These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are bursting with classic warm spices and swirled with creamy cheesecake filling. The streusel crumb topping is the final touch for the ultimate holiday brunch recipe. It’s pumpkin spice and everything nice!
Although I’m an autumn girl at heart, I’ve never been a pumpkin spice junkie. That is, until the day I combined pumpkin with cheesecake for the BEST Pumpkin Bread Recipe. Soft and dense with a moist crumb, it combines classic fall spices and the sweet creaminess of cheesecake. It’s love at first bite.
This family favorite is so popular it deserves its own spinoff. Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins are equally sensational bites of seasonal flavor! Streusel crumb topping is my second love affair and I use it on everything from Blueberry Lemon Muffins to Apple Crumb Cake. Never fails and levels up all bakery skills while being super easy.
This is the essential holiday brunch recipe. These muffins are easy to transport and stay moist for days! But, beware, you may not want to share.
Ingredients and Notes
Below is an overview of ingredients you will need along with personal suggestions and notes on each item.
Flour: all-purpose flour. I like to sift it, especially in the cream cheese layer, as it can get a bit lumpy.
Pumpkin Puree: You can find canned pumpkin puree usually in the baking aisle, next to the pie fillings. Pumpkin pie filling has added ingredients and should not be substituted in this recipe.
Vanilla Extract: I always prefer to use real vanilla extract as opposed to imitation. However, I understand though with food prices being the way that they are.
Sour Cream: Regular or lite sour cream is fine to use in this recipe. This can also be substituted for Greek yogurt at a 1:1 ratio.
Sugars: Both granulated and light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar can also be used instead.
Vegetable oil: I prefer regular vegetable oil, although blended vegetable oil or canola oil can also be used. You may notice that there is very little oil in this recipe. That’s because pumpkin is actually a good substitute for some of the oil in baking.
Eggs: Fresh, large eggs are perfect for this muffin recipe.
Pumpkin Spice: You can usually find blended pumpkin spice in the baking section at your local store. If it is out of season, it can also easily be made with this simple recipe:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- â…› teaspoon ground cloves
Step by Step Pumpkin Muffins
I have tested this recipe with both fresh and canned pumpkin puree. The recipe below is adjusted to work with canned pumpkin. It is light, whipped, and moist, which sets up for the perfect cakey bread.
You will make the pumpkin batter separate from the cheesecake batter at first. Then layer them and marble gently to create the muddled luscious layers. You technically don’t have to marble them together, but I like the look of it.
To get that nice, distinct and chunky layers, there is a specific technique.
- Start with a small layer of pumpkin on the bottom – just enough to cover the bottom. Then alternate dollops of pumpkin and cream cheese filling. The cream cheese filling is thinner so it will spread a little. (Top Photo)
- Lightly marble the top so you can fill in gaps and make the top smooth. Make sure the edges are well filled. (Bottom photo)
Recipe Tips
- Don’t over mix the pumpkin and cream cheese in the muffins. You want them to have distinct differences. A few passes of the toothpick will do fine for marbling.
- If you like extra cinnamon flavor, you can add it directly or in the crumb topping.
- If you skip the streusel topping, add ½ teaspoon cinnamon to the pumpkin batter.
- As hard as it is, resist cutting until the muffins have cooled. Cream cheese needs a little more time to set up.
- Use the brick style full-fat cream cheese, not the whipped or light versions.
- Use pumpkin puree (usually in the canned section), not pumpkin pie filling which has sweeteners and spices added in.
More Favorite Muffin Recipes
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Healthy Zucchini Muffins
- Ultimate Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Perfectly Spiced Yellow Squash Muffins
Frequently Asked Questions
You can easily store these muffins in the freezer to enjoy for later! They should be individually wrapped with plastic wrap and will keep in the freezer for about 2-3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, simply allow them to thaw on the counter till they come to room temperature or leave them in the refrigerator overnight.
Yes! As a matter of fact, I have a similar recipe for pumpkin cream cheese bread if you would prefer it prepare that way.
You can omit or customize the streusel topping if you’d like. Sometimes I like to add chopped pecans or walnuts instead or a little extra cinnamon.
Not Sure
What's For Dinner?
Signup for recipe updates and get a free cookbook of Easy Weeknight Supper Solutions!
More Delicious Fall Recipes
PS. If you make this recipe, leave a COMMENT AND A STAR RATING in the comments section at the bottom and be sure to take a photo and tag it #cravingcreative on Instagram! I appreciate you for taking the time to read about me and my family recipes.Â
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 cup Canned Pumpkin Puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar packed
- ¼ cup Granulated White sugar
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
- ¼ cup Sour Cream light is fine
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Spice I have a recipe in the notes below if you don't have any on hand.
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 5 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour sifted
Crumb Topping (Optional)
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 3 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 6 tablespoon Butter, melted salted or unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcakes liners.
Pumpkin Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 egg, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree until smooth. Add the brown sugar and white sugar and mix until smooth. Stir in sour cream and oil until blended.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt. Add 1 cup of the dry mixture into the wet mixture at a time and mix between each addition.
Cream Cheese Swirl Batter
- In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. Beat until creamy. Make sure to blend until there are no lumps in the batter.
- Mix in egg, flour, vanilla, and (optional) orange zest until smooth.
Crumb Topping (Optional)
- In a small bowl, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking powder and melted butter. Using a spoon or your hands, mix the ingredients. Break up any large lumps.
Layering and Baking
- In a standard muffin tin, alternate adding spoonfuls of pumpkin batter and cream cheese batter until all the muffin tins are about ¾ full. Gently swirl the tops of each muffin with a toothpick till you've reach the desired effect.
- Sprinkle crumb topping onto the muffins if desired. Lightly press the crumb topping into the tops of each muffin to prevent it from moving while baking.
- Bake muffins for about 32-37 minutes or until center rises slightly and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Remove muffins from oven.
- Allow to cool in the muffin tin for at least 15 minutes. Once the pan is cool enough to handle, remove muffins from the tin and continue to cool on a wire rack until cooled completely and enjoy!
Notes
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- â…› teaspoon ground cloves
Leave a Reply