Moist, perfectly spiced pumpkin muffins filled with sweetened cream cheese and finished with a brown-sugar pecan streusel. These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are ideal for a cozy fall breakfast or an afternoon treat.
Even with Halloween approaching and the holidays on the horizon, I’m not ready to let go of fall. The season has been unusually warm here, and while I’m grateful we likely won’t see snow for trick-or-treating, I’m still hoping for a few crisp autumn mornings before winter arrives.
So while I’m already starting to plan Christmas cookie baking, I’ll hold on to pumpkin recipes a little longer — including at least one or two more batches of these pumpkin cream cheese muffins before the peppermint and cranberry takeover.
Pairing pumpkin with cream cheese is hard to beat. Whether it’s a pumpkin cream cheese pie, a danish, or these muffins, I’m happy. These muffins combine a tender pumpkin base with a lightly sweetened cream cheese center and a buttery brown sugar streusel for a deliciously seasonal bite.
Moist pumpkin muffins with cream cheese filling
Beyond pumpkin bread, pumpkin roll and pumpkin cheesecake, these pumpkin cream cheese muffins are one of my favorite fall make-and-share treats. The combination of spiced pumpkin, creamy filling, and streusel topping is irresistible.
The recipe starts with a classic moist pumpkin muffin batter, adds a small dollop of sweetened cream cheese in the center of each muffin, and finishes with a brown sugar and pecan streusel. You can drizzle a simple vanilla glaze over the cooled muffins for extra indulgence, but they’re delightful without it.
This recipe yields about 20 muffins, making it great for sharing with neighbors, coworkers, teachers, or family. Pack them in a bakery box with twine for an easy fall hostess gift. Reheated the next day, they’re nearly as good as fresh from the oven.
How to make pumpkin cream cheese muffins
These muffins might seem involved, but each component is simple and quick to prepare. The recipe is divided into a cream cheese filling, a streusel topping, and the pumpkin muffin batter, plus an optional glaze.
Recipe components
Make the following components:
- Cream cheese filling
- Brown-sugar pecan streusel
- Pumpkin muffin batter
- Optional vanilla glaze
Ingredients needed for filling, streusel, and batter:
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 3 large eggs (total: 2 for batter, 1 for filling)
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (divided)
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar (divided)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or substitute cinnamon)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon plus a pinch of salt
- 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or neutral oil of choice)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (for streusel)
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional
Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling; pie filling contains added sugars and spices that will change the texture and flavor. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon works as a substitute.
Helpful tips
- Brown sugar adds depth to both the filling and the streusel. If your brown sugar is hard, soften it before using.
- Measure flour correctly (spoon and level) for consistent results; too much flour makes dense muffins.
- Softened cream cheese blends more smoothly into the filling. If it’s cold, soften it briefly at room temperature or use a gentle quick-soften method.
Making these pumpkin cream cheese muffins
Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare 20 standard muffin wells with nonstick spray or paper liners.
Prepare the filling: beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until soft (about 3 minutes), then add 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 3 tablespoons brown sugar. Beat until mostly smooth; a few small cream cheese bits are fine.
Streusel: mix 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and a pinch of salt. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter with a fork until crumbly, then fold in the pecans if using. Chill until ready to use.
Muffin batter: whisk together dry ingredients (2 1/2 cups flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon salt). Add 2 eggs, the pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla; beat until just combined and smooth—do not overmix.
Assemble the muffins: divide about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter into each well. Add roughly 2 teaspoons of the cream cheese filling to the center of each, then top with another 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the muffins.
Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool the muffins completely on a rack before serving. If you want a glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1–2 tablespoons milk until thin enough to drizzle, then glaze the cooled muffins.
Storage tips
Because of the cream cheese filling, store these muffins at room temperature for up to one day. For longer storage, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They also freeze well for up to one month—place cooled muffins in a zip-top bag or airtight container and thaw before reheating.
FAQs
Yes. If using homemade pumpkin puree, you’ll need about 2 cups for this recipe. Homemade puree can be lighter in color than canned, but the flavor remains excellent.
Use any neutral-flavored oil, such as canola or avocado oil, if you prefer not to use vegetable oil.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
For the Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
For the Muffin Batter
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Optional Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 20 muffin wells with nonstick spray or line with paper liners.
- Filling: Beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar; beat until mostly smooth. Set aside.
- Streusel: Mix brown sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir in melted butter until crumbly; fold in pecans if using. Refrigerate until needed.
- Batter: Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add eggs, pumpkin, oil and vanilla. Beat until just combined.
- Assemble: Divide 1 1/2 tablespoons batter among the muffin wells. Add about 2 teaspoons cream cheese to each. Top with another 1 1/2 tablespoons batter and sprinkle streusel on top.
- Bake 20–25 minutes at 375°F, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.
- Optional glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla and milk (1 teaspoon at a time) until drizzle-able. Drizzle over cooled muffins.
Notes
Store muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.