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Ultimate Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins + Streusel Topping

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These ultimate pumpkin cream cheese muffins with streusel topping are a resurrection of a beloved bakery treat. With a creamy center, crunchy streusel, and perfectly spiced pumpkin batter, they’re comfort food that feels special but comes together in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin, not pie filling)
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) honey
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar (for streusel)
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (57g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (30g) chopped pecans (optional, for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Make the cream cheese filling: In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, honey, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, both sugars, and cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and cut in with a pastry cutter or fingertips until coarse crumbs form. Stir in chopped pecans if using. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
  5. Mix the wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
  6. Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined (about 12-15 strokes). Do not overmix.
  7. Assemble the muffins: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into each muffin liner. Drop a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each. Top with another 2 tablespoons of batter, covering the cream cheese completely. Fill liners about three-quarters full.
  8. Add the streusel: Sprinkle a generous amount of streusel over each muffin and press down lightly.
  9. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the cream cheese center) comes out clean and tops are golden brown.
  10. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Don’t overmix the batter; lumps are fine. Keep cream cheese filling cold-ish to prevent sinking. Use a cookie scoop for even muffins. Let muffins cool completely before serving to allow cream cheese filling to set. For best results, refrigerate streusel until ready to use.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, streusel topping, fall baking, pumpkin spice, bakery-style muffins

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/ultimate-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-plus-streusel-topping/