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Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Recipe

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Tender, moist pumpkin muffins with a tangy cream cheese filling and buttery streusel topping. This bakery-quality recipe features a secret cornstarch trick to keep the cream cheese perfectly centered in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for filling)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for filling)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ½ cup (63g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar, packed (for streusel)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (57g) cold unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Make cream cheese filling: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with ¼ cup granulated sugar until smooth. Add egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and cornstarch. Beat until well combined. Set aside at room temperature.
  3. Make streusel topping: In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits. Refrigerate until needed.
  4. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
  5. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup packed brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  6. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula just until no streaks of flour remain (10-12 strokes). Do not overmix.
  7. Fill muffin cups: Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups, filling each about ⅔ full.
  8. Add cream cheese filling: Drop a generous tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin. Do not spread.
  9. Add streusel topping: Sprinkle chilled streusel evenly over each muffin, pressing down gently to adhere.
  10. Bake: Place muffin tin in preheated oven. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F (without opening oven door) and continue baking for 13-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffin portion (not cream cheese center) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  11. Cool: Let muffins cool in pan for exactly 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are crucial for proper emulsification. Don’t overmix the batter. Keep streusel cold until ready to use. The cornstarch in the cream cheese filling prevents sinking. For the toothpick test, insert into the muffin portion, not the cream cheese center. Let muffins cool completely before eating to allow cream cheese to set.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, fall baking, pumpkin cream cheese, streusel muffins, pumpkin spice

Find it online: https://sparklechew.com/perfect-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-recipe/