Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are a soft and moist pumpkin spice muffin filled with a creamy cheesecake center and topped with buttery streusel. This easy fall recipe is even better than the bakery and makes the perfect sweet breakfast, snack, or dessert.
If Fall were a muffin, it'd be this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin.
If Fall were a muffin, it'd be this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin. I look forward to them every year! The pumpkin spice flavor is cozy and nostalgic, while the surprise cream cheese filling makes them taste like little bites of pumpkin cheesecake wrapped in a muffin. I especially love the streusel topping that gives them the best crunch on top. They’re easy enough to whip up on a weeknight but special enough to bring to a fall gathering, and my family never lets a batch last more than a day.
How to make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins:
Cream Cheese Filling: In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate while you prepare the muffin batter.
Muffin Batter: In one bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, mix the eggs, oil, sugar, and pumpkin purée until smooth. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
Streusel Topping: In a small bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Bake: Spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup. Add a teaspoon of cream cheese filling in the center, then cover with more batter until each cup is about ¾ full. Sprinkle generously with the streusel topping. Bake for 18–20 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack before serving.
Follow me for more great recipes
Recipe
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Muffins:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup oil
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree , or homemade
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 4 oz plain cream cheese , softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Streusel Topping:
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar , packed
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cold butter cut into pieces
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Cream Cheese Filling: Prepare cream cheese filling by combining the cream cheese and powdered sugar and mix well until smooth. Refrigerate while you make the muffins.4 oz plain cream cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar
- Muffins: In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir and set aside. In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup oil, 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- Streusel Topping: Add the streusel topping ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine using a pastry or fork, until crumbly.2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons cold butter, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a standard muffin pan, or line with paper liners.
- Fill each muffin cup with a heaping tablespoon of batter. Place a heaping teaspoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each muffin cup. Add additional muffin batter until the cups are ¾ way full. Sprinkle crumb topping over the top of each. (This recipe will make 18 regular size muffins, or 12 very large muffins. If you want to use all the batter to make large muffins, add 6-10 minutes to the bake time. I’ve never had them overflow on me.)
- Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes. Remove from muffin pan and allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Follow Me
I originally shared this recipe August 2016. Updated October 2020, August 2023 and September 2025.
This post contains affiliate links.
What size is the can of pumpkin?
You don’t use the whole can, just one cup of canned pureed pumpkin.
5STAR RECIPE
These are absolutely wonderful, I use to go to Starbucks , they had something similar. Since I no longer go to Starbucks . I missed their pumpkin cream cheese cake. But I thank God you came out with a wonderful recipe that replaces Starbucks
Thanks Susie–I’m so happy you found them as a great replacement to the starbucks! They are delicious!
These muffins are to die for yummy. I’ve made them so many times and they never fail to impress. My kids LOVE them!! I make twice as much of the cream cheese filling and crumble so that I can whip up a batch of the muffins in a snap.
Thank you so much MaryAnn! And that’s such a great idea to make extra of the filling and crumble for faster muffins. Thanks for commenting, and thanks for following TBFS.
This muffin recipe is so delicious. My kids love them.
Thank you so much MaryAnn! Thanks for commenting and following TBFS <3
With all the rain in Texas today, what better way to spend the day baking. Made these today, looked for a recipe that would not make a lot of muffins with only two people in house now. These turned out great, will be keeping this recipe. Thanks, Pam from central Texas
Thank you so much Pam! Stay safe in TX!
Are these freezer friendly?
Yes, I think they would freeze really well!
These are by far the BEST muffins I’ve eaten! Thank you for this wonderful recipe! The only problem is trying not to eat them all!
Thanks so much! So happy you liked them!
These look delicious.
Clever recipe!
I am so ready for “pumpkin” season. These sound delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda