Description

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Name: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients: 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 ½ tsp cinnamon + ½ tsp ginger + ¼ tsp nutmeg + ¼ tsp allspice); ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp salt; 1 cup pumpkin puree (100%, not pie filling); 1 cup granulated sugar; ½ cup packed brown sugar; ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil); 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 8 oz cream cheese, softened; ⅓ cup granulated sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted

Your new autumn obsession — moist, spiced muffins with a creamy, dreamy center and a crunchy pepita topping.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry:

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 ½ tsp cinnamon + ½ tsp ginger + ¼ tsp nutmeg + ¼ tsp allspice)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt

Wet:

1 cup pumpkin puree (100%, not pie filling)
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted

Instructions

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 18–22 minutes
Cooling Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: About 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet, folding gently with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain. Batter will be thick — perfect! Avoid overmixing.
Prepare cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl until creamy and smooth (about 30 seconds). Transfer to a piping bag or plastic bag and snip the tip.
Fill muffin cups: Spoon batter into liners until about ⅔ full. Pipe about 1 heaping teaspoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each muffin, gently pressing it slightly into the batter.
Top: Sprinkle toasted pepitas generously over each muffin.
Bake: Place in oven and bake 18-22 minutes, rotating halfway through for even baking. Muffins are done when tops spring back gently and a toothpick near (not in) the filling comes out clean.
Cool: Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or serve slightly warm.

Notes

Room temperature eggs mix better and produce a fluffier muffin.
Use 100% pumpkin puree, not pie filling, for best texture and flavor.
Don’t overmix the batter once you add flour — lumps are good! Overmixing causes tough muffins.
To toast pepitas: Spread seeds on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes until fragrant.
If cream cheese filling sinks, try chilling it for 20 minutes before piping.
Muffins taste even better the next day — store in an airtight container.
Freeze cooled muffins for up to 3 months; reheat at 300°F (150°C) for 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 310 cal Per muffin
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 5g