Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins – The Big Man’s World ®

These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are super moist and fluffy and feature a cheesecake filling! Made with easy ingredients, they take just 25 minutes to bake. 

How do you elevate the humble pumpkin muffin? Stuff it with cream cheese and add a streusel topping!

The popular Starbucks pumpkin muffin inspired these pumpkin cheesecake muffins. After doing many taste tests and so much recipe testing, I’ve created an even better version that is deceptively easy to make and perfect for Fall… and so much cheaper too!

These muffins have the best texture– they are super moist and fluffy, and the cream cheese filling is creamy and smooth. Once you add the streusel topping over each one, it adds a subtle crunch that completes it.

Taste-wise, it’s full of warming pumpkin flavor, and the filling actually tastes like cheesecake! 

Why this recipe works

• Simple ingredients. Pumpkin, eggs, and some pantry staple ingredients are all you’ll need. 
• Ready in under 25 minutes. From prep to plate, these take almost no time at all.
• Perfect for the holidays. These are the ultimate seasonal baked goods that are a must for the holiday season or when you want a little something between meals or after dinner.

What we love about this recipe is that everything is made with a couple of mixing bowls. No fancy gadgets or kitchen utensils are needed, and clean-up is a breeze.

Ingredients needed

This recipe calls for very simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Here is what you’ll need:

• All purpose flour. Simple and perfect for baking. I’ve also tried these muffins with wholewheat flour and it works well too. Just be wary that the muffins will be darker in color and a teensy bit more dense. 
• Baking soda. Gives the muffins some rise and fluffiness.
• Salt. Just a pinch to balance out the sweet ingredients.
• Eggs. Room temperature. 
• Pumpkin puree. Unsweetened pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. 
• Maple syrup. Adds sweetness to the muffins. You can also use honey or agave nectar.
• Vanilla extract. A must for any good muffin.
• Coconut oil OR butter. I prefer using coconut oil but melted butter also works. If you do go for the coconut option, opt for refined coconut oil, which has no coconut flavor. 
• Sweet cream cheese filling. A combination of softened cream cheese and sugar. Do not use light or reduced-fat cream cheeses as they have added moisture, and the lack of fat will dry them out once completely baked. 
• Streusel topping. Classic crumb ingredients like butter, brown sugar, flour, and a touch of cinnamon.

How to make pumpkin cream cheese muffins

Besides prepping the three parts of the muffin batter, there isn’t much hands-on time needed. Ready to get your bake on?

Step 1- Make the muffin batter. Start by whisking together the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until a smooth batter remains. 

Step 2- Make the cheesecake filling. In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese with sugar until combined. 

Step 3- Make the streusel. Add the melted butter to a bowl, followed by the sugar, flour, and cinnamon.

Step 4- Assemble the muffins. Now, fill a 12-count muffin tin with muffin liners. Fill 2/3 of each muffin liner with the batter, followed by a spoonful of the cream cheese filling, more batter, then a sprinkle of streusel on top.

Step 5- Bake. Bake the muffins for 22-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out mostly clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips to make the best recipe

• Avoid overbaking the muffins, as they will continue to cook as they are cooling down.
• The streusel topping is completely optional, so feel free to omit if desired.
• If you’d like a sweeter muffin, you can use pumpkin pie filling instead.
• Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the muffin batter into the muffin pan.
• Add other spices like ground nutmeg, ground ginger, allspice, or pumpkin pie spice.

Storage instructions

To store: Leftover muffins can be stored at room temperature in a sealed container for up to five days. If you’d like them to keep longer, store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 

To freeze: Place the cooled muffins in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

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Frequently asked questions