These Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins are everything you love about fall! The moist pumpkin muffins are made with whole ingredients and boast a delicious cream cheese filling.
The pumpkin cream cheese muffin recipe is a Starbucks copycat. While the muffins taste just like the ones from Starbucks, you can make these pumpkin muffins right at home!
Brew up some of your favorite coffee and enjoy one of these moist Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins and you can have it all right in your PJs. What a great way to spend your Sunday morning... or any morning for that matter.
One of My Favorite Fall Muffins
This is a perfect breakfast idea for busy school mornings. These are so beautiful and scrumptious that you'll want to show them off. Take them to a brunch with your friends.
They will pair perfectly with these other fall brunch recipes:
- Copycat Starbucks Banana Nut Bread Recipe
- Butternut Squash Bread
- Pumpkin Pancake Bites with Chocolate Chips
How to Make Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
One of my favorite things on a chilly autumn morning is a fresh, hot muffin. And it's even better if it's a pumpkin muffin with cream cheese filling! I took my favorite treat from Starbucks and made my own version with whole, organic ingredients.
Ingredients you will need:
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Candied Seeds:
- ½ cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 3 tablespoon Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
Muffin Batter
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Sugar
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ cup Milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon Cinnamon*
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger*
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cloves*
- ½ teaspoon Ground Allspice*
*or use a tablespoon of pumpkin spice blend
Muffins Made With Candied Pumpkin Seeds
Candied pumpkin seeds are easier to make than you may think. I like candying nuts and seeds in the fall, they add such a nice touch to desserts and even savory dishes.
All you basically do is coat the pumpkin seeds in sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan. Then, roast them. They end up smelling and tasting so amazingly delicious!
How to Make Easy Cream Cheese Filling
The cream cheese filling is very easy as well. It's basically cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Then you just put the filling in the middle of the muffin mixture inside the muffin tin.
Cream Cheese Frosting Instead of Filling
If you prefer, you can also just bake the muffins and then use the cream cheese filling as a cream cheese frosting. Then, stop the muffins with the candied pumpkin seeds. That's the best part!
Copycat Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
You are going to love how your home smells when you bake these.
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure to line your tin with muffin cups to make things easy. Fill ¾ full with batter, scoop on a tablespoon size dollop of cream cheese filling and sprinkle on some seeds. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.
Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
Candied Pumpkin Seeds:
- ½ cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 3 tablespoon Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
Muffin Batter
- 2 cup Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Sugar
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ cup Milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cloves
- ½ teaspoon Ground Allspice
Instructions
- Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Cover and chill until firm.
- Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Put seeds, sugar and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar begins to caramelize.
- Spread seeds on prepared sheet and allow to cool.Break apart the seeds that are stuck together.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Place paper liners in muffin tin(s).
- Stir pumpkin, oil, brown sugar and sugar together in a large bowl just until mixed.
- Add in eggs, spices, salt, baking soda and half of the flour. Mix until combined.
- Add milk and remaining flour. Mix until combined.
- Fill each liner about ⅔ full.
- Spoon one tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into the middle of each muffin.
- Sprinkle with 4-5 pumpkin seeds.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the muffin portion comes out mostly clean.
- Cool before serving.
Tara says
I don't have any pumpkin seeds on hand......can you think of an alternative?
Robin Gagnon says
Sunflower seeds or most nuts would work well on these muffins.
tara says
Thanks.....I made these without any nuts and they were still fantastic. Will make these again.
sharyn says
walnuts
pat says
Hello,
You can use sunflower seed kernels. They work well. I buy mine from the Amish bulk food store.
sami says
How many cupcakes does this make?
Robin Gagnon says
Over a dozen standard size muffins.
RGENTER says
These are terrific. Even the kids love them with the spices.
I freeze the cream cheese mix till very firm before insertion in middle of batter.
Yes, any seeds work well with these muffins.
Pam says
How many muffins does this make? Also I have mini loaf pans could I do the same thing using them instead of muffin tins?
Robin Gagnon says
I would say around a dozen standard size muffins. I think using mini loaf pans would work great.
Sue says
These are Yummy! Will save my $3 from now on at Starbucks. Used piping bag to put cream cheese in and skipped nuts on top. Don't overbake so they stay moist. I used less ginger and some nutmeg. Not a fan of pumpkin spice, so I used less as well.
Why do people comment on how good they look instead of give reviews after they've actually tried it? I check out reviews because I just want to know what recipe to try.
Robin Gagnon says
Thank you. Great tips on adjusting the recipe too.