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Sarah

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Starbucks-Style Copycat)

Tall-domed bakery-style pumpkin muffins filled with a luscious cream cheese swirl and optional chocolate chips. Easy one-bowl batter with a soft center and crunchy pepita topping.
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Prep Time 12 minutes
Cook Time 19 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 285
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free flour blend)
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup neutral oil or melted butter
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup milk (dairy or almond)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾–1 cup chocolate chips, divided (optional)
  • 2–3 Tbsp pepitas (optional)
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch fine salt

Equipment

  • 12-cup muffin tin
  • mixing bowls
  • whisk
  • spatula
  • hand mixer or stand mixer
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • cooling rack

Method

  • Heat oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  • Beat cream cheese filling ingredients until smooth and chill until ready to use.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin purée, sugars, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla until glossy.
  • Fold dry ingredients into wet just until combined. Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips if using.
  • Spoon batter into liners, adding a scoop of cream cheese filling in the center, then cover with more batter to ¾ full. Top with reserved chips and pepitas if using.
  • Bake 5 minutes at 400°F, then reduce to 350°F (175°C) and bake 12–14 minutes more until set. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 210mgPotassium: 110mgFiber: 2gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 2200IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1.6mg

Notes

For mini muffins, bake 10–12 minutes at 350°F. For jumbo muffins, bake 22–25 minutes at 375°F. Gluten-free? Use a 1:1 GF flour blend and let the batter rest 10 minutes. Want extra protein? Add ¼ cup unflavored whey or egg-white protein powder plus 1–2 Tbsp extra milk.
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