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Ultimate Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins: Easy Streusel Recipe

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These bakery-quality pumpkin cream cheese muffins feature a perfectly centered cream cheese filling, a crunchy streusel topping that stays crisp for days, and a tender, moist crumb. The result of years of testing, this recipe delivers the ultimate fall treat that works for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin, not pie filling)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup milk (whole milk preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, cold
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for filling)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for filling)
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar (for streusel)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Make the streusel first: In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup packed light brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Add the cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse sand with a few pea-sized butter chunks. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest.
  3. Make the cream cheese filling: In a small bowl, beat the cold cream cheese with ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 egg yolk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla until smooth (about 2 minutes with a hand mixer). Set aside.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and ½ teaspoon salt.
  5. Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, ¼ cup milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.
  6. Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined (a few streaks of flour are fine). The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy.
  7. Fill the muffin cups: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to fill each liner about one-third full with batter.
  8. Add the cream cheese filling: Drop a generous tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin cup. Do not spread it around.
  9. Top with remaining batter: Divide the remaining batter evenly over the cream cheese filling. The cups should be about three-quarters full. Gently spread the batter to cover the filling completely.
  10. Add the streusel: Sprinkle the cold streusel generously over each muffin, pressing it gently into the batter so it sticks.
  11. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) without opening the door. Bake for another 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the cream cheese center) comes out clean.
  12. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Keep cream cheese cold to prevent sinking. Don’t overmix the batter. The high-heat start (425°F) is crucial for domed tops and crunchy streusel. Let muffins cool completely before eating to allow the cream cheese filling to set. For Instagram-worthy domed tops, let the batter rest in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, streusel muffins, fall baking, pumpkin cream cheese, bakery-style muffins, easy muffin recipe

Find it online: https://cravemila.com/ultimate-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-easy-streusel-recipe-2/