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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

For the Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Muffins

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the Cream Cheese Filling

  • Beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Cover and chill in the fridge while you make the batter.

Make the Muffins

  • Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
  • Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
  • Spoon a little batter into each liner, about a third of the way up. Add a rounded spoonful of the chilled cream cheese filling to the center, then cover with the remaining batter so the filling is tucked inside.
  • Bake at 425F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce to 350F and bake another 13 to 16 minutes, until the pumpkin springs back and a toothpick in the muffin edge comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Notes

  • Chill the filling: A cold, firm dollop holds its shape in the center instead of melting away.
  • Dollop, don't overfill: A rounded spoonful is plenty. Too much and it leaks out the top.
  • Storage: Because of the cream cheese, keep these in the fridge up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months.