Um, WOW, is what I mumbled at first bite of these pumpkin cheese cake muffins. Because wow, will that beautiful bite will have you meditating on it for hours. The moist cake is cozy-scented and just sweet enough, since after all it really is a muffin. Top that with a generous gooey mound of maple cream cheese, and each bite is like eating cheesecake and a muffin all at once. It’s really a bit of heaven in a muffin wrapper. (Insert contented sigh here.) Also try: Easy Pumpkin Muffins or Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Ingredients in pumpkin cream cheese muffins
What I love most about these pumpkin cream cheese muffins is they really are a muffin, even though they sound decadent. The flavor is gorgeous and just sweet enough, but not so sweet you feel like you’re eating a cupcake. There’s even some healthy ingredients like oatmeal and applesauce! We modeled these treats after our Healthy Pumpkin Muffins, but swapped a streusel topping for a lump of maple cream cheese. Here’s what you’ll need:
All purpose flourRolled oats: Rolled oats help to make them more filling and add fiberLight brown sugarPumpkin pie spice: Use purchased or make your ownBaking powder, baking soda and saltPumpkin puree: steer away from pumpkin pie fillingApplesauce: using applesauce makes them moist and lets you use less oilOil: any neutral oil works, like grapeseed, organic canola, vegetable or sunflowerVanilla extractCream cheeseMaple syrup
How to add the cream cheese topping / filling
These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are pretty simple to put together. It’s a typical muffin where you mix the wet ingredients, mix the dry ingredients, and then put them together. The only part with a little technique involved is the cream cheese topping! Read this before you attempt the muffins:
The cream cheese functions as both a topping and a filling. You’ll see most of it on top, but a bit of gooey cream cheese will remain inside the muffin too. Place dollops of maple cream cheese on top of the batter. Use a heaping 1 tablespoon. Use a spoon to push the cheese into the batter. Push it down until it sinks and batter slightly rises over edges of the cheese. You’ll still have an exposed circle of cheese at the top of the muffin.
When the muffins bake, the cream cheese portion will get larger. But you’ll still have a bit of creamy cheese on the inside. It’s delicious! These muffins are a lovely fall recipe idea, and they’re ideal for Thanksgiving.
Storage info for pumpkin cream cheese muffins
Because there’s cream cheese on top, the storage info for pumpkin cream cheese muffins is a little different than most. Here are a few pointers:
The muffins are the best the day of making. Wait after baking until they’re about room temperature, then devour. They taste incredible the day of. Refrigerate for 5 days. Because of the cream cheese topping, avoid storing these muffins at room temperature. Pop them into the fridge and let them warm back to room temp for a minute or two before you enjoy them. Do not freeze. The cream cheese topping doesn’t hold up well in the freezer, so we don’t recommend freezing them.
Variations: more cream cheese muffins to try!
If you’re anything like me, after you take one bite of these pumpkin cream cheese muffins you’ll think: What other cream cheese muffins can I try? The sky is really the limit: you can put the maple cream cheese topping from this recipe on just about any muffin. Here are a few we’d recommend:
Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins: Incredible! Try these Strawberry Muffins with Cream Cheese Swirl.Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins: Add the topping to our Banana Blueberry Muffins.Apple Cream Cheese Muffins: Drop the streusel and add it to our Apple Muffins with Streusel. Banana Cream Cheese Muffins: Add it to Healthy Banana Bread Muffins or better yet, Chocolate Banana Muffins!
This pumpkin cream cheese muffins recipe is…
Vegetarian.
More pumpkin recipes
There are so many great ways to enjoy the squash of the season! Here are some favorite pumpkin recipes to try: No reviews
Start the day with Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal or Cozy Pumpkin Oatmeal Bake up a Perfect Pumpkin Cake, Pumpkin Bread Pudding or other Pumpkin DessertsMix up a loaf of Healthy Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Banana Bread or Vegan Pumpkin BreadFire up the waffle iron for Pumpkin WafflesGo traditional with Mini Pumpkin Pies or Incredible Vegan Pumpkin Pie Sip a Pumpkin Smoothie or Pumpkin Spice CoffeeDunk green apples into Easy Pumpkin DipImpress everyone with this Incredible Vegan Pumpkin Pie
