Description
Spiced pumpkin cream cheese muffins merge autumn’s warmth with creamy richness. Moist cake and smooth filling create a perfect seasonal breakfast treat you’ll savor with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¼ cups (305 g) pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg (for cream cheese filling)
- 8 oz (226 g) block cream cheese
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar (for cream cheese filling)
- ½ cup (118 ml) oil (canola/vegetable)
- ½ cup (118 ml) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (for cream cheese filling)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preparation: Gather measuring tools and mixing bowls to streamline ingredient combination process.
- Liquid Base Creation: Blend vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until smooth and integrated.
- Wet Ingredient Fusion: Whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, and milk into the oil mixture, creating a uniform, silky emulsion with consistent texture.
- Dry Ingredient Blending: Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and pumpkin pie spice together in a separate bowl, ensuring even distribution of leavening agents and spices.
- Batter Formation: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring minimally to maintain a light, airy muffin texture, stopping when just combined.
- Cream Cheese Filling Preparation: Whip cream cheese and sugar using an electric mixer until achieving a light, fluffy consistency with no lumps.
- Filling Enhancement: Incorporate egg and vanilla into cream cheese mixture, stirring with smooth, consistent motions to create a silky filling.
- Muffin Tin Setup: Line muffin tin with paper liners, creating an even surface for precise batter distribution.
- Batter Layering: Fill each liner two-thirds full with pumpkin batter, then delicately add cream cheese mixture on top, creating artistic swirls with minimal blending.
- Marbling Technique: Use a slim knife to create intricate patterns by gently swirling batters without overmixing.
- Baking Process: Place muffin tin in oven preheated to 375°F, baking for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with minimal moisture.
- Cooling and Finishing: Transfer muffins to a wire rack, allowing complete cooling to develop optimal texture and flavor profile.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir dry and wet ingredients gently to maintain a light, tender muffin texture, stopping when ingredients are just combined.
- Temperature Matters: Ensure cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature for smoother, more consistent filling and better ingredient integration.
- Marbling Technique: Use a slim knife to create delicate swirls, moving carefully to achieve beautiful pattern without disturbing batter structure.
- Cooling is Crucial: Let muffins rest completely on wire rack to develop full flavor profile and achieve perfect moisture balance.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg