Description
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are perfectly spiced and moist, featuring a sweet and creamy cream cheese filling inside, topped with a crunchy pumpkin praline for a delicious seasonal treat.
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz block cream cheese
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pumpkin Praline Topping:
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar (divided)
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, chopped
Pumpkin Muffins:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (~1 ¾ cups)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 420°F (215°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners to prevent sticking.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling: Microwave the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl on low power for 30 seconds to soften. Add sugar and vanilla extract, then whisk until smooth. Transfer the mixture into a piping bag without a tip and set aside.
- Prepare Pumpkin Praline Topping: In a small bowl, combine ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice and 1 Tbsp brown sugar. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add chopped pumpkin seeds, cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining brown sugar and cook for 1-2 minutes more, stirring constantly until caramelized. Mix the caramelized pumpkin seeds with the brown sugar-spice mixture and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for 1 minute until creamy.
- Add Eggs and Pumpkin Puree: Add the eggs one at a time, beating on high speed for 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and mix in the pumpkin puree until fully combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the muffins tender.
- Fill Muffin Cups and Add Toppings: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top. Sprinkle the pumpkin praline topping evenly over the batter. Cut off the tip of the piping bag and press about 2-3 Tbsp of cream cheese filling into the center of each muffin by dipping the piping bag tip about 2/3 into the batter and slowly releasing the filling while pulling out.
- Bake the Muffins: Bake the muffins at 420°F (215°C) for 5 minutes. Without removing from the oven, lower the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking for another 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted near the edge comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool for 5-10 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins from the pan and let cool completely on the rack before serving to maintain texture and flavor.
Notes
- Always use muffin liners to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- A 15 oz can of pumpkin puree is nearly 2 cups, just 2 1/2 tablespoons short.
- Do not over-mix the batter after adding dry ingredients to avoid dense muffins.
- If you don’t have piping bags, use a small cookie scoop or spoon to add cream cheese filling into the batter.
- Fill muffin cups to the very top before adding the cream cheese filling to achieve bakery-style muffins.
- While optional, the pumpkin praline topping adds a delightful crunch and flavor contrast.
- Press the cream cheese filling into the batter by inserting the piping bag tip about two-thirds into the batter and slowly releasing the filling as you pull out.
- Remove muffins from the pan after 10 minutes to cool on a rack to avoid sogginess from steam.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 337
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 445mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 63mg
