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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Pumpkin cream cheese muffins with a tangy swirl and cinnamon streusel baked on top. The domed golden-orange muffins bake until a toothpick comes out clean, with a soft cream cheese center that sets into a creamy ribbon.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pumpkin muffins
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.33 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For cream cheese filling
  • 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For streusel
  • 0.25 cup flour
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp cold butter

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and fill muffin tin
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a 12-cup muffin tin.
Make the cream cheese filling
  1. Beat cream cheese filling until smooth, then refrigerate.
Make the cinnamon streusel
  1. Rub cold butter into flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon until crumbly.
Mix the muffin batter
  1. Whisk muffin dry ingredients until evenly combined.
  2. Whisk wet ingredients separately until smooth.
  3. Fold wet into dry until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter.
  2. Add 1 teaspoon cream cheese filling to each cup.
  3. Cover with remaining batter so the filling is topped by batter.
  4. Top each muffin with streusel.
  5. Bake 20-22 minutes at 375F until a toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

For the cleanest cream cheese ribbon, make sure the cream cheese filling is fully softened before beating, then refrigerate while you mix the batter. Store muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat 10-15 seconds in the microwave. Freeze up to 2 months for best texture—thaw overnight in the fridge. For a dairy-light swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream, noting the filling may be slightly softer.