Description
Delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins featuring a creamy cream cheese filling, spiced pumpkin batter, and a crunchy pecan streusel topping. Perfect for fall breakfasts, snacks, or dessert, these muffins combine classic autumn flavors with a rich, soft center and a crumbly topping.
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
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ 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 to a medium bowl. Whisk by hand or with a handheld mixer until smooth. Freeze while you prep the rest of the recipe so it becomes slightly stiff but still scoopable.
- Streusel Crumb Topping: Pulse the pecans three times in a food processor. Add the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon and pulse a few times to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small pebbles. If needed, rub stubborn butter pieces between your fingers. Set aside in the freezer.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 22 muffin cups with liners and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs gently. Add the granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, and vegetable oil and mix until combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Combine: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined, being careful not to overmix to avoid dense muffins.
- Assemble: Spoon 1 ½ tablespoons of pumpkin batter into each muffin liner, spreading it to cover the bottom. Add 1 rounded tablespoon of the cream cheese filling on top. Cover with the remaining batter evenly. Divide the streusel topping evenly over each muffin and gently pat it down so it adheres during baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the top batter (avoiding the cream cheese) comes out clean. Note that baking time varies depending on how chilled the cream cheese filling is; softer filling means longer baking time.
- Cool: Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, sprinkle with ground cinnamon and raw cane sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. Muffins can be warmed briefly in the microwave before serving.
Notes
- The cream cheese filling should be stiff but pliable to create a soft, melty center. If prepping in advance, freeze the filling for 20-30 minutes to achieve the right consistency without freezing it solid.
- Measure flour correctly by weighing it or fluffing, spooning, and leveling to avoid dense muffins from too much flour.
- If using non-Libby’s pumpkin puree, drain excess moisture for best texture and flavor to prevent dense muffins.
- Baking times vary based on cream cheese filling temperature; test doneness with a toothpick avoiding cream cheese area.
- Store muffins at room temperature for up to 2 hours then refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Use parchment between stacked layers. Warm slightly before serving for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
