PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS are the perfect Fall breakfast – sweetly spiced tender pumpkin muffins with a surprise filling of cream cheese. Who wouldn’t love biting into one (or two!) of these little pumpkin muffins?
I’ve gotten a few emails from readers over the last week or so after they see one of my pumpkin recipes asking why I don’t share pumpkin all year.
After all, pumpkin is a healthy food that’s low in calories and it tastes good regardless of the season.
I mean, I couldn’t agree more. I actually bake pumpkin pies throughout the year when the craving hits.
If you’ve never been a food blogger, you’ve never experienced the anger that gets sent your way when you share an “out of season” recipe and people firmly believe that pumpkin season is September through November.
I sneak them in in August to a lot of “it’s too early” replies, but I’m sorry, I can’t wait any longer.
So, don’t yell at me, I might be early, but LOOK! Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins!
How to make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins:
We’re going to start by creaming together our butter and sugar until it’s light and creamy. This helps incorporate air into the muffin so it’s light and fluffy instead of dry and dense.
Beat in your buttermilk, eggs, and pumpkin.
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, use a 1/2 cup of milk + a couple teaspoons of vinegar. Let it set in the measuring cup for 5 minutes to sour. Boom – instant buttermilk!
Next comes the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice!
Stir that in by hand. Don’t overmix or your muffins will be tough.
Stir together some softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla for the cream cheese filling.
Drop a tablespoon or two of muffin batter into the wells of a lined muffin tin and then top it off with the cream cheese.
Cover the cream cheese with the remaining batter and pop these guys into the oven.
These pumpkin muffins bake in about 25 minutes.
Let cool a bit before digging in!
More pumpkin recipes to try:
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread: So moist and studded with bits of chocolate!
Pumpkin Pancakes: The perfect start to a chilly morning!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: These look so impressive, but they’re really easy!
Pumpkin Crunch Cake: Everyone’s FAVORITE pumpkin recipe!
Pumpkin Coffee Cake: Wait til you see that streusel!
Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the cream cheese filling:
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream together butter and sugars until creamy.
- Beat in pumpkin, buttermilk, and eggs.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and mix into the batter. Stir just until combined. Set aside.
- Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Grease or line a muffin tin with papers and drop one to two tablespoons of the batter into each muffin cup.
- Drop one teaspoon of the filling in each muffin cup.
- Add one more tablespoon of batter to each muffin cup to cover the filling.
- Bake for 24-27 minutes or until baked through. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Nutrition Information:
This post was originally published in September 2012. It’s been updated with new photos and a video in August 2019.
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
These look wonderful! Pumpkin and cream cheese is a great combination. and cute pictures!
Jocelyn says
Pumpkin muffins were meant to have cream cheese filing! I am so glad you survived the almost shark eaten experience so you could share these awesome looking muffins with us!!! They seriously look incredibly soft and perfect!!!!
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says
Love the cream cheese inside– and how pretty your pictures are!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
Mmm pumpkin and cream cheese go together like peanut butter and jelly. These look great!!
Jen @ Savory Simple says
I cannot get over how incredible these sound! I’m not sure I’ve ever had a muffin filled with anything before but now I’m wondering why not! Amazing.
Karly says
@Jen @ Savory Simple,
Do it!!! You can put this filling in just about any muffin. Yum!
Becca says
Starbucks Starbucks… I haven’t tried your version YET but I KNOW they’ll be better cuz they have creaaaam cheese!!
Besides, the SB version have ovebaked pumpkin seeds on top…which get chew in their display cooler. Yukka duck
danielle says
I knew I picked up that can of on sale pumpkin for a reason!
Pat says
Awesome! Can’t wait to try them ~
Pat
Laura says
I just made these and they are absurdly good. I want to eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Absolutely delicious!
Karly says
@Laura,
Absurdly good. I like that description! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed them!
Cassie says
These are such pretty muffins! Love that filling, too.
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
I love how moist pumpkin muffins are! I’ve had chocolate chip pumpkin muffins before but I’ve never had them filled sans chocolate and replaced with cream cheese filling. It sounds incredible! pumpkin and cream cheese- a match made in heaven!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
These look totally sexy and plush, the way muffins should look. Also, I’m totally jelly of your beach vacay, minus the part about the eaten-by-a-shark thing. Thankfully you weren’t because obviously you’d be missed, and the world would never know about these sexy muffins.
Cookbook Queen says
Girl, I am so glad you didn’t get eaten by a shark. I would totally miss your recipes!!
Oh, and you….of course.
These sound basically perfect 🙂
DessertForTwo says
Mmmm! 🙂
Rachael says
Woohoo!!! Thanks, I’m going to make them tomorrow.
Karly says
@Rachael,
Well?? Did ya make them? 🙂
Rachael says
I just got home from the gym and made the batter. It’s sitting on the counter while I put the screaming child to bed. Apparently the purred pumpkin wasn’t enough and she wants boob too. Ugh…children… I’ll let you know what I think as soon as I can get back in there and finish. I did taste the batter and it was really good. I bought toasted/salted and plain raw pumpkin seeds earlier that I’m going to sprinkle on them. I can’t decide if I should sprinkle a little brown sugar on the top too so that it’s crunchy.