Description
Starbucks-inspired pumpkin cream cheese muffins blend autumn’s warmth with rich, creamy textures. Spiced pumpkin batter and tangy cream cheese center create a delightful seasonal treat you’ll want to savor with morning coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ cups (355 ml) pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1½ cups (355 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, melted
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1½ tsps pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsps all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preparation: Warm the oven to 350°F and coat a standard muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with paper cups.
- Dry Ingredients Fusion: Thoroughly blend flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl until completely integrated.
- Wet Ingredients Combination: Vigorously whisk pumpkin puree, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and well-incorporated.
- Batter Formation: Gently fold wet ingredients into dry mixture, stirring minimally to prevent over-mixing, stopping when ingredients are just combined.
- Filling and Cream Cheese Injection: Fill muffin cavities two-thirds full with batter, then craft cream cheese filling by blending cream cheese, powdered sugar, flour, and salt until silky smooth. Use a piping bag to delicately insert cream cheese mixture into the center of each unbaked muffin.
- Baking Process: Place muffin tin in preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, verifying doneness by inserting a toothpick near the muffin’s edge – it should emerge clean.
- Cooling and Serving: Let muffins rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy these luxurious pumpkin cream cheese muffins warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Minimize Mixing: Stir wet and dry ingredients just until combined to prevent tough, dense muffins with a rubbery texture.
- Precise Filling Technique: Fill muffin cavities only two-thirds full to allow proper rising and prevent overflow during baking.
- Strategic Cream Cheese Insertion: Use a piping bag or plastic bag with a cut corner for clean, centered cream cheese filling in each muffin.
- Temperature and Cooling Wisdom: Let muffins rest in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to maintain structural integrity and prevent breaking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg