Description
Delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins combine moist pumpkin batter with a creamy cream cheese filling and a crunchy pecan streusel topping, perfect for fall breakfasts or snacks.
Ingredients
Scale
Cream Cheese Filling
- 12 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Streusel Crumb Topping
- 2/3 cup raw pecan halves
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed (salted or unsalted)
Wet Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 15 oz. can Libby’s pure pumpkin puree (heaping 1 ¾ cup)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (324 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Garnish (Optional)
- Coarse raw turbinado cane sugar
- Ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Cream Cheese Filling: Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to a medium bowl. Whisk by hand or with a handheld mixer until smooth. Freeze the mixture while preparing the rest of the recipe to firm it up slightly, making it pliable and scoopable.
- Streusel Crumb Topping: Place pecans in a food processor and pulse three times. Add flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon and pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle cold butter cubes over the top and pulse until mixture resembles small pebbles. Rub any large butter pieces in mixture by hand. Set aside in the freezer.
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 22 muffin cups with liners and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk eggs gently. Add granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, and vegetable oil, mixing until combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients mixture into the pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep muffins tender.
- Assemble: Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of pumpkin batter into each muffin liner and spread to cover the bottom. Top each with a rounded tablespoon of cream cheese filling. Cover cream cheese with remaining pumpkin batter divided evenly. Sprinkle heaping 1 tablespoon of streusel crumb topping onto each muffin and gently pat it into the batter to secure it.
- Bake: Bake at 350 degrees F for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the top batter (avoiding cream cheese area) comes out clean. Baking time may vary depending on cream cheese filling firmness.
- Cool and Garnish: Cool muffins for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. Optionally, sprinkle with ground cinnamon and coarse raw turbinado cane sugar. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Reheat briefly in the microwave to warm if desired.
Notes
- The cream cheese filling should be stiff but pliable to create the perfect soft filling when baked. Freeze for 20-30 minutes if prepared early to firm up without freezing entirely.
- Measure flour accurately by weighing or fluffing/spooning into measuring cups and leveling to avoid dense muffins.
- If using pumpkin puree other than Libby’s, blot to remove excess moisture for better texture and flavor.
- Baking times may vary with the cream cheese filling’s temperature; softer filling requires longer baking. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the muffin top away from cream cheese.
- Store muffins at room temperature for up to 2 hours, then refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Use parchment or wax paper between layers if stacking. Warm before serving for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
