Description
Starbucks-inspired pumpkin cream cheese muffins deliver autumn’s warmth in one delightful bite. Spiced pumpkin batter embraces creamy cheese centers, promising a comforting breakfast or sweet afternoon treat you’ll crave all season long.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 egg
Spices and Leavening Agents:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by warming it to 350F (175C) and outfit a muffin tin with paper liners or coat with non-stick spray.
- Combine dry ingredients in a spacious mixing bowl, blending flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until uniformly distributed.
- Whisk wet components in a separate vessel, incorporating pumpkin puree, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract into a smooth mixture.
- Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring until barely integrated to prevent overmixing.
- Create cream cheese filling by whipping softened cream cheese with sugar, flour, milk, and vanilla extract until silky and consistent.
- Transfer cream cheese mixture into a piping bag or sealed plastic bag with a trimmed corner for precise filling.
- Distribute pumpkin batter into prepared muffin cavities, filling approximately three-quarters full.
- Insert piping bag tip directly into batter center, releasing roughly one tablespoon of cream cheese filling per muffin.
- Slide muffin tin into preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, confirming doneness by inserting a toothpick near the muffin’s edge and ensuring it emerges clean.
- Remove from oven and allow muffins to rest briefly before extracting from tin, permitting slight cooling to enhance structural integrity.
Notes
- Swap flour for gluten-free alternatives like almond or coconut flour to make these muffins celiac-friendly and reduce overall carbohydrate content.
- Reduce sugar by using monk fruit sweetener or stevia to create a lower-calorie version that maintains delicious pumpkin flavor.
- Ensure cream cheese filling is evenly distributed by using a piping bag with a small round tip for precise center placement inside each muffin.
- Cool muffins completely on a wire rack to prevent soggy bottoms and maintain the perfect tender texture that makes these treats irresistible.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 215 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg