Description

These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are the perfect blend of rich, spiced pumpkin flavor and tangy cream cheese, creating a moist, flavorful treat with a surprise creamy center. Ideal for fall or anytime you crave the warm flavors of pumpkin spice, these muffins are perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. The combination of pumpkin puree and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger fills your kitchen with the comforting aromas of autumn, while the sweetened cream cheese center adds a delightful twist to each bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Pumpkin Muffins

2 cups All-purpose flour
2 teaspoon Baking powder
½ teaspoon Baking soda
½ teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
15 oz Pumpkin puree 1 can of puree
½ cup Unsalted butter melted and cooled
¾ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
1 Large egg room temperature
1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
¼ cup Sour cream room temperature
½ cup Buttermilk room temperature
Coarse sugar like sugar in the raw

Cream Cheese Filling

4 oz Cream cheese room temperature
2 tablespoon White granulated sugar
1 teaspoon All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Milk
1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Pumpkin Muffins

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Set aside. Place the pumpkin puree on a plate. Press a paper towel on the plate. Do this about 4 times so it soaks up the extra moisture.

2 cups All-purpose flour,2 teaspoon Baking powder,½ teaspoon Baking soda,½ teaspoon Salt,2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon,1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice,¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg,15 oz Pumpkin puree
In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, sour cream, and buttermilk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix until just combined.

½ cup Unsalted butter,¾ cup Brown sugar,1 Large egg,1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract,½ cup Buttermilk,¼ cup Sour cream

Cream Cheese Filling

- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Place 6 muffin liners per 12 cup muffin pan (separate them out, this gives them a chance to rise higher)
- Use a large cookie scoop and scoop a heaping scoop into each liner. Sprinkle the coarse sugar on top.
  
  Coarse sugar

In a small bowl using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, milk, and vanilla on high speed until smooth.

4 oz Cream cheese,2 tablespoon White granulated sugar,1 teaspoon All-purpose flour,1 teaspoon Milk,1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
Place the cream cheese filling in a piping bag. Place the bag in the middle of muffin batter. Squeeze until a dollop appears in the center of the muffin. You will use all of the filling for the 12 muffins.
Bake at 425℉ for 8 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 350℉. Bake for another 6-8 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the muffins sit in the hot pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before storing in the fridge. These taste best cold.

Notes

Pumpkin Puree: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, for this recipe. Canned pumpkin works best for convenience, but homemade puree is also an option.
Cream Cheese Filling: Chilling the cream cheese mixture before adding it to the muffin batter helps it stay in the center and prevents it from spreading too much during baking.
Pumpkin Spice: You can use a pre-made pumpkin spice blend or mix your own with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
Batter Consistency: Be careful not to over-mix the batter when combining the wet and dry ingredients, as this can lead to dense muffins.
Customizations: Feel free to add mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or dried cranberries to the batter for extra texture and flavor. You can also top the muffins with pumpkin seeds or a cinnamon-sugar streusel for added crunch.
Storing and Freezing: These muffins stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze the muffins and reheat as needed.