Amazing Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins
These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins are tender, spiced, and feature a tangy cream cheese ribbon. Easy to make and bakery-worthy, they are perfect for fall baking. Get ready for a delightful treat that's hard to resist!
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Paper liners
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer)
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Toothpick or skewer
- Oven
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling!
- 2 large eggs
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it thoroughly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, and eggs until well combined.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix! A few lumps are okay.
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin muffin batter into each muffin liner.
- Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture.
- Use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl the cream cheese mixture into the pumpkin batter. Be careful not to overmix – you want to see defined swirls!
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For flat muffins, ensure your baking soda is fresh and avoid overmixing the batter. For dry muffins, measure your flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup. To prevent cream cheese sinking, ensure the cream cheese is softened but not melted and avoid over-swirling. Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Add nuts, chocolate chips, or additional spices for variations. A powdered sugar glaze adds an extra touch of sweetness.