These pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins are moist and tender, with a sweet cream cheese swirl on top and a balanced pumpkin spice flavor.
Why You’ll Love Them
Simple to make. These muffins come together quickly with straightforward ingredients and steps.
Cream cheese swirl. A creamy, sweet swirl on top gives each muffin a gorgeous finish and a rich contrast to the pumpkin batter.
Perfect pumpkin spice. Warm spices highlight the pumpkin without overpowering the texture or sweetness.
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with brown sugar and white sugar, then add the vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract until combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula. Mix just until no dry streaks remain—do not overmix to keep the muffins light.
Divide the batter among the 12 lined muffin cups, filling each about three quarters full.
For the cream cheese swirl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the egg yolk, vanilla, and white sugar until smooth and creamy.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the center of each muffin, then use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl the cream cheese into the pumpkin batter for a marbled effect.
Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “spooned and levelled” flour mean?
Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping the cup directly into the flour compresses it, which adds more flour than the recipe intends and can make baked goods dense.
Do eggs and milk need to be at room temperature?
Yes. Room-temperature eggs and milk blend more easily into the batter, so you mix less and preserve a tender, airy texture. If you forget to bring eggs to room temperature, run them under warm water for a few minutes.
Storing the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins
Because of the cream cheese topping, store the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They stay fresh for up to four days.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
No. Use pure pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling is sweetened and spiced, which will change the flavor and texture of the muffins.
If you make these pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins, please leave a star rating and a comment below!
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More Pumpkin Recipes to Love
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Loaf Cake
- Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts
- Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping
- Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies
- Melting Moments Pumpkin Cookies
- Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins
Jessie M
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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large bowl
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medium bowl
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muffin pan
Ingredients
Muffin Batter
- 1 & 3/4 C all purpose flour spooned and levelled*
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 2/3 C brown sugar
- 1/3 C white sugar
- 1/2 C vegetable oil
- 1 & 1/4 C pumpkin puree
- 1/4 C milk at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/4 C white sugar
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners.
Muffin Batter
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Whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
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In a large bowl combine eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
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Fold the wet ingredients into the dry with a rubber spatula, mixing just until combined.
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Spoon the batter into muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
Cream Cheese Swirl
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Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla together until smooth and creamy.
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Drop about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto each muffin.
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Swirl with a toothpick, then bake 20–22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan before removing.