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Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins: Best Easy Recipe

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These Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel Topping feature a tender, spiced pumpkin muffin with a creamy cream cheese center and a crunchy, buttery streusel topping. They’re quick, easy, and perfect for fall mornings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup (60ml) milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, cold
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • ⅓ cup (40g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed (for streusel)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (30g) chopped pecans (optional, for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups well.
  2. Prepare the cream cheese filling: Cut 4 oz of cold cream cheese into 12 equal cubes (about 1 teaspoon each). Place them on a parchment-lined plate and freeze for 10 minutes.
  3. Make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup flour, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Add 3 tablespoons cold cubed butter and work it in with a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized clumps. Stir in pecans if using. Refrigerate until needed.
  4. Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and all spices (1 ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp cloves).
  5. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together 1 cup pumpkin puree, 2 room-temperature eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
  6. Combine wet and dry: Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are fine.
  7. Fill muffin cups: Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about halfway (roughly 2 tablespoons per cup).
  8. Add cream cheese: Remove cream cheese cubes from freezer. Press one cube gently into the center of each muffin cup, slightly below the surface.
  9. Top with remaining batter: Divide remaining batter evenly over the cream cheese cubes, covering them completely. Each cup should be about three-quarters full.
  10. Add streusel: Sprinkle cold streusel generously over each muffin, pressing gently into the batter.
  11. Bake at high heat: Place muffin tin in preheated 425°F oven and bake for 5 minutes. Do not open the oven door.
  12. Reduce temperature: Without opening the oven, reduce temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin (avoiding the cream cheese center) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  13. Cool: Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Freeze the cream cheese cubes for at least 10 minutes to keep them distinct during baking. Do not overmix the batter. For best results, use cold streusel and a high initial oven temperature (425°F) for tall, domed tops.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, streusel topping, fall baking, easy muffin recipe

Find it online: https://livelybite.com/perfect-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-best-easy-recipe/