Why does the cream cheese sometimes sink to the bottom?

Oh, I’ve had that happen, especially when I was rushing and didn’t chill the filling first. What works for me is letting the cream cheese mixture sit in the fridge for maybe 10–15 minutes before I use it. It thickens just enough to hold up during baking. When I spoon it on, I swirl gently, just a couple of turns with a butter knife, nothing fancy. You don’t want to bury it, just tuck it in a little.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of plain puree?

I wouldn’t. I tried it once when I was out of puree, and the muffins were honestly too sweet and kind of. Pie filling’s already got sugar and spices mixed in, which can throw off the whole balance. Stick with straight pumpkin, the kind that lists only one ingredient on the label. That way, you can season it how you like and everything bakes up just right.

Do they need to be refrigerated after baking?

If it’s cool in your house, they’ll be fine on the counter for a day or two. But if your kitchen runs warm, I’d keep them in the fridge. The cream cheese swirl makes them a little softer than a regular muffin. I’ve stored them cold plenty of times, and they’re still delicious. I just warm one up in the microwave for about 15 seconds if I want it soft again. And they freeze well, I wrap them in parchment and stash a few for busy weeks.

Can I make them gluten-free?

Yep. I’ve made them with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, the kind that’s meant to swap straight for all-purpose. They turn out just as soft. Just make sure the blend has xanthan gum or something similar to help hold everything together. If you’re baking for someone with celiac, check your baking powder and spices too. Some of those sneak gluten in when you least expect it.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins – Cozy Recipe with 5-Star Flavor

Name: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 24 muffins
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup oil; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 ¼ cups pumpkin puree; 2 large eggs; ½ cup milk; 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; ½ tsp baking powder; ½ tsp salt; 4 tsp pumpkin pie spice; 8 oz cream cheese; ¼ cup granulated sugar (for filling); 1 large egg (for filling); 1 tsp vanilla extract (for filling)

Description

Soft, moist pumpkin muffins swirled with creamy cheesecake. A cozy fall favorite perfect for breakfast, brunch, or gifting.

Ingredients

Scale

Pumpkin Muffins:

½ cup oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
½ cup milk
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz cream cheese
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Whisk oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add pumpkin, eggs, milk and mix well.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Mix into wet batter.

4. In another bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

5. Line muffin tins. Fill ⅔ full with pumpkin batter. Spoon cream cheese filling on top.

6. Swirl with knife—just a few folds.

7. Bake 15–18 minutes or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.

8. Cool before serving or storing.

Notes

Don’t over-swirl the cream cheese or it’ll sink.
Chilling the filling before swirling helps it stay on top.
Store in fridge after 2 days. Freezes well up to 1 month.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Baking
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 muffin
Calories: 166
Sugar: 11g
Sodium: 153mg
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 19g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 33mg

Keywords: pumpkin cream cheese muffins, fall baking, pumpkin muffin recipe