Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins: Autumn's Sweet Treat (Print Version)
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins bring autumn joy! Soft pumpkin spice muffins with tangy cream cheese swirls. A comforting bake for crisp mornings.
# Recipe Info:
Prep Time: 15 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuisine: American
Dietary: Vegetarian
# Ingredients:
→ Muffin Dry Ingredients
01 -
2 cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour
02 -
1/2 cup (100g) Granulated Sugar
03 -
1/2 cup (110g) packed Light Brown Sugar
04 -
1 tsp Baking Powder
05 -
1 tsp Baking Soda
06 -
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
07 -
1/2 tsp Salt
→ Muffin Wet Ingredients
08 -
1 cup (240g) Canned Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling)
09 -
1 large Egg, at room temperature
10 -
1/2 cup (120ml) Vegetable Oil
11 -
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
→ Cream Cheese Swirl
12 -
4 oz (113g) Cream Cheese, full-fat, softened
13 -
1/4 cup (30g) Powdered Sugar
# Instructions:
01 -
First things first, line your muffin tin with paper liners. Honestly, I hate scrubbing sticky muffin tins, so liners are my best friend! Then, in a large bowl, whisk together your flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Give it a good whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed. You don't want a bite of just baking soda, trust me, I've been there, and it's not a pleasant surprise.
02 -
In a separate medium bowl, whisk your canned pumpkin puree, egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until everything is well combined and smooth. Now, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined, but be careful not to overmix! This is where I always get impatient and go a little too far. Overmixing leads to tough muffins, and nobody wants a tough muffin, right? A few lumps are totally fine.
03 -
In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar until it's smooth and creamy. A hand mixer makes this super quick, but a whisk and some elbow grease work too. You're looking for a thick, pipeable consistency. This is the magical part that transforms these into something special, so make sure it's perfect!
04 -
Divide the pumpkin batter evenly among your prepared muffin liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Now for the fun part: drop a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture onto the center of each muffin. Grab a small knife or a toothpick and gently swirl the cream cheese into the pumpkin batter. Don't overdo it, just a few gentle passes to create that lovely marbled effect. This step always makes me feel like a little artist!
05 -
Pop your muffin tin into a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for the first 5 minutes. This initial high heat helps create those beautiful, domed tops. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for another 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a pumpkin portion (avoiding the cream cheese) comes out clean. The smell at this stage? Divine!
06 -
Once baked, let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents them from getting soggy bottoms. The cream cheese swirl will set a bit more