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Best Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

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These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are tender, spiced perfectly, and have a gorgeous cream cheese ribbon running through the middle with a crunchy streusel topping. They’re a bakery-quality treat made with simple ingredients, perfect for fall mornings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • ¼ cup milk (any kind)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (full fat, softened)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for cream cheese filling)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for cream cheese filling)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (packed, for streusel)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter (cut into small cubes, for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line your muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Make the cream cheese filling first: In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, egg yolk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Chill in the fridge while you make the batter.
  3. Make the streusel topping: In another small bowl, combine ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter using a fork or your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Set aside.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.
  5. Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  6. Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are okay.
  7. Fill the muffin cups: Fill each liner about halfway full with batter (about ¼ cup per liner).
  8. Add the cream cheese filling: Drop about 1 tablespoon of the chilled cream cheese mixture right into the center of each muffin. Don’t press it down.
  9. Top with remaining batter: Gently spoon the remaining batter over the cream cheese filling, covering it completely. The liners should be almost full, about ¾ to the top.
  10. Sprinkle with streusel: Generously top each muffin with the streusel mixture. Press it in lightly so it sticks.
  11. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Then, without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 18-20 minutes.
  12. Check for doneness: A toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the cream cheese center) should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The tops should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
  13. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Don’t overmix the batter to avoid tough muffins. Chill the cream cheese filling for at least 15 minutes to prevent it from sinking. Use room temperature eggs for best texture. The streusel is worth the extra step for a bakery-style crunch. Let muffins cool for at least 15 minutes before eating to avoid burning your mouth on the hot cream cheese filling. Bake in the center of the oven for even heat distribution. If muffins brown too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cream cheese muffins, Starbucks copycat, pumpkin muffins, fall baking, cream cheese filled muffins, bakery style muffins

Find it online: https://cooksybite.com/best-starbucks-copycat-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins/