Description
Enjoy the comforting flavors of fall with these Starbucks-inspired Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. Soft, perfectly spiced pumpkin muffins feature a sweet and creamy cream cheese center and bakery-style domed tops. This easy, budget-friendly copycat recipe makes 12 standard-sized muffins that are delicious for breakfast or dessert, offering a warm, cozy treat with every bite.
Ingredients
For the Muffins
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- Pepitas for topping (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners to ensure easy removal and prevent sticking of the filling.
- Mix Sugars and Oil: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until the mixture is well blended and smooth.
- Add Eggs, Vanilla, and Pumpkin: Incorporate the eggs, vanilla extract, and the entire can of pumpkin puree into the sugar-oil mixture. Whisk thoroughly until the batter is silky and uniformly combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and fine salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and spices.
- Fold Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined. A few small lumps are okay; avoid overmixing to keep muffins tender.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Evenly divide the batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling each nearly to the top for domed bakery-style muffins. For smaller muffins, fill liners two-thirds full to yield about 16 muffins.
- Make Cream Cheese Filling: In a small bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and lump-free.
- Pipe in Filling: Transfer the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner cut off. Insert the tip into the center of each muffin and squeeze in a generous dollop, ensuring the filling sits slightly below the surface. Alternatively, spoon the filling on top if you don’t have a piping bag. Optionally, sprinkle pepitas on top for a decorative touch.
- Bake: Bake muffins for 20 to 25 minutes until the tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the muffin (not the filling) comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the cream cheese center to set. Serve warm or at room temperature, perfect alongside a fall latte.
Notes
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to control sweetness and spice levels.
- Room temperature eggs and cream cheese blend better, ensuring smooth batter and filling.
- Filling the muffins to the top creates bakery-style domed tops; filling two-thirds yields smaller muffins.
- Paper liners help prevent the cream cheese from sticking and make removal easier.
- Pepitas on top add a nice crunch and visual appeal but are optional.