Recreate Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffins at home! Think sweet pumpkin meets sassy cream cheese. This delightful delicacy is a tender pumpkin muffin stuffed with cream cheese and topped with pumpkin seeds for a cozy and creamy fall treat.
If, like me, you’ve been spending a small fortune on these muffins every fall, this is the recipe for you! The sweet pumpkin, tangy cream cheese, and fall spices all harmonize perfectly.
Did I mention that my family absolutely devours these muffins? And I’m betting they yours will too. Serve them with a cup of coffee on those chilly fall mornings, and enjoy that your home smells like pumpkin spice heaven.
In this post, I’ll guide you through every step, from mixing up that luscious cream cheese filling to perfecting the flavorful muffin batter. I’ll add some tips and tricks to get restaurant-worthy flavor at home.
Looking for more pumpkin favorites? Try pumpkin pie crescent rolls, blueberry pumpkin bread, and pumpkin dump cake for more fall flavor.
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🎃Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
Muffin Ingredients
The muffins are made from standard baking ingredients, with the addition of pumpkin.
- Pumpkin: Use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin pie spice: You can substitute cinnamon if you don’t have pie spice.
- Roasted pumpkin seeds: These are also called pepitas. They provide a delightful crunch and excellent visual appeal to the muffins.
- Flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Egg
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients
- Cream cheese: Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature for an hour before using it.
- Sugar
- Flour
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
🥣How to Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Now that our ingredients are lined up let’s get down to the fun part – making these delicious muffins.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Use a whisk to really get these ingredients incorporated together.
- Combining the wet ingredients: In another bowl, combine the canned pumpkin, egg, butter, and vanilla extract.
- Merging the two: Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Remember, we’re not looking for a vigorous mix here. Stir until they are just combined.
- Muffin tin time: Fill your lined muffin tin with the pumpkin muffin batter.
- Make the filling: Whisk together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, milk and vanilla.
- Fill the muffins: Then, put that creamy goodness in a small zippered bag or pastry bag, snip the end off, and pipe it into the center of each muffin batter.
- Add pumpkin seeds: Roughly chop them and sprinkle them around the edge of the muffins.
- Bake: Pop your muffins into a 350-degree preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until they’re baked through.
🍴Serving Ideas
If you’re anything like me, you’re already dreaming up the perfect fall spread. These muffins need no fanfare; they’re pretty spectacular.
But since it is a Starbucks copycat recipe, you should serve them with some coffee! Pour a big mug of black coffee, or indulge in a homemade pumpkin spice latte.
These are great muffins for brunch or for bringing along to fall potluck. They are so moist and tender that they will surely be a huge hit.
💭Storing Your Muffins
If you have leftover muffins, let them cool, then put them in an airtight container. They’ll keep well in the fridge for up to three days.
Got too many muffins? These little beauties freeze like a dream. Just wrap each muffin in plastic wrap, then place them in a zip-top bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to three months.
When you’re ready to eat one (or two, or three – no judgment here), just let it thaw on the counter or give it a quick zap in the microwave.
Check out my favorite muffin recipes? Blackberry muffins, coconut muffins, and apple monkey bread muffins!
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Pumpkin seeds: You can skip the pumpkin seeds if you like. They’re there for some crunch and visual appeal, but the muffins will taste just as good without them.
- Cream cheese filling: You can use a knife to swirl the cream cheese filling into the muffins for a different look.
- Pumpkin puree: Canned puree works perfectly and saves time, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you can make your own by roasting and pureeing a small pumpkin. Just remember, fresh pumpkin can be more watery than canned stuff, so you might need to adjust your baking time.
- Muffin tins: Nonstick doesn’t always mean your muffins will slide out effortlessly. So, do yourself a favor and use paper liners or spray them with nonstick cooking spray before adding the batter.
📝FAQ
Absolutely! These pumpkin cream cheese muffins freeze beautifully. Just make sure they’re completely cool before you pop them in the freezer. To thaw, leave them out at room temperature, or if you’re like me and sometimes forget to plan ahead, you can zap them in the microwave to thaw them.
You sure can! Adjust your baking time if your puree is more watery than the canned version.
If you don’t have pumpkin spice, you can easily make your own blend with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Or simplify things and use cinnamon. It won’t be quite the same, but it will still be delicious!
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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- ¼ melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Roasted pumpkin seeds pepitas
Filling Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray, or line the cups with cupcake liners.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a mixing bowl.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Combine the canned pumpkin, egg, butter, and vanilla in another bowl.1 ½ cup canned pumpkin puree, 1 egg, ¼ melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir to combine.
- Fill your lined muffin tin with the pumpkin batter.
- Combine the filling ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.4 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Place the filling ingredients in a small zippered bag and snip the end off. Or put the filling in a pastry bag.
- Pipe about a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin cup.
- Roughly chop the pumpkin seeds.Roasted pumpkin seeds
- Sprinkle the seeds around the edge of the muffins.
- Bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for 15 minutes or until baked through.
- Cool slightly and serve!
Notes
- You can substitute cinnamon for the pumpkin pie spice.
- Store leftovers for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- You can skip the pumpkin seeds if you prefer.
- For a different look, swirl the cream cheese filling to the muffins.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
