Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

A close up of a pumpkin cream cheese muffin with a creamy cheesecake center showing through the middle.

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are moist, cozy, and filled with a sweet cheesecake center. They taste like bakery-style muffins but are so simple to make at home for an easy fall breakfast or snack.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Prep Time15

Cook Time22

Total Time37

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pumpkin cream cheese muffins

Servings: muffins

Ingredients

For the cream cheese filling

8 ounce brick cream cheese room temperature
1 large egg room temperature
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (just 1 cup, not the entire can)
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 12 regular-sized muffin cups with paper liners.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Then blend in the egg, sugar, and vanilla until well incorporated. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir in the pumpkin, oil, eggs, and pecans just until moistened (do not overmix!)
Divide HALF the batter evenly among muffin cups. Drop the cream cheese mixture by scant tablespoonfuls over the batter. Top with the remaining batter. (It's ok if a bit of cheesecake filling pokes out of the top or on the sides.)
Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F, then without opening the door, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 15-17 minutes (for a total time around 20-22 minutes) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let it rest for 10 minutes and enjoy!

Video

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