cindy! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
These are delicious and easy to make. My grandson loves them for breakfast.
I’m so thrilled to read this, Lucille!
I made the recipe as written but replaced the wheat flour with King Arthur gluten free flour. Butter was my shortening. I used whole milk in place of the water. Part way through the baking, my oven failed. I cooked these in a slow oven for a very long time, then finished them with the broiler. They came out perfect – not dry and not doughy. I will definitely make again!
Wow! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Diane!
would love this in chocolate muffins…..would it work the same?
Sure!