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Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins: Easy Copycat Recipe

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These bakery-style pumpkin cream cheese muffins feature a tall, domed top, a luscious cream cheese center, and a buttery, cinnamon-spiced crumb topping. They’re the perfect fall treat that tastes like a hug.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup milk, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for cream cheese filling)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for cream cheese filling)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (for crumb topping)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for crumb topping)
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar (for crumb topping)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (for crumb topping)
  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Make the cream cheese filling first. In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with ¼ cup granulated sugar, the egg yolk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.
  4. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Add the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined and smooth.
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold together gently until just combined. A few small lumps are fine.
  6. Fill the muffin cups. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about ¾ full.
  7. Add the cream cheese filling. Drop a generous tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin cup. Do not spread it around.
  8. Make the crumb topping. In a small bowl, combine the flour, both sugars, and cinnamon. Add the cold butter cubes. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces.
  9. Sprinkle the topping over each muffin. Divide the crumb mixture evenly over the 12 muffins. Gently press it down into the batter just a little so it sticks.
  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The muffins are done when the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the cream cheese center) comes out clean.
  11. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Make sure cream cheese is truly softened for a smooth filling. Don’t overmix the batter to avoid tough muffins. For best results, use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The cream cheese filling should be dropped in the center without stirring to create a gooey pocket. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, copycat Starbucks muffins, fall muffins, pumpkin cream cheese muffins, bakery style muffins

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