Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins + Video
Pumpkin cream cheese muffins are light, fluffy, and moist, full of pumpkin spice flavor, and swirled with creamy cheesecake.
Pumpkin muffins are even better with a swirl of cream cheese filling. Dare I say it, these are the BEST pumpkin muffins you will ever try!
The muffin is light and fluffy, but still moist, with plenty of pumpkin spices. I like to make my own homemade blend of mccormick pumpkin pie spice.
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The cream cheese filling is lightly sweetened cheesecake batter that is folded into the muffin batter, making these muffins not only tasty, but pretty too.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
When craving pumpkin desserts in the fall, it’s typical for me to combine my pumpkin treats with cream cheese (or chocolate).
I got to reminiscing about these pumpkin muffins with cinnamon chips and this pumpkin bread with cream cheese filling.
My idea was to combine those muffins (minus the cinnamon chips) with the cream cheese filling from the quick bread. Swirling the two together made the most delicious and beautiful pumpkin cheesecake muffins.
Yield and Ingredients
This recipe makes 2 dozen (24) pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins. If you can’t eat them all in a few days, they freeze beautifully. To make them, you will need:
PUMPKIN MUFFIN BATTER:
- canola/vegetable oil
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- pumpkin puree
- large eggs
- milk
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- pumpkin pie spice (combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice)
CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
- cream cheese (I use Neufchatel)
- granulated sugar
- large egg
- vanilla extract
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Muffins
- First, mix the pumpkin muffin batter and cream cheese filling, separately.
- Next, scoop muffin batter into paper-lined cupcake pans. Top with cheesecake filling. Use a butter knife to fold (not just swirl) the two batters together.
- NOTE: The cream cheese batter is much thinner than the muffin batter. To fold the two batters together: Take a butter knife and insert it directly through the center of the muffin batter, gently scraping it along the bottom. Then lift the knife from the edge and fold the batter back towards the center. Repeat 2-3x. This will create a swirled look. With this technique, “less is more” for that marbled look.
- Lastly, bake at 375˚F for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Do not over-bake! Cool completely and enjoy.
Storing
It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so if you’ve got room in your refrigerator for these muffins, then by all means, refrigerate them.
I’m going to be a little bit controversial here for a minute though and say:
Some cream cheese confections, like these muffins, can be stored at room temperature OR refrigerated.
Think about those cream cheese frosted cinnamon rolls, or those cream cheese filled pumpkin rolls at your local grocery store. Are they in the refrigerated section? Not usually. The sugar in the cream cheese helps act as a preservative to inhibit microbial activity. I wouldn’t leave them out at room temperature for more than 2-3 days though.
The most important factor for preventing foodborne illness with the cream cheese in these muffins is not waffling back and forth between the two methods of storing.
If you want to keep these pumpkin cream cheese muffins at room temperature (72˚F or cooler + in a dry/non-humid environment) after you bake them, do it. But if you decide to store them in the refrigerator, you must keep them cold.
Pick one method of storing, and stick with it! That means if you decide to refrigerate the muffins, you should eat them cold.
Freezing
These muffins can be frozen. Simply place the muffins in a freezer safe zip-top bag and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before consuming, and keep refrigerated once thawed.
More Pumpkin Cream Cheese Recipes
- Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars
- Pumpkin Roll No Towel
- Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
- Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
- Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Filling
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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
Pumpkin Muffins:
- ½ cup (118 ml) oil, (canola/vegetable)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (305 g) pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (118 ml) milk
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon, & level)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz (226 g) block cream cheese
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add the pumpkin puree, eggs, and milk. Whisk until well-combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Slowly mix into wet mixture. Set aside.
- Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well, scraping the bowl as needed. Set aside.
- Line muffin pans with paper cups. Scoop pumpkin muffin batter into cups with a #24 scoop, or about 2/3 full. Spoon cream cheese filling over the top using a #50 scoop or slightly more than one Tablespoon per muffin.
- Use a knife to fold (not just swirl) the two batters together. NOTE: The cream cheese batter is much thinner than the muffin batter. To fold the two batters together: Take a butter knife and insert it directly through the center of the muffin batter, gently scraping it along the bottom. Then lift the knife from the edge and fold the batter back towards the center. Repeat 2-3x. This will create a swirled look. With this technique, “less is more” for that marbled look.
- Bake at 375˚F for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Do not over-bake. Cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Store in an airtight container with a lid at room temperature (72˚F or cooler) for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- May freeze muffins in a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and keep refrigerated.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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I made these back in 2021 twice and my husband loved them. After fall I lost track of the recipe and couldn’t remember where I got this recipe. I found it today and I’m going to surprise my husband with them. He’s been asking me to make these for the last three years, he loves them! They are absolutely delicious.
Don’t worry, I already saved the recipe in a safe spot.
Thank you!!!
So glad you found my recipe again and have it saved! It always means a lot to me when someone likes the recipe so much that they make it often. Thanks for your comment Bailey!
So delicious! Perfect recipe to get you into the fall mood. They’re also so pretty to pull from the oven!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe Kayla. Thanks for your review.
Can I use almond milk?
That should be just fine.
Can I use almond flour? Sugar substitute?
Sorry, I haven’t tested this recipe with those ingredients.
Can you make this into a bread? 9×5 pan
It would probably make 2 loaves. I have a similar recipe as a loaf here: https://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com/cream-cheese-filled-pumpkin-bread/
These were delicious! My family loved them! I didn’t do the best job with the swirl but they were still yummy! I was afraid I would over swirl and then it turned out that I under swirled. Rookie mistake. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad they tasted great! I’m sure you’ll nail the swirl the more you make them.
Where can I find the videos that accommodate your recipes?
If you scroll through the post there is a section that says, “Check out this recipe video.” and it should start automatically playing.
This is the second time making these. They are delicious! I make them for my granddaughter so she can pick up a couple on her way out in the morning. She really likes them! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Hi Anne! I’m so glad to hear you are enjoying this recipe with your granddaughter. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with the recipe.
I am going to make this in a couple weeks for a fall brunch party. I usually have self rising flour on hand, do you know if I use that do I omit the baking soda?
Hope to hear from you soon,
Thanks,
Nikki
I’ve never used self rising flour, but it contains baking powder, not baking soda, so you will still need to add the baking soda. Hope it works!
These were very good