Creamy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
These warm spiced pumpkin muffins feature a luscious cream cheese swirl inside each bite, offering a tender crumb and cozy autumn flavors perfect for breakfast or dessert.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (225g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease each cup well.
- Make the cream cheese filling: Beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with ¼ cup granulated sugar until smooth. Add 1 egg yolk and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; mix until silky. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- In another bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, oil or melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined; a few lumps are okay.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pumpkin batter into each muffin cup. Add about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese filling on top, then cover with another 2 tablespoons of batter. Swirl gently with a toothpick for a marbled effect.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin part comes out clean (cream cheese spots may be moist).
- Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Use room temperature eggs and cream cheese for smooth mixing. Avoid overmixing batter to keep muffins tender. Swirl cream cheese gently to maintain marbled texture. Do not open oven door during first 15 minutes of baking to prevent muffins from falling flat. Rotate pan halfway through baking for even browning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese swirl, autumn recipe, warm spices, easy muffins, fall baking