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Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins: Easy Fall Recipe

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These Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel Topping are a happy accident turned tradition. Moist pumpkin muffin with a tangy cream cheese center and crunchy streusel topping, ready in about 35 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • ¼ cup milk, room temperature (dairy or plant-based)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, cold
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for cream cheese filling)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for cream cheese filling)
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed (for streusel)
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Make the cream cheese filling: In a small bowl, beat cold cream cheese with 2 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Divide into 12 equal portions (about 1 tablespoon each) and refrigerate.
  3. Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Add cold butter cubes and cut in with a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces. Refrigerate.
  4. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
  5. Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin puree, oil, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  6. Combine wet and dry: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently with a rubber spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.
  7. Fill muffin cups: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter into each liner. Drop one portion of cold cream cheese filling into the center of each. Divide remaining batter evenly over the cream cheese, covering it completely. Cups should be about ¾ full.
  8. Top with streusel: Sprinkle cold streusel generously over each muffin, pressing lightly into the batter.
  9. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not cream cheese) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Keep cream cheese filling and streusel cold until ready to use. Do not overmix batter. Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. For best storage, keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, fall recipe, streusel topping, easy muffins

Find it online: https://perkypan.com/perfect-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-easy-fall-recipe/