Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. Similar to the Starbucks pumpkin muffin, but the taste is so much better. Promise, these muffins melt in your mouth. Soft pumpkin bread made with pumpkin butter, canned pumpkin, sweetened with maple syrup, spiced with warming chai, swirled with sweetened whipped cream cheese filling, and topped with sugared ginger pieces. Yummmmmy is all I can say! Enjoy these just as they are, or serve with a smear of sweet butter. Perfect for all of the autumn weekends ahead!

In all honesty, I am a few days earlier than I’d like with this recipe. But October 1st is Sunday, so we’re close enough to enjoy a few pumpkin recipes! Are we excited? I am very excited. I love pumpkin recipes just as much as you all, but I like to space them out, not overwhelm you all with everything pumpkin.

Plus, as I’ve shown, I adore apple recipes in the fall too. It’s not just pumpkin season!

But we’re happy pumpkin season is here. And you all – this pumpkin muffin recipe, I made them just this week and I had to share them today. These are so yummy and perfect. I’m so excited about them!

I’ve been brainstorming pumpkin recipes for what feels like months. To be honest, I feel like I’m always thinking about fall recipes. Between game day, Halloween, and the holidays, it’s such a busy time and we’re all cooking and baking so much!

Funny enough, the Starbucks fall menu is always a form of inspiration for me. They launch fun drinks and pastries that certainly get everyone excited. I can’t decide if I should make a latte this season, but I knew I wanted to make my own pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins!

Here are the details

Step 1: make the batter

Per usual, this pumpkin muffin batter is easy, and hopefully, you have most of these ingredients on hand. First, mix the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. I use melted coconut, then either maple or honey to sweeten, vanilla, eggs, pumpkin butter, and pumpkin puree.

I used spiced pumpkin butter, not just pumpkin purèe. This IS KEY. Pumpkin butter is more reduced down than pumpkin purèe and contains less moisture.

You can use my homemade pumpkin butter. Or pick some up at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Amazon, or your local market…though I’m partial to mine. Just make sure your pumpkin butter is spiced for best flavor.

For the dry ingredients, I use white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt. Now mix the wet and dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Next, fold in some candied ginger pieces. These are my secret for this recipe. They’re SO good inside the muffin batter. They melt into the muffin whole while baking and make every bite sweet and gingery. So delish with the pumpkin spice.

Step 2: whip the cream cheese

Next up, whip the cream up with some maple or honey.

Now take a spoon and dollop the cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin. Certainly nothing fancy here. Don’t stress about making it perfect.

Step 3: mix the sugared ginger

The final step is the topping. Instead of an over-indulgent streusel topping, I did something so much easier and I think even more delicious.

I took candied ginger pieces, finely chopped them, and mixed the ginger with a small amount of cinnamon sugar. Sprinkle this mix over the muffins just before baking. It’s the perfect pairing with the warming chai-inspired spices within the muffin batter.

Step 4: bake away

As the muffins bake, your kitchen will smell incredible. Better than both a fall and Thanksgiving candle combined!

Is there anything more wonderful in the fall? Perfection.

Finally, serve these with tea, coffee, hot cocoa, or even a steaming mug of cider for the quintessential fall treat!

Looking for other sweet fall recipes? Here are a few ideas: 

Cream Cheese Swirled Cinnamon Pumpkin Butter Bread

6 Ingredient Spiced Pumpkin Butter

Spiced Pumpkin Maple Latte

Cream Cheese Swirled Brown Sugar Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Chai Pumpkin Cake with Maple Browned Butter Frosting

Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cinnamon Swirl Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Butter Bread

Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins

Lastly, if you make these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!