Bakery-Style Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Better Than Starbucks!)

There’s nothing that says fall quite like the aroma of pumpkin cream cheese muffins baking in the oven. Soft, spiced, and filled with a luscious cream cheese swirl, these muffins make mornings feel extra cozy.

Whether you’re a fan of the Starbucks pumpkin muffins or just love a simple homemade treat, this recipe gives you that same bakery-style texture—moist, rich, and perfectly balanced with warm autumn spices.

If you love comforting baked goods made from scratch, you can find more inspiration on my Desserts from Scratch page.

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Quick Recipe Summary

• Step 1: Mix the pumpkin batter.
• Step 2: Prepare the sweet cream cheese filling.
• Step 3: Fill muffin cups with pumpkin batter and pipe in the cream cheese filling.
• Step 4: Bake until golden.
• Step 5: Cool slightly, then enjoy warm or store for later.

Homemade Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins vs Starbucks

It is always so fun when our favorite fast food places have seasonal treats! Once in a while, we definitely indulge in some of these things. I mean, hello, I grew up looking forward to Shamrock Shakes every year. Unfortunately, as the years go on, it seems like there are more and more unhealthy ingredients being added to these popular treats.

The popular Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins include around 25 ingredients, including things that I’m not excited to let my kids have, in the name of fall treats. So, I made the muffins myself using really simple and wholesome ingredients, some of which I even made from scratch, like the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree.

I hope you’ll give these a try and share them with your family and friends; it’s a win-win for everyone. I recently made them for a 4H

Ingredients and Supplies You’ll Need

• Pumpkin Purée – Use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, for the best texture and flavor. If you have pumpkins, learn to roast your own pumpkin for pumpkin puree.
• All-Purpose Flour – Provides structure while keeping the crumb tender.
• Sugar – Adds sweetness to the pumpkin muffins and cream cheese filling.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – Brings all the cozy fall flavor. Use your own homemade blend!
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Give these muffins their rise and fluffiness.
• Eggs – Add moisture and richness.
• Milk – Adds moisture and helps create a tender crumb in the muffin batter.
• Butter – Provides richness and flavor while keeping the muffins soft and moist.
• Vanilla Extract – Rounds out the flavors. Learn to make your own vanilla!
• Cream Cheese – Softened for a smooth, tangy filling.
• Muffin Pan – I love my cast-iron muffin pans. Nontoxic and no liners needed.

How to Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

These pumpkin muffins are super easy to make and so delicious. A much healthier option than the Starbucks alternative and you can make enough to share!

For the Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare your muffin pans. I oil mine with avocado or olive oil to prevent sticking. I love the cast iron muffin pans because they’re nontoxic and I don’t need any cupcake liners.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large bowl, combine the sugar and butter. Then add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. I just used a bowl and spoon, and it worked nicely. If you’re going to make a bigger batch, a stand mixer would be convenient.

Once the wet ingredients are combined, add the dry ingredients. Mix until your batter is smooth. Don’t overmix.

Scoop the batter into 12 muffin slots and set aside.

For the Cream Cheese Filling

Using the mixer with the whisk attachment or just a spoon and a bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature so it is nice and smooth for the filling. I like to stir or whip the cream cheese alone first to make sure it’s super smooth.

Once the filling is done, put it in a piping bag or a ziplock bag.

Snip the end off and pipe the filling into the middle of each muffin. Make sure you use all your filling, you want to make sure you have a good amount in the middle of each muffin.

Baking the Muffins

Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes, until they are cooked through. Use a toothpick to check for doneness, avoiding the cream cheese filling.

Cool slightly before serving. Keep the muffins refrigerated for up to 5 days or freeze, individually wrapped, for up to 3 months.

Tips for the Best Muffins

• Don’t overmix the batter; this keeps your muffins tender.
• Use room temperature cream cheese for a smooth filling.
• Try sprinkling turbinado sugar or crushed pecans on top before baking for a bakery-style touch.
• Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.

FAQ: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Explore More Fall Recipes

If you loved these pumpkin cream cheese muffins, try these other cozy fall recipes from the blog:

• Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crumble Topping
• Apple Cider Donut Bread
• Homemade Vanilla Extract
• Apple Butter

Bake Something Cozy

Bring a little fall warmth to your kitchen with these pumpkin cream cheese muffins! They’re easy to make, freezer-friendly, and perfect for breakfast, dessert, or gifting.

If you try this recipe, leave a comment below and tell me how they turned out, or share your favorite fall baking traditions! Grab a few more sweet treat recipes from our Dessert Hub.