This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, a Starbucks copycat recipe, are even better than the originals (in our opinion)! I’m sure you’ve seen these before; pumpkin muffins are as popular in fall as turkey. We grab one of these from our local Starbucks coffee shop whenever we’re there in September and October, and wait for them the whole year long. Let me tell you about my take on the now-famous pumpkin cream cheese muffins, and tell you what hot drink to go with them you can make at home too.
Hello my friends.
If you haven’t tried pumpkin cream cheese muffins before, where have you been? Imagine a soft, moist muffin seasoned with warm brown spices and a sweet, velvety cream cheese filling. How delicious does that sound? Now multiply that by ten. Pumpkin muffins are the very soul of autumn. Cream cheese icing and filling are tasty all-rounders. Together, they’re the sweeties that seal the deal for an indulgent breakfast recipe you can't say no to.
Jump to:
Is Geoffrey the only one obsessed with the pumpkin cream cheese muffins at Starbucks? Every year from September 1 to October 31, he is in there either drooling or purchasing. There was one year Starbucks decided not to carry them, but we guess they saw their quarterly profits dip from us not being able to eat them, so they brought the muffins back the following year.
Making these muffins is a fantastic project to turn your baking switch back on for the fall season. And you’ll want to make a few batches because as soon as your friends and family get even the slightest whiff of the aromas coming out your oven, they’ll be all over your new favorite muffins.
Important Ingredients for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
We’re using a whole can of pumpkin puree for this one, and the fragrance of the season, pumpkin spice. We’re talking about the famous mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. To tell you the truth, you can make your own pumpkin spice blend, and it’s fun. You can tweak the proportions to your taste, but you’ll find great ones on sale too, especially at this time of the year.
Today we’re baking a whole 12-piece batch of pumpkin muffins because you’ll want to share these, so bring out your large mixing bowl, some all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda (we’re using both), and lots of butter! That’ll do the trick.
I do want to put stress on using high-quality vanilla. If there’s a time to use vanilla bean, that time is today. Otherwise, use vanilla extract, but make sure it’s the real deal! Personally, for all our recipes we use vanilla paste which has a higher quantity of vanilla bean than extract.
As for the filling, you’ll get this one on your first try. It’s so easy to make, and the versatile cream cheese filling will prove itself useful in many other baking projects. We’re working on a pumpkin roll that uses it, and a carrot cake too. It’s one of my go-to frostings for when I’m in a hurry, not to mention that it’s Geoffrey’s favorite and I get in trouble if I don’t let him lick the bowl.
The time for filling your pumpkin muffins with your cream cheese mixture will come, and if you don’t have a piping bag around, which is totally understandable, use a Ziplock bag and cut off a small corner. You’ll be surprised how well that works.
Like this recipe so far? Be the first to know when we release new ones!
Drinks with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Pumpkin muffins are super satisfying to make and share, and they’re even better when paired with the right drink. Here are two Spoonabilities classic drinks that will pair beautifully with them.
Spiced Spanish Hot Chocolate
Remember this one? This is my favorite hot drink since I discovered it in Barcelona. I usually pair it with churros, but you know what? Spiced Spanish Hot Chocolate is delicious with autumn-flavored treats too. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla mirror the flavors in the pumpkin muffin fabulously.
Pumpkin Spice Mocha
For a more traditional approach, make yourself and your loved ones a hot or cold pumpkin spice mocha. It’s meant to be enjoyed with today’s muffins. You already have the spices, right? And with a nice addition of cinnamon-infused organic Vermont maple syrup, you know you’ve got something special.
These pumpkin muffins are amazingly moist with warm spices and filled with a vanilla cream cheese filling. They are the perfect fall breakfast, and afternoon snack, and dessert! And they are better than the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins from Starbucks because they are homemade, you can adjust the spices to your own liking, and you don't need to leave the house to eat them... just make sure you make plenty of them.
If muffins are your thing, check out these:
- Sourdough Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Savory Corn Muffins with Basil, Ricotta Cheese, and Cinnamon Clove Tomato Jam
- Apricot Cheesecake Muffins with Apricot Preserve
- Almond Sourdough Muffin Recipe with Raisins & Orange Zest
I hope you get a chance to make these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. If you have or any of our other recipes, please do tag @Spoonabilities on Instagram and leave a like or comment on this Pin, so we can find you! We'd also love to hear from you in the comment section below.
Happy Start of Pumpkin Season,
Carlos Leo
Your Recipe Concierge!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins is a Starbucks copycat recipe. But ours are better. You know why?...because they are homemade, and you don’t have to leave the house. Pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and a luscious cream cheese filling make these the baking treats of the Fall season.
Ingredients
- 1+½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1+½ cup (1 can of 13 oz) pure pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon milk
Instructions
Making the Muffins:
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 350F, and prepare muffin baking trays with paper muffin cups to hold 12 muffins.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, melted butter, vanilla, and egg.
- Combine: Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and pour the wet mixture into the bowl. Stir with a large spoon until just combined and there are no dry pieces.
- Fill muffin trays evenly with the mixture.
Making the Cream Cheese Filling:
- Blending: In a medium-sized bowl, mix all the ingredients using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until smooth.
- Filling: Place mix into a piping bag (or a Ziplock bag and cut off a small corner). Place the piping bag into the muffins one at a time and fill insides with the cream cheese. Evenly distribute cream cheese mixture along with all the muffins, leaving a little dollop on top of each.
- Distribute the pumpkin seeds evenly around the outsides of the batter if desired.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the bread part of the muffins comes out mostly clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes and then take them out of the muffin tray and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
You can store muffins in a container with a lid for a couple days, or in the refrigerator, and warm before eating.
These muffins don’t freeze well.... like you'll have any leftover to freeze LOL!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ready to Fall into Pumpkin Season? Check these other recipes out:
Hey there, I'm Carlos, a food and drink enthusiast, recipe blogger and 
Kimberly
Thank you for this recipe! The muffins are amazing!!! We made them for Thanksgiving breakfast and they are so moist and flavorful. We added a tsp of cinnamon to the batter and I am just so impressed with how good they turned out.
Geoffrey Swetz
That is great to hear Kimberly. SO glad ya'll enjoyed them. Yes, some cinnamon is a great addition. We add it to our morning coffee too.
Beth
Yummy! These muffins are my kids favorite especially as an after school snack. Definitely making these throughout fall, so excited to make these with my daughter!
Alejandra
Oh my god these look amaziiinnng! I have to make these tomorrow, I am drooling!
Andrea
All the warm spices and that cream cheese filling sounds wonderful. A perfect fall muffin.
Sharon
Pumpkin muffins are taken to a whole new level with the addition of cream cheese in this recipe.
Catherine
These muffins look absolutely magnificent! I love that cream cheese filling and they look so light and heavenly. Cannot wait to give these a try!
Jill
These are fun and easy to make. The cream cheese icing is delicious and makes these muffins look fancy. I will be making these again this fall.
Geoffrey @ Spoonabilities
We love to hear when our reader plan to make our recipes again and again. Thanks Jill for letting us know!
Janelle • Plant Based Folk
I love pumpkin muffins and these look superb
Geoffrey @ Spoonabilities
Thanks Janelle!
Beth
Yum! These look so delicious and scrumptious! My family is going to love these muffins! So excited to make them!
Geoffrey @ Spoonabilities
I'm sure you are right, and your family will love them. Make extra!
Sara
Homemade is always better and these look sensational. Love the generous amount of creamcheese "stuffing" on the top. Plus the colour is gorgeous.
Geoffrey @ Spoonabilities
Thanks Sara. You can never, never have too much cream cheese stuffing.
Jamie
This looks incredible and I love the gorgeous color of the pumpkin! Adding pumpkin seeds to this is such a great idea! I'll be making this this weekend!
Geoffrey @ Spoonabilities
Awesome Jamie! Let us know how they turn out. Send pictures!!!
Anjali
Omg these muffins were absolutely amazing!! I loved all of the pumpkin flavors - just perfect for fall!
Geoffrey @ Spoonabilities
Happy to hear you love them Anjali. We love Fall flavors, so we have no choice but to make these.