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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Pumpkin cream cheese muffins with a cinnamon streusel topping and a rich cream cheese swirl baked into the top. Soft, domed muffins with spiced pumpkin batter and a golden crumble finish.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pumpkin muffins
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.33 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For cream cheese filling
  • 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For streusel
  • 0.25 cup flour
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp cold butter

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a 12-cup muffin tin. Set out the tins so you can fill immediately after mixing.
Make cream cheese filling and streusel
  1. Beat the cream cheese filling until smooth, then refrigerate. Chill the filling so it stays in a distinct swirl when spooned into batter.
  2. Rub cold butter into flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon until crumbly. Stop once you have small clumps rather than fine powder.
Mix muffin batter
  1. Whisk the muffin dry ingredients together in a bowl until evenly combined. This distributes pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and leaveners.
  2. Whisk the muffin wet ingredients separately until smooth. Combine eggs, pumpkin puree, sour cream, vanilla, and vegetable oil thoroughly.
  3. Fold wet into dry until just combined. Mix only until no dry streaks remain so the muffins stay tender.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter. Keep the layer level so the filling sits evenly.
  2. Spoon 1 teaspoon cream cheese filling onto each center, then cover with remaining batter. Ensure the cream cheese is mostly surrounded to prevent leakage.
  3. Sprinkle streusel over the tops. Bake 20-22 minutes at 375F until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool briefly before serving.

Notes

For the cleanest swirl, chill the cream cheese filling while you make the streusel. Store muffins airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days and rewarm in a 300F oven for 5-7 minutes. Freeze baked muffins for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge, then rewarm). For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese; the swirl will be slightly softer but still works.