Before I get too far into it: yes, this recipe was inspired by the legendary Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins. Here is my attempt at a copycat recipe, if you wanna call it that… But let’s hope that you will find these to be even better: made at home, wildly delicious, and totally worth making again.

Can I use my own pumpkin puree for this recipe?

Yes, and again I will say, YES. Homemade is always better in my opinion! If you don’t know how to make your own, check out this tutorial for directions!

Do I need to use the tulip liners, or can I use regular muffin liners?

The tulip liners just accommodate slightly larger muffins, and they are pretty. Regular ones work just fine, although you might get more than 12 muffins out of this recipe if you make them that way! Honestly, you could make these with no liner at all (just greased or silicone muffin tins), but I would only recommend that if you do have a silicone pan to get the muffins out easily.

What will I need to make these muffins?

Aside from your basic ingredients, just a standard outfitted kitchen with the following equipment:

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Muffin tins (silicone or regular)
• Tulip liners (or other muffin liners)
• A large spoon or cookie scoop, for dividing the batter

That’s it! Care for the recipe?

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

These are soft, delicious pumpkin spice muffins topped with smooth cream cheese and pumpkin seeds. Perfect for the entire fall/winter season.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, Canadian

Keyword cheesecake, pumpkin cream cheese muffins, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin spice

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. butter melted
• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/3 c. water
• 6 Tbsp pumpkin seeds optional

Cream Cheese Topping:

• 1/2 brick cream cheese (4oz)
• 2-1/2 Tbsp icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup whipping cream

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line 12 muffin cups with cupcake or tulip muffins liners.

2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Make a well in the centre and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the beaten eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, pumpkin puree and water. Whisk to combine, and pour this into the dry ingredients. Stir until the dry and wet ingredients are just combined and moistened (do not overmix). Divide into prepared muffins cups. Sprinkle generously with pumpkin seeds.

4. In a medium sized mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and whipping cream and and whip until thick and fluffy.

5. Spoon the cream cheese filling into a piping bag or the corner of a ziploc bag. Snip the top or corner of the bag off with scissors, and pipe a little bit of the cream cheese mixture down into the batter of each muffin, finishing on top with about a nickel or quarter sized dollop of cream cheese in the centre of each.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the largest muffin comes out clean (test the baked muffin, not the cream cheese). Cool on wire racks.

Delicious. I have been wanting to make these for years, and I finally did it! I’m happy to finally share them with you.

What’s your favourite pumpkin spice treat?

Bye for now,

Naomi

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