Part muffin, part cupcake, and part cream puff – in other words, a match made in heaven.
Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Filling
Take Me To The Pumpkin Muffin Recipe Lindsay’s Notes How To Make These Pumpkin Muffins Video Reviews
Lindsay’s Notes
These pumpkin muffins are exactly what I’ve needed these last few weeks: fluffy, joyful, distracting, unnecessary (but necessary), and comforting. (see also: this monkey bread) I ate a cream cheese-filled pumpkin muffin from Caribou Coffee a few weeks ago, and that was the beginning of the end of this pumpkin muffin journey. Game over. It was SO good, and I was especially in love with the cream cheese layer – it wasn’t baked in, it was fluffy and light like a cream puff. Just injected right in the middle of the muffin. And here we are now, making these at home. It feels wrong to call it a muffin, but calling it a cupcake isn’t quite right, either. Thankfully, I have full confidence that you’ll find the right moment to eat one of these: Saturday morning at home, holiday gathering, birthday party, football game. Midnight snack is also highly approved. These muffins have been a delight and a joy in my life during these last couple crazy weeks. My girls have enjoyed sampling about 15 varieties of these as I worked them into exactly what I wanted them to be: fluffy, sparkly, just a tiny bit of crunch from the cinnamon sugar, and loaded (really, truly, LOADED) with fluffy whipped maple cream cheese. I hope they bring a little bit of lightness and fun into your life this week!
How To Make These Pumpkin Muffins
Step 1: Make the muffins!
Standard pumpkin muffin material right here. I used these pumpkin muffins from Queen Sally of SBA – just changed the spices and the bake time instructions.
Step 2: Make a cinnamon sugar topping.
This topping is minimal effort but adds a but of sparkle and crunch. I borrowed this topping from our Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake, which is a good next stop once you’re done with these.
Step 3: Bake the muffins.
House smells amazing at this point.
Step 4: Make your whipped maple cream cheese filling.
This is a bit finnicky – don’t just throw it all in one bowl. Whip the cream cheese, whip the whipped cream, and then fold them together. Your efforts will be rewarded because THIS IS OTHERWORLDLY. This filling is borrowed from our Pumpkin Shortcakes with Cinnamon Apples, but just a bit more cream cheese forward.
Step 4: Cut a hole in the tops of the muffins.
You could also just skip this step and pipe your filling right in there, but this allows lots of room for lots of filling. Which is how I like it. Plus, the extra little cone pieces are great for snacking and swiping into the extra cream cheese filling.
Step 5: Pipe that filling right in there.
I use a little pastry bag, or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off also works. Fill ‘er up! And… you’re a bakery owner now. They’re beautiful. And super delicious.
Watch How To Make These Pumpkin Muffins
4.6 from 9 reviews
1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 1/4 cup milk 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 3/4 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Maple Cream Cheese Filling:
3/4 cup heavy cream 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup maple syrup (to taste)
You’ll have extra filling – this is great for eating with the snack pieces, or dolloping on pancakes or waffles, or spooning over shortcakes, or topping a pie, just eating with a spoon out of the fridge.
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