Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are moist pumpkin muffins studded with a generous amount of sugared cream cheese that rouse the senses and lets you appreciate Fall as an edible!

This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin recipe is among my favorite muffin recipes ever. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are moist pumpkin muffins studded with a generous amount of sugared cream cheese that rouse the senses and lets you appreciate Fall as an edible! Packed with spices and filled with a sweetened cream cheese filling, these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins bake up incredibly moist. This recipe is ‘no-fail’ due in large to starting with pumpkin puree. The wet batter retains the moisture throughout the short bake duration, yielding an unbelievably moist, sugary finished bite. A sweet cream cheese top is an added rich bonus.

Our weather has taken a quick turn and cooled down some here in Charleston. The weatherman says it is just a teaser, as the hot afternoons are back as soon as tomorrow <sigh> It was just long enough however, to inspire all of the “pumpkin spice, apple picking, cider mulling, candle burning” nesting that transforms those last long days of summer into Fall. Suddenly, I want to sew fabric pumpkins and decorate the front porch and steps with mums and gourds and spent stalks of corn because I'm giddy. Today though, it’s baking up a batch of these yummies, and kicking back with the Sunday paper.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (15 oz) can organic puree of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

8 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons of raw sugar for sprinkling

The Method

Preheat oven to 375°F.

This recipe yields 18 muffins, so you will need a muffin pan and a half. Line muffin pans with paper or parchment baking cups and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.

In large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar and brown sugar.

Beat in eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture, until there are no lumps. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until very smooth and well combined.

Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture and use the end of a sharp knife or toothpick to swirl it into the batter. Sprinkle tops with raw sugar.

Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.