Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Recipe with Video Tutorial

Pumpkin cream cheese muffins are light, fluffy, and moist, packed with pumpkin spice and finished with a creamy cheesecake swirl.

These pumpkin muffins are even better when topped with a ribbon of sweetened cream cheese. The result is tender, moist pumpkin muffins with warm spice and a pretty, creamy swirl—arguably some of the best pumpkin muffins you’ll try.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

I often pair pumpkin desserts with cream cheese for extra richness. These muffins combine a spiced pumpkin batter with a lightly sweetened cream cheese filling folded in to create a marbled, cheesecake-like center.

Yield and Ingredients

This recipe yields 24 pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins. They freeze well if you don’t eat them all within a few days. Ingredients are grouped below for convenience.

Pumpkin Muffin Batter:

• ½ cup oil (canola or vegetable)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups pumpkin puree
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice)

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz block cream cheese (Neufchatel or regular)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Whisk together oil, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, and milk and whisk until combined. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice, then slowly fold into the wet ingredients until just combined.
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until well blended and scraping the bowl as needed.
4. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Scoop the pumpkin batter into each cup about two-thirds full. Spoon approximately one tablespoon of cream cheese filling over the pumpkin batter in each cup.
5. Use a butter knife to fold (not overmix) the fillings together to create a marbled effect. To fold: insert the knife through the center of the batter, scrape across the bottom, then lift and fold toward the center. Repeat 2–3 times; less stirring preserves the swirl.
6. Bake at 375°F for 15–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking. Cool completely before serving.

Storing

You can store these muffins at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If kept at room temperature, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place (72°F or cooler) and eat within 2–3 days. Refrigerate for longer storage—up to 3–5 days. Choose one storage method and stick with it: either keep them consistently refrigerated or consistently at room temperature to reduce the risk of spoilage.

Freezing

These muffins freeze well. Place cooled muffins in a freezer-safe zip-top bag and freeze for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and keep refrigerated after thawing.

More Pumpkin Cream Cheese Recipes

• Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Roll
• Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
• Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
• Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Filling

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