Go Back
Print

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Starbucks Copycat)

Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword Baking, Cream Cheese, Dessert, Filling, Pumpkin, Seasonal, Snacks, Spices
Servings 12 Servings

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pumpkin Muffins

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup neutral flavored oil
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup pepitas, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and set aside a greased muffin tin (or line with cupcake liners).

  2. In a small bowl, whisk together cream cheese filling ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Gently add prepared flour mixture, and fold until no lumps remain.
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared cupcake pan, filling to the rim. Pipe the cream cheese mixture into each muffin (the piping bag only needs to be inserted about ¼-inch deep), pulling up slowly so that the filling pours out the top and is visible on the surface of the muffin. Top each muffin with pepitas, if using.
  6. Bake until an inserted toothpick near the center comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.