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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel

pumpkin and cream cheese muffins with struesel

I’m posting again (two days in a row!) because I received a lovely new cookbook (affiliate link) from Fanny Lam of Oh Sweet Day, and these pumpkin and cream cheese muffins spoke to me immediately from amongst the pages.

Then after making them and inhaling most of them (and sharing with my neighbors who also devoured them) I decided you might just want this recipe as well for your upcoming holiday weekend and month.

They are crazy good; the pumpkin and spices are balanced perfectly and the cream cheese center tangy and sweet. I made them in soufflé molds (my new favorite way to make muffins) but if you don’t have any, I have instructions for making them in a regular muffin tin as well. 

pumpkin and cream cheese muffins with struesel
pumpkin and cream cheese muffins with struesel
pumpkin and cream cheese muffins with struesel

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel
Adapted slightly from Oh Sweet Day! by Fanny Lam

I’ve made the rolls in individual soufflé molds, specifically, these 3 x 2-inch copper mini molds from Mauviel. If you do not have soufflé molds, you could use ramekins instead, just make sure they are roughly the same size. The molds I used have straight 2-inch sides, which helps give the muffins their tall shape.

If using muffin tins, see baking directions below for details. You’ll only need half the amount of cream cheese filling.

I had leftover streusel in my freezer from this recipe and used that, but I’ve included Fanny’s recipe for walnut streusel below.

pumpkin and cream cheese muffins with struesel

More Pumpkin Recipes:

pumpkin and cream cheese muffins with struesel

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel

Servings: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Soft and tender pumpkin muffins with a creamy cream cheese filling and a cinnamon streusel topping!
Sarah Kieffer
4.67 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Streusel

  • 1/3 cup (66g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (71g) all-purpose flour
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/4 cup walnuts chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Pumpkin Muffins

  • 2 cups (284g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cup (297g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch cloves
  • 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

For the filling

  • In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the streusel

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt, and walnuts. Pour the melted butter over the top and mix until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

For the muffins

  • Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350F. Butter eight 3 x 2-inch soufflé molds (see note above about soufflé mold specifics) and line the bottom of each mold with parchment paper. Place the molds on a baking sheet. (If using regular muffin tins, place liners in one standard 12-cup muffin tin.)
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove. Make a well in the center.
  • In a large bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, and vanilla until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined, making sure there are no dry pockets in the batter.
  • Evenly divide half the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the center of each cup if using soufflé molds (if using regular muffin tins, place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center). Fill each cup with the remaining pumpkin batter, covering the cream cheese evenly.
  • Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the tops of the muffins. Bake for 25-30 minutes if using souffle molds (if using regular muffin molds bake 20-25 minutes) until the tops are golden brown and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (it should be clean of pumpkin – there might be some cream cheese filling on the skewer, which is normal).
  • Move the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool, and when the molds are cool enough to handle, carefully remove the muffins from each one. Let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack. (Although, if you cut into one when it’s still warm, I completely understand.)
  • Reply
    Annika
    Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 11:18 pm

    5 stars
    A fantastic recipe that was super moist and bursting with fall flavor. It was a hit for my whole family. My favorite part is the cream cheese filling!

    I used the alternate muffin tin suggestions and it worked great. I also used toasted pecans instead of walnuts and, instead of 66 grams of granulated sugar, I split it between light brown sugar and Trader Joe’s cane sugar (closer to the streusel in her “Creamy Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cakes” recipe). I also patted the pumpkin down with paper towels to remove excess moisture, as I saw it is suggested from other bakers.

  • Reply
    Ginger Hackney
    Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at 2:30 pm

    5 stars
    This a great muffin – flavor is spot on with great texture!

  • Reply
    Ann D
    Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 8:18 pm

    Can these be frozen after baking? I’m asking because of the cream cheese inside each one.

  • Reply
    ANN D
    Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 3:17 pm

    Can these be frozen after baking?

  • Reply
    Marla greene
    Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 9:40 am

    Can you use pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices? If so, how much?

  • Reply
    Marla greene
    Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 9:39 am

    Can you use pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices? If so, how much? There is still no amount of nutmeg in the recipe.

    • Reply
      Sarah Kieffer
      Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 10:20 am

      the nutmeg amount is now updated!

  • Reply
    kate brousseau
    Thursday, October 21, 2021 at 10:27 am

    1 star
    Am I the only one who noticed (now that I am in the process of making them!) that there
    is no amount of nutmeg mentioned in the ingredients list??? Also, is there supposed to be
    cinnamon in the streusel?? If so, how much?

  • Reply
    Brandi S.
    Monday, October 11, 2021 at 4:28 pm

    5 stars
    I made these over the weekend and they were really good. I used a muffin tin with cups and worked out great. Will make them again when my family visits end of October.

  • Reply
    Brenna
    Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 2:09 am

    These turned out absolutely delicious! Thank you!

  • Reply
    Stella
    Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 6:17 am

    Great recipe , very helpful … Thank you

  • Reply
    Joseph
    Monday, November 19, 2018 at 11:51 am

    How well do they keep? Could they be made ahead and refrigerated?

  • Reply
    Natalie
    Monday, November 19, 2018 at 1:40 am

    YUM! These muffins look and sounds so delicious and would be perfect for brunch!

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