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Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins: Easy Fall Recipe

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These bakery-style muffins feature a tender, spiced pumpkin cake, a luscious cream cheese center, and a buttery, crunchy streusel topping. They are the perfect fall treat for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (245g) pumpkin purée
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for filling)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for filling)
  • ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed light brown sugar (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (56g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line your 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Make the Streusel: In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and pumpkin pie spice for the streusel. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse, wet sand with some pea-sized butter clumps remaining. Set it in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest.
  3. Make the Cream Cheese Filling: In another small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy. Add the sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat again until fully combined and creamy. Set it aside at room temperature.
  4. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Then, whisk in the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
  6. Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold them together gently. Stop mixing as soon as you see the last streaks of flour disappear. A few small lumps are perfectly fine.
  7. Assemble the Muffins: Fill each muffin liner about halfway full with the pumpkin batter. Next, add a generous dollop (about 1 tablespoon) of the cream cheese filling right in the center of the batter. Then, top with the remaining batter, dividing it evenly among the 12 cups. The liners will be quite full, almost to the top.
  8. Add the Streusel: Sprinkle the chilled streusel generously over the top of each muffin. Press it down very gently so it sticks to the batter.
  9. Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes. Then, without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake for another 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the cream cheese center) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The tops should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
  10. Cool: Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, carefully transfer the muffins to the wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For best results, use room temperature ingredients. The high-heat start (425°F for 5 minutes) is crucial for domed tops. Keep the streusel cold to prevent it from melting. Do not overmix the batter. Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes to set the cream cheese filling.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, streusel muffins, fall baking, pumpkin spice, easy muffin recipe

Find it online: https://juliamadeit.com/perfect-pumpkin-cream-cheese-streusel-muffins-easy-fall-recipe/