Ingredients
Cream-cheese filling
- 8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese 227 g; softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 g
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pumpkin batter
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 210 g; spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup plain canned pumpkin puree 244 g; not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar 100 g; packed
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar 75 g; 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons
- 1/3 cup canola oil 80 ml; approximately 75 g
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
- Standard 12-cup metal muffin pan
- Paper liners
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- flexible spatula
- teaspoon
- Wire rack
Instructions
Prepare
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C), with a rack in the middle. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Stir the softened cream cheese, 50 g granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside while preparing the batter.
Mix and fill
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, 75 g granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until evenly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains, scraping the bowl bottom. Do not keep beating once combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling approximately two-thirds full before adding the filling. Make a shallow hollow in each portion with the back of a teaspoon, keeping a layer of batter underneath.
- Divide the cream-cheese mixture among the hollows, approximately 23 g or a rounded tablespoon per muffin. Keep it centered and away from the liner. Leave the filling visible rather than covering or swirling it.
Bake and cool
- Bake for 22–27 minutes, beginning checks at 22 minutes. The pumpkin tops should spring back gently, and a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin portion beside the filling should have a few moist crumbs but no wet orange batter. The cream-cheese centers should look set rather than fluid.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the muffins to a wire rack for approximately 20 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and always within two hours of baking, or one hour above 90°F (32°C).
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffin (1/12 batch)Calories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 280mgSugar: 20g
Video
Notes
Use plain canned pumpkin and full-fat block cream cheese. Different pumpkin moisture levels and spread-style cream cheese can change the consistency. Contains wheat, egg, and milk.
Pan sizes vary. Do not force batter above approximately two-thirds full before adding filling. If your pan has smaller wells, use a second lined pan for excess; the actual yield and per-muffin nutrition will change.
Store covered at 40°F (4°C) or colder for three to four days. Nutrition is an estimate for one of 12 muffins, using ingredient labels and the stated ingredients with no added topping. Brands and portions change the values. Cost varies by local brands and is not estimated.
Video credit: Stephanie Jaworski, Joy of Baking. Her demonstration makes the same kind of pumpkin cream-cheese muffin but uses butter in the batter and an egg in the filling. Follow this card’s ingredients, mixing directions, and baking temperature for this version.
