Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Recipe
These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are soft, spiced, and filled with a rich cream cheese center, just like the Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins—but even better homemade! Topped with crunchy pumpkin seeds, they bake up with tall, bakery-style domes and cozy fall flavour in every bite.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 3/4 light brown sugar
- 1½ cups pure pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 large eggs room temperature, whisked
- pumpkin seeds for topping
Cream Cheese Filling
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven – Preheat to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling – Beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and flour with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes until smooth.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry – Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the muffins tender.
- Fill the Muffin Pan – Use a cookie scoop to evenly divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups, filling almost to the top for bakery-style domes.
- Add the Cream Cheese Filling – Transfer the filling to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner cut off. Insert the tip halfway into each muffin, squeeze as you lift, and fill the center until it reaches the top. You may have a little bit of leftover filling.
- Add the Pumpkin Seeds – Sprinkle pumpkin seeds around the edges of each muffin, keeping the cream cheese center visible.
- Bake – Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for another 12 -15 minutes, for a total bake time of around 20 minutes.
- Cool – Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store – Cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week.