Description

These cozy fall muffins blend earthy pumpkin spice with a creamy, cheesecake-like swirl for a bakery-worthy treat. Moist, tender, and packed with real pumpkin, they’re perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
1/4 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened almond milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Break up any brown sugar clumps.
In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
In another bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and salt until creamy and lump-free.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of pumpkin batter into each muffin liner. Add a generous tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on top, then top with another tablespoon of pumpkin batter if extra remains.
Using a toothpick or skewer, gently swirl the cream cheese into the pumpkin batter with a few figure-eight motions for a marbled look.
Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin (not the cream cheese) comes out mostly clean.
Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For gluten-free muffins, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, substitute plant-based cream cheese and non-dairy milk. Don’t overmix the batter for light muffins. Soften cream cheese fully for a smooth swirl. Muffins can be frozen for up to 2 months. Add nuts or chocolate chips for variation.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 muffin
Calories: 220
Sugar: 20
Sodium: 220
Fat: 8
Saturated Fat: 3
Carbohydrates: 33
Fiber: 2
Protein: 4

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese swirl, fall baking, easy muffins, breakfast, autumn, pumpkin spice, brunch, dessert, cozy recipes