Print

Best Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Recipe

pumpkin cream cheese muffins - featured image
Print Recipe

These Starbucks copycat pumpkin cream cheese muffins are tender, spiced just right, and have a gorgeous cream cheese ribbon running through the middle. They’re easier than you think, made with simple ingredients, and make your whole kitchen smell like autumn.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (preferably Vietnamese)
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil (canola or avocado oil work too)
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (245g) 100% pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces (226g) block cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds), raw or lightly salted
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge about 30 minutes before starting to soften.
  2. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Add the sifted powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon flour. Beat for another minute until combined and light. Refrigerate the filling while you make the batter.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for about 20 seconds. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and brown sugar until no lumps remain. Add the vegetable oil and whisk until combined (it will look like wet sand). Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Then add the pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and uniform.
  5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold together gently, just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine. The batter will be thick and slightly fluffy.
  6. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about ⅔ full. Drop about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin cup. Use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl the cream cheese into the batter with a few figure-eight motions, leaving ribbons of cream cheese.
  7. Sprinkle a few pepitas and a pinch of turbinado sugar on top of each muffin.
  8. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the cream cheese center) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The tops should be golden brown and spring back when gently pressed.
  9. Let the muffins cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow at least 20 minutes before serving to let the cream cheese filling set.

Notes

For best results, use room temperature ingredients. The cream cheese filling needs the tablespoon of flour to prevent sinking. Start baking at a high temperature (425°F) for 5 minutes to get domed tops, then lower to 350°F. These muffins taste even better on day two. Freeze individually wrapped for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cream cheese muffins, Starbucks copycat, fall baking, pumpkin muffins, cream cheese filled muffins, easy pumpkin recipe

Find it online: https://cookdella.com/best-starbucks-copycat-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-recipe/