Fall is officially here, and nothing says cozy quite like the warm aroma of pumpkin and cinnamon filling your kitchen. These Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling are soft, moist, and perfectly spiced — a treat for breakfast, snack time, or dessert. Pumpkin spice was a flavor introduced to me here in Canada, and it’s quickly become one of my favorites. Now, every fall, I find myself baking something pumpkin-spiced, and these muffins are one of the first recipes I crave when the season begins.
If you love pumpkin as much as I do, don’t miss these other cozy bakes:
- 🎃Whipped Pumpkin Spice Latte (Dalgona Coffee) The perfect make ahead drink to accompany all of your cozy bakes this fall. Just make a batch and store ir in your freezer until you a ready to serve with some warm milk
- 🍞 Fluffy Pumpkin Bread Loaf – This pumpkin bread is an actual bread!
- 🍞Pumpkin Dinner Rolls – Same amazing recipe as above, but the dinner roll version.
- 🎃 Pumpkin Dulce de Leche Bundt Cake – Sooooo goooood! That’s all I have to say!
- 🎃Pumpkin Spice Latte Brigadeiros– The perfect make ahead edible gift!
- 🎃 Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese- Just like Starbucks but better!
- 🎃No Knead Pumpkin Bread – Perfect for a lazy but cozy fall afternoon
- 🎃Pumpkin Coconut Loaf– One of my favorite cakes of all time. It does not have a typical fall flavors but it is absolutely delicious.
Ingredients Overview
Eggs – Use room temperature for best texture.
Sugar – I use a mix of white and dark brown for depth of flavor.
Pumpkin Purée – Use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
Oil – Neutral oil like canola or vegetable works best.
Vanilla – Adds warmth and enhances the spices.
All-Purpose Flour – Standard flour works; I haven’t tested gluten-free alternatives.
Baking Soda – This is not the same as baking powder! Check you label.
Salt – Just a pinch to balance sweetness.
Cinnamon & Pumpkin Spice – Fresh or store-bought both work; adjust to taste.
Cream Cheese (for filling) – Full-fat gives the creamiest results.
Milk (for filling) – Just a splash to loosen the cream cheese mixture.
Method Overview
Mix dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine until just incorporated. Fill muffin cups and pipe cream cheese filling into the center. Bake until golden and set.
Equipment
Liners: I personally love using tulip muffin liners because they give the muffins a bakery-style look and help them rise beautifully. You can find them at most kitchen supply stores, specialty baking shops, or online. If you don’t have tulip liners, you can make your own by cutting parchment paper into squares (about 6×6 inches) and folding them into a muffin tin — it works just as well and gives that same professional look.
How to Serve (Best Fresh!)
These muffins are best enjoyed warm from the oven or on the same day they are made, paired with a Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix for the ultimate fall experience. They’re perfect for breakfast, a snack, or a cozy treat anytime.
For convenience, you can make your pumpkin spice latte mix ahead and store it in the freezer. When ready to serve, just mix the prepared mix with milk, heat, and pour alongside the muffins for an easy, flavorful fall treat.
How to Store
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Starbucks Copycat)
Equipment
- Two 12-muffin pans
- Stand mixer, or whisk/handheld mixer
- Pastry bag or ziplock bag
- Muffin Liners I prefer the tulip style (see notes)
Ingredients
Muffins:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 210g
- 3/4 cup sugar 150g
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 110g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 2 eggs
- 398 ml pure pumpkin puree one can, 400 g
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 142 g cream cheese
- 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons milk
- chopped pumpkin seeds optional
- coarse sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners, leaving an empty space between each one so no two liners sit side by side — this helps the muffins rise higher.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice until evenly combined.1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, 1½ teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, oil, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and well blended.2 eggs, 398 ml pure pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until just combined—don’t overmix. Use a scoop to fill each muffin cup nearly to the top.
- In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and milk until smooth using a hand mixer or wooden spoon. Mix until well blended. Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a zip-lock bag142 g cream cheese, 2 ½ tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon flour, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 2 teaspoons milk
- Divide the batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each to the rim.
- Snip the tip of the piping bag and pipe the cream cheese into the center of each muffin, using all of the filling for 12 muffins. Insert the tip about ¼ inch below the surface, pressing gently and pulling up in a circular motion to create a small swirl on top. If you have any leftover filling, you can squeeze a little more into the center of each muffin after baking for an extra creamy touch.
- Sprinkle chopped pumpkin seeds and coarse sugar (if using) over the top of each muffin, avoiding the cream cheese center.
- Bake the muffins at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 15–17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin batter (not the cream cheese center) comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins individually to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Nutrition
How This Recipe Came Together
Inspired by Pancake Princess Bake Off’s best pumpkin muffins, I turned the winner into pumpkin muffins with cream cheese filling and reduced the sugar slightly for a balanced sweetness.
Leave a Reply