Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

5 from 2 votes
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Fall means the unofficial start of all things pumpkin – and nothing gets my kids up and excited on a cool, crisp fall morning like creamy, sweet, spiced pumpkin cream cheese muffins!

This easy method is simple enough to make the night before – or for a warm and cozy start to the day. I worked to simplify the steps for this deceptively easy muffin – there is no reason not to start your day with these muffins!

picture of pumpkin cream cheese muffin in a paper wrapper

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picture of pumpkin cream cheese muffin in a paper wrapper

Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins

If you love mabled coffee cakes, or pumpkin danishes, you’re going to love these easy, delicious muffins that are loaded with pumpkin spice flavors and tons of rich, delicious cream cheese!

These pumpkin muffins are light, fluffy, and full of rich pumpkin and cream cheese flavor.

They are lightly sweet but not like a cupcake – perfect with coffee, hot cocoa, mulled cider, mulled beer, or with bacon!

We hope you love these delicious cream cheese filled muffins as much as we do!

picture of pumpkin cream cheese muffin in a paper wrapper

How To Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

To make these muffins, we will need the following ingredients:

  • ยฝ cup salted butter, softened: Adds richness and moisture to the muffins, contributing to a tender crumb.
  • ยฝ cup packed light brown sugar: Provides a hint of caramel flavor and moisture.
  • ยฝ cup granulated sugar: Sweetens the muffins, balancing the flavors.
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor profile with a warm, sweet note.
  • ยฝ cup buttermilk: Adds tanginess and helps activate the leavening agents, contributing to a lighter texture.
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree: Imparts a moist texture and rich, earthy flavor, while also providing a beautiful orange color.
  • 2 large eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the structure and rise of the muffins.
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour: Forms the base of the muffin batter, providing structure.
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: Adds a warm, aromatic spice that complements the pumpkin.
  • ยผ teaspoon ground cloves: Provides a deep, warm spiciness that enhances the overall flavor.
  • ยผ teaspoon ground nutmeg: Adds a nutty and sweet spice note, balancing the other spices.
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder: Helps the muffins rise and become fluffy.
  • ยฝ teaspoon baking soda: Assists in leavening, reacting with the buttermilk to create a lighter texture.
  • Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened: Adds a rich, creamy texture to the filling, making it moist and decadent.
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar: Sweetens the cream cheese filling, balancing the tanginess.
  • 1 large egg, room temperature: Helps to set the filling and bind the ingredients together.
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour: Stabilizes the filling and helps it set properly within the muffin.

Once we gather our ingredients, we will use the following method, broken into easy steps:

Baking filled pumpkin muffins:

  1. Prep. Preheat oven to 375ยฐF and fill a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.ย 
  2. Mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, ยฝ cup granulated sugar, vanilla, buttermilk, pumpkin, and two eggs. Whisk until well combined.ย 
  3. Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda.
  4. Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined – some lumps in the batter are okay.ย 
  5. Make filling. In a third bowl, use a hand beater to combine cream cheese filling ingredients. Beat until smooth.
  6. Fill tin. Transfer the muffin batter to the muffin tin, filling each cup about ยพ full.ย 
  1. Fill. Make a dip in the center top of each muffin to create a little โ€œbowlโ€ for the cream cheese filling. Use a piping bag or a spoon to fill the indentations in the muffins with the cream cheese filling. If you are using a piping bag, you can squeeze some of the filling down inside the muffin batter, too!
  2. Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cream cheese filling is set (no longer wet) and a toothpick inserted in the muffin (cake part only) comes out with just a few crumbs.ย 
  3. Let cool. Cool the muffins for just a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
picture of muffin in muffin wrapper cut in half

Tips To Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins and FAQs

You wonโ€™t use all of the cream cheese filling – you can double the muffin ingredients or mix up just half of the cream cheese filling ingredients – please note that if you are halving the cream cheese filling recipe, you will need half of an egg. I recommend beating the egg first and then dividing the beaten egg mixture in half. 

Milk can be substituted for the buttermilk – use whole milk if substituting for the added fat content. The buttermilk and pumpkin puree both give this muffin a lot of extra moisture. 

Do not overstir the muffin batter once you have added the dry ingredients to the wet. This will make a tough muffin. 

We remove the muffins from the muffin tin to finish cooling so that they do not continue to cook (aka dry out) in the hot muffin tin. 

Measure the flour using the spoon and level method – stir the flour, spoon gently into the measuring cup and then use a flat knife to level off any excess from the top of the measuring cup – this helps prevent over-measuring the flour and keeps the muffins soft and moist. You can also sift the flour and then measure it out.

FAQs

How long can pumpkin cream cheese muffins be stored?

Muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

When are pumpkin cream cheese muffins done?

Since the cream cheese filling will throw off your toothpick test, you will need to look for browning around the edges and can stick a toothpick in the side, making sure to not touch cream cheese filling, to see when it comes out clean.

Do cream cheese filled muffins need to be refrigerated?

Since we’re using cream cheese in this recipe, it should be refrigerated if not consumed immediately.

Why are my pumpkin muffins gummy?

Muffin batter that is overmixed and overworked can be tough, dense, and have a chewy, gummy texture. Mix ingredients gently, until mixed, and don’t overwork to prevent gummy muffins.

What is the secret to moist muffins?

To make these muffins extra moist, we’re using a delicious cream cheese filling and tons of pureed pumpkin – however, in recipes without a filling, we like to swap butter for sour cream to keep a light, moist texture for muffins.

picture of pumpkin cream cheese muffins on a wood tray

Other Easy Muffins You’ll Love

To see more of our recent muffin recipes, please view here:

To see the rest of our muffin recipes, click here.

picture of pumpkin cream cheese muffin in a wrapper

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5 from 2 votes

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

By: Courtney O’Dell
Servings: 12
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
picture of muffin with cream cheese cut in half
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins – delicious moist and fluffy pumpkin spice muffins loaded with cinnamon sugar flavor and a cream cheese filling!

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375ยฐF and fill a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.ย 
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, ยฝ cup granulated sugar, vanilla, buttermilk, pumpkin, and two eggs. Whisk until well combined.ย 
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined – some lumps in the batter are okay.ย 
  • In a third bowl, use a hand beater to combine cream cheese filling ingredients. Beat until smooth.
  • Transfer the muffin batter to the muffin tin, filling each cup about ยพ full.ย 
  • Make a dip in the center top of each muffin to create a little โ€œbowlโ€ for the cream cheese filling.
  • Use a piping bag or a spoon to fill the indentations in the muffins with the cream cheese filling. If you are using a piping bag, you can squeeze some of the filling down inside the muffin batter, too!
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cream cheese filling is set (no longer wet) and a toothpick inserted in the muffin (cake part only) comes out with just a few crumbs.ย 
  • Cool the muffins for just a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 357kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 6gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 391mgFiber: 1gSugar: 29g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @sweetcsdesigns or tag #sweetcsdesigns!

About Courtney

Courtney loves to share great wine, good food, and loves to explore far flung places- all while masting an everyday elegant and easy style at lifestyle blog Sweet Cโ€™s Designs. Sweet C's devoted to finding the best food and drinks you'll want to make or find, around the world!

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