Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are a tasty treat for snacking, breakfast, and more. These pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins are easy to make as well! 

Then there was that time where I based a recipe off of a fall Yankee candle scent. It smells like HEAVEN and I would like to somehow bathe in that without burning my skin off. It’s good enough to eat! So we’re eating it today, guys (the pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins, not the candle, obvs).

These pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins are super moist like my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. I know sometimes muffins are dry and a little boring but that’s not the case here! You know this is you have tried my Green Walnut Pistachio Muffins. 

We’ll be using an entire can of pumpkin puree, not only does that make these muffins extra moist and flavorful, it also means you don’t have to end up throwing out half a can of something. 

Here’s what you will need to make pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins: 

This is a list of the ingredients you will need to make the batter for these pumpkin cheesecake muffins. Below, you’ll find the ingredients for the cream cheese swirl that adds even more delicious flavor to your muffins! 

• 1 15 oz can pure pumpkin puree
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Ingredients needed to make the cream cheese swirl: 

The cream cheese swirl inside of the pumpkin muffins is the best part! It adds a creamy, flavorful texture that puts these muffins over the top. You need just a few ingredients to whip up this incredible mixture. 

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

How to make pumpkin cheesecake muffins: 

If you like to bake it will come as no surprise to you that these pumpkin cheesecake muffins are super easy to make like my banana crumb muffins. The delicious batter comes together in just a few minutes and then they’re on their way to the oven. 

Check out the easy to follow instructions below as well as some tips on how to get the most perfect swirl in each of your pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins!  

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place liners in muffin pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt until well-combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar and brown sugar.
4. Beat in eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture until there are no lumps. Fill muffin tins ¾ full.
5. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar, egg yolk, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
6. Top each muffin with 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture and use a toothpick to swirl it into the batter.
7. Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

How to get the perfect swirl in your pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins: 

The easiest way to get the perfect swirl is to take a toothpick or even a wooden kabob stick and do some random circles inside each muffin cup. 

I like to try and make sure I put the cream cheese in the middle of the batter so that it can more evenly be distributed throughout the pumpkin batter! 

You can also do a zig zag motion in order to get the cream cheese swirl to incorporate within the batter! 

Just be careful not to overdo it or your swirl won’t actually look like a “swirl” anymore. 

How to store your leftover muffins: 

If you have any leftover muffins…which I don’t think is likely based on how fast they disappear around here…they need to be stored in the refrigerator. 

Because of the cream cheese swirl the dairy in these muffins really should be kept chilled. If you like a warm muffin you can always reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds, I think they’re just as delicious chilled as they are fresh from the oven. 

Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. As for freezing, I wouldn’t recommend it. The cream cheese just does not hold up well to freezing. Not to worry, the whole recipe is done and ready to go in about 30 minutes so you can whip them up fresh whenever you like! 

Is this a spicy pumpkin recipe? 

Some pumpkin recipes are kind of spicy or heavily spiced. These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are not! There is a lot of good pumpkin flavor in each bite but they’re not overly spiced and even kids love this recipe. 

We use pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon in this recipe but no extra cloves or anything like that. In my opinion these are not overwhelming in their level of pumpkin or their level of spice! 

You should also try my cinnamon sugar pumpkin donut muffins that always disappear quickly.

Hey, let’s eat breakfast!

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