These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are like a copycat Starbucks version! Fluffy pumpkin muffins with a cream cheese center made with all gluten-free ingredients and dairy free-friendly.
These muffins look 100x more intense or fancy to make than they actually are. I love that these quick muffins come together in 20 minutes and they’re a great option for a sweet snack, dessert or brunch muffin. Especially for the holidays!
The cream cheese filling is rich and flavorful without being too heavy and combined with these fluffy pumpkin muffins – the flavor is on point in this recipe. When you take a bite or slice the muffin in half you will see how cream cheesy these are!
These muffins are moist, delicious and loaded with flavor. They’re the perfect fall muffin that almost tastes like a cupcake and pumpkin cream cheese together.
Tip: you can easily make these dairy-free with a vegan cream cheese option too!
What ingredients you need to make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins:
- Pumpkin puree – I look for pumpkin puree with no added sugar
- Egg – I haven’t tested an egg replacement
- Melted coconut oil – or use melted vegan butter or dairy butter if you want
- Vanilla extract – a splash for flavor
- Gluten-free flour – you can also use a regular all purpose flour too
- Coconut sugar – you can also use cane sugar as well
- Pumpkin pie spice – or use a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg
- Dairy or dairy-free cream cheese – either works to cream for the center. Just needs to be soft
- Powdered sugar – or use cane sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer
- Non-dairy or dairy milk – I use whatever I have on hand!
How to make Pumpkin Muffins with cream cheese filling:
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F take out silicone muffin tray or grease muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper liners
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In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, egg, oil, and vanilla extract until combine
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Next add all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice to a large bowl. and mix until combined
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Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Fill each liner about ¾ full and set aside
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Prepare the cream cheese filling by creaming together in a medium
- Create a well using a 1 tablespoon spoon in each muffin to form the indentation and add cream cheese filling
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Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until ready
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Then remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow the muffins to cool then enjoy!
Tips for success making these pumpkin muffins:
- I always look for pumpkin puree with *no* added sugar to it. I buy the canned one at Trader Joe’s a lot
- These are a great recipe to make for a brunch, dessert or sweet snack. They stay fresh in the fridge for 5 days or so or you can freeze them for longer
- Make sure to not overfill the muffin tin or they will overflow when baking! I fill the muffins 3/4 or so then make the indentation for the muffins with the cream cheese filling
- If you aren’t gluten-free, you can also use all purpose flour if you prefer or if it’s what you have. I don’t recommend a grain-free flour for these!
- Same goes for the cream cheese! If you don’t do dairy, sub a vegan cream cheese here.
A few other popular and delicious pumpkin recipes to make:
Easy Breakfast Pumpkin Yogurt Bake
Gluten-free Pumpkin Crumb Cheesecake
Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (gluten-free)
These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are like a copycat Starbucks version! Fluffy pumpkin muffins with a cream cheese center made with all gluten-free ingredients and dairy free-friendly.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
Yield: Makes 10-12 muffins 1x
Ingredients
Pumpkin muffins:
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (1 13.5-ounce can)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cream cheese filling:
- 4 oz dairy or dairy-free cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon non-dairy or dairy milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a silicone muffin tray or line a muffin tray with liners
-
In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, egg, oil, and vanilla extract until combine
-
Next add all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice to a large bowl. and mix until combined
-
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Fill each liner about ¾ full and set aside
-
Prepare the cream cheese filling by creaming together in a medium
- Create a well using a 1 tablespoon spoon in each muffin to form the indentation and add cream cheese filling
-
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until ready
-
Then remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow the muffins to cool then enjoy!
Notes
*Store in airtight container in fridge for 5 days or freezer for 2 months
Share this recipe
Grace
These look amazing! Can you confirm the correct measurement for the powdered sugar? It just says “2” in the recipe. Thanks!!!
Rachel
2 tablespoons!!
Liz
I made these and they came out salty and bland. I have no idea what went wrong. The only substitution I made was vegetable oil for coconut oil, so I assume it had to be that.
Rachel
YES vegetable oil is not a 1:1 sub – tbh I don’t really keep it in our house/use it.
laura dietrich
Should there be salt in these?
Alene
I made these 2 nights ago. They were delicious right out of the oven, but I popped them in the refrigerator overnight. I let one get to room temperature and they weren’t nearly as flavorful as they were the night I made them. I expect they would have lost a little flavor, but all of the flavor? I’ve made gluten free pumpkin breads, and they were great all the way through. Was it the refrigerator? I did seal them air tight. I will have another for an afternoon snack. I was so disappointed.