Print

Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins: Easy Fall Dessert Recipe

pumpkin cheesecake muffins - featured image
Print Recipe

Rich, handheld muffins featuring a moist pumpkin spice cake base, a tangy cream cheese swirl, and a crunchy buttery crumb topping.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (100% pure)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (for topping)
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar (for topping)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon (for topping)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until incorporated.
  4. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined; do not overmix.
  5. In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate briefly.
  6. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, cinnamon, and cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse sand.
  7. Divide pumpkin batter evenly among muffin cups, filling halfway.
  8. Drop a heaping tablespoon of cheesecake batter onto the center of each muffin.
  9. Gently swirl the cheesecake into the pumpkin batter with a knife or offset spatula to create ribbons.
  10. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over each muffin.
  11. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the cake part comes out clean.
  12. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Use full-fat brick cream cheese, not spreadable. Ensure cream cheese is softened to room temperature to avoid lumps. Do not use pumpkin pie filling; use 100% pure pumpkin puree. Cold butter is crucial for the crumb topping texture. Let muffins cool completely before eating to allow the cheesecake center to set.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cheesecake muffins, fall baking, crumb topping, pumpkin spice, easy dessert, holiday baking

Find it online: https://miratable.com/creamy-pumpkin-cheesecake-muffins-easy-fall-dessert-recipe/