Description
Soft, moist, and bursting with warm autumn flavors, these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins are the ultimate fall treat. The creamy, tangy swirl paired with the spiced pumpkin base is simply irresistible. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a cozy snack!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Muffins:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Swirl:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Topping:
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Swirl: In another bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the Muffins: Fill each muffin liner two-thirds full with pumpkin batter. Add a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on top, then use a toothpick or skewer to swirl the cream cheese into the batter. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, if using.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool and Enjoy: Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- For mini muffins, reduce the baking time to 10–14 minutes.
- Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Bring refrigerated or frozen muffins to room temperature before serving, or warm them briefly in the microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes