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Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins: Easy Fall Recipe

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These Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel Topping are warm, spiced, and comforting, with a surprise creamy tangy center and a crunchy streusel topping. They’re quick and easy to make, perfect for fall gatherings, and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (240g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil (canola or avocado oil work too)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) milk (whole milk preferred)
  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) 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 Topping: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Add the cold butter cubes. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Pop this in the fridge while you work on the rest.
  3. Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon flour. Beat until combined. The mixture should be thick and smooth, not runny. Set aside at room temperature.
  4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  5. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 room-temperature eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 cup milk. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
  6. Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined. A few streaks of flour are okay—overmixing will make the muffins tough. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy.
  7. Assemble the Muffins: Fill each muffin cup about 1/3 full with batter (about 2 tablespoons per cup). Drop a generous tablespoon of the cream cheese filling right in the center of each. Don’t press it down; let it sit on top of the batter. Then, divide the remaining batter evenly over the cream cheese filling, covering it completely. Each cup should be about 3/4 full.
  8. Add the Streusel: Sprinkle the cold streusel topping generously over each muffin. Use your fingers to press it gently into the batter so it sticks.
  9. Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven. Bake at 425°F (220°C) 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. The tops should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
  10. Cool: Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

The cream cheese must be softened to room temperature for a smooth filling. Don’t overmix the batter to avoid tough muffins. Chill the streusel topping to prevent it from sinking into the batter. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to allow the cream cheese filling to set.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, fall muffins, streusel topping, pumpkin cream cheese muffins, easy fall recipe

Find it online: https://emmastirs.com/perfect-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-easy-fall-recipe/