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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Starbucks Copycat)

These homemade Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are soft, perfectly spiced, and filled with a silky vanilla cream cheese center that tastes just like fall in every bite.
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 Muffins

Equipment

  • Hand mixer optional

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • ½ cup (110g) brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • ½ cups + 2 tbsp (125g) sugar
  • 1 ½ cups (360ml) pumpkin purée
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable or neutral oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) milk I used soy—regular and non-dairy alternatives work too

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ tablespoon pumpkin spice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 oz (226g) softened cream cheese
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).Line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment liners—trust me, parchment is key so the muffins don’t stick. I used regular liners the first time and ended up eating more paper than muffin.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a spatula.Pour in the milk and mix until just combined—do not overmix. Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes while you prepare the filling.
  5. In a bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.If you have a hand mixer, use it.
  6. Transfer the filling to a small zip-top bag and snip off the tip to pipe.
  7. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
  8. Pipe about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese into the center of each muffin. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top for that classic bakery look.
  9. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for 20–25 minutes, until the tops are set. This high-heat-to-low-heat method creates tall, bakery-style muffins with domed tops. If you prefer a simpler method, bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes.

Notes

  • Fill every other muffin well to give them more room to rise tall.
  • Don’t pipe the cream cheese filling too deep—about ¼ inch below the surface is perfect. If you go deeper, the tops may sink a little.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate for 4–5 days.
  • Warm leftovers in the microwave for 10–12 seconds for the best texture.