Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

from 8 votes

Ditch the coffee shop snacks in favor of this quick and easy recipe for Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins that swirls pumpkin batter and tangy cheesecake filling into every bite.

A muffin tin containing Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

Cream cheese, you complete me. You steal the show in cheesecake. You beautify brownies. (Just look at that swirl.) 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.

Batter in a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment

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.

Cupcake liners filled with pumpkin batter

Are These Muffins Like the Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins at Starbucks?

You better believe it! Not only are they like the coffee shop snack, they’re better than the coffee shop snack. 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.

A pumpkin muffin with cream cheese cut in half on a plate

Craving more pumpkin-inspired treats? Don’t miss Pumpkin Banana Bread, Pumpkin Spice Waffles and Pumpkin Cheesecake Pops.

A top-down view of a muffin tin containing freshly baked Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

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Breakfast

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

Preheat your oven for a quick and easy recipe starring extra-moist pumpkin muffins with a tangy cream cheese filling!
Author: Kelly Senyei
5 from 8 votes
A muffin tin containing Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 16 muffins

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. Spoon a portion of the muffin batter into each cup filling it ¾ full.

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 2/3 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.
  • ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!

Nutrition

Calories: 188kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 155mg, Potassium: 69mg, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 2605IU, Vitamin C: 0.7mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    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!

    1. 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!

  2. 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

  3. 5 stars
    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!

  4. We love these!! My family always asks me to make these. I was curious, do you know how long you would cook them if you made them in a mini muffin tin? Thanks for an awesome recipe!!

    1. Hi Trina! I have never made mini muffins with this recipe so unfortunately, I’m not certain on the bake time. So glad you and your family have been enjoying them!

  5. I made these into four mini loaves it was great….I whipped the entire batter at the end in the mixer and it made a treat texture!!! The cream cheese filling was great….and I also added the one third cup of water even if I didn’t blend…added pumpkin seeds over the top…awesome!

  6. Theses look so yummy I want to try this receipes. I made cream cheese muffins with th cream cheese in the batter and made half with mini chocolate chips. I want to try these muffins with a cream cheese in the center❤️

  7. I made the muffins using fresh pumpkin, I live in Jamaica and the supermarkets don’t sell canned pumpkin. To spice the pumpkin I boiled it with cinnamon sticks and then used nutmeg and cinnamon as my “pumpkin spice.” They were amazing! But wasn’t sure if I should leave them out or refrigerate them since they had the cream cheese.
    Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Hi Bec! I’ve never tried this recipe for fresh/roasted pumpkin, but I think you’d want to really drain out any excess moisture.

  8. Hey Kelly,

    I’ll be making these today. I imagine you need to refrigerate them because of the cheesecake, right?

    Thanks!
    Steph

  9. Made these tonight, and they were delicious! Not too sweet, a little veggie, a little extra protein…dare I say healthy?

    Just a heads up, in the directions for combining the dry ingredients, it should include salt.

    I love everything I’ve ever made from your recipes–they’re always a big hit!

    1. Thanks so much for letting me know, Jessica! Recipe has been updated :) So glad you enjoyed the muffins!

  10. Oh, yum Kelly! These look absolutely amazing. I have some pumpkin in the pantry…looks like these need to be on the menu for next week!

    By the way, I loved listening to you on the FoodBlogger Pro Podcast! Thanks for sharing your insight!!

  11. Thank you so much for this recipe, my daughter is gona loooove this so much. She’s a pumpkin spice everything lover. Plus she enjoys baking.

  12. Wow those look like some amazing muffins! That cream cheese filling is calling my name :)