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Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins: Easy Fall Recipe

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Incredibly moist pumpkin muffins with a hidden pocket of tangy cream cheese filling and a crunchy, buttery streusel topping. This easy fall recipe is the perfect treat for cozy mornings, holiday brunches, or any time you crave a taste of autumn.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup (60ml) buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for filling)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for filling)
  • ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (60g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Take cream cheese out of the fridge and cut into cubes to soften.
  2. Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Add cold, cubed butter. Using a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse, wet sand with some pea-sized butter chunks remaining. Refrigerate while you work on the rest.
  3. Make the cream cheese filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar, 1 egg yolk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until completely smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and ½ teaspoon salt.
  5. Mix the wet ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
  6. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold them together gently until just combined. A few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
  7. Divide the muffin batter evenly among the 12 lined cups, filling them about ¾ full. Drop a generous tablespoon-sized dollop of cream cheese filling into the center of each muffin. Sprinkle streusel topping generously over the top of each muffin, covering the cream cheese completely.
  8. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the cream cheese center) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For best results, ensure eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature. Do not overmix the batter. Keep streusel butter cold for a crunchy topping. To prevent cream cheese filling from sinking, do not press it into the batter. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Muffins freeze well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://novanosh.com/perfect-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-easy-fall-recipe-2/