The Best Easy Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting just screams fall baking season! The aroma of pumpkin spice filling your kitchen will have your mouth watering for the first bite.
We made these easy pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting over the weekend with my girls, and we all loved them. I’ll tell you, they certainly didn’t last long in our house! Especially with my girls sneaking muffins before they could cool all the way.
The combination of pumpkin and cream cheese is one you’ll want to return to again and again. If you’re in the mood for even more pumpkin recipes, you might also enjoy this pumpkin honey bun cake. It’s a family favorite that disappears just as quickly as pumpkin muffins with cream cheese!
Thankfully, these cream cheese pumpkin muffins are very versatile. You can have them as a sweet treat for breakfast, after school snack, or even after dinner!
We all love when it’s time for autumn recipes, and these muffins were the perfect start. I know we’ll definitely be making these again soon!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I don’t think I need to convince you to try this delicious recipe, but here’s why I know you’ll love these cream cheese pumpkin muffins:
- Moist pumpkin muffins: If you love a tender pumpkin muffin as you head into fall baking season, you’re going to love this recipe.
- Sweet cream cheese frosting: The best part of these pumpkin spice muffins has to be the yummy cream cheese frosting!
- Perfect flavor combinations: I’m always experimenting with the best flavor combinations and the pumpkin spice flavor in these muffins are perfect.
- Make ahead: These muffins are great for freezing for later! You can stock up by making them ahead of time.
- Kid-approved dessert: You’ll have little hands reaching for these pumpkin streusel muffins before you even add the frosting! Perfect for an after school snack.
- Perfect holiday treat: These pumpkin spice cupcakes are a great addition to the holiday season. Whether you need a Halloween dessert or a Thanksgiving dessert, these are sure to be a hit with all your family and friends.
Ingredients Needed For Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese
- Light Brown Sugar: adds moisture and a delicious caramel sweetness flavor
- Butter: make sure to melt it and bring it to room temperature!
- Eggs: for best results, let them sit on the counter and come to room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract: adds flavor to the muffins and frosting.
- Pumpkin Puree: make sure to use puree and not pumpkin pie filling!
- Greek Yogurt: keeps the batter moist and tender, while balancing the sweetness
- All-Purpose Flour: the important base of your muffins and struesel topping
- Baking Soda: makes sure the muffins rise and stay fluffy, just make sure its fresh!
- Salt: brings out the flavors and balances sweetness, don’t skip it!
- Pumpkin Spice: adds flavor to the pumpkin. check out our homemade recipe!
- Ground Cinnamon: adds a delicious flavor with the pumpkin pie spice.
- Cream Cheese: the best base for any frosting recipe, if you ask me!
- Confectioners Sugar: the perfect ingredient for sweet frosting.
- Milk: add to your cream cheese mixture to reach your desired consistency.
How to Make These Easy Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese
Start by preheating your oven to 375F and spraying a muffin tin with nonstick spray. Line the muffin tin with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar and melted butter until smooth, using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, pumpkin purée, and greek yogurt. Mix the wet ingredients until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon.
Add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients together until well combined. Do not overmix the pumpkin muffin batter. Leave the batter to rest at room temperature while you prepare the streusel topping.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until crumbly.
Fill each of the paper liners 3/4 of the way full of pumpkin batter. Sprinkle crumb streusel topping evenly across the top of the muffins.
Bake the pumpkin spice muffins in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the batter comes out clean.
Let them cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a small bowl, start preparing the cream cheese topping. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the confectioners sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Beat until creamy, adding additional milk until you reach your desired consistency.
Once the pumpkin muffins are cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting over the muffin tops or pipe with a piping bag. Enjoy your delicious pumpkin dessert!
Tips and Variation Ideas
Here are some tips and variation ideas to keep in mind as you plan to make your pumpkin cream cheese muffins:
- Always use room temperature ingredients: Things like eggs and melted butter always yeild best results when they’re used at room temperature. It’s tempting to rush, but I know I always regret it when I make that mistake.
- Do not overmix: Be very careful not to overmix your muffin matter, as it will result in dense muffins because it develops too much gluten. Gently stir the batter, rather than giving your arm a workout.
- Prevent dry muffins after baking: If you store them for later, make sure to store in an airtight container or a zip-top bag lined with a paper towel. This will help keep moisture in.
- Store for later: These will last 2-3 days on the counter or up to 5 days in the fridge. If you’re like us, though, they’ll be gone in less than 24 hours!
- Freeze for snacks: These freeze great for up to 3 months. Try making a bunch ahead of time for some after school snacks!
- Plan a pumpkin breakfast spread: Pair it with pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin honey bun cake, or even vegan pumpkin waffles for a full fall breakfast spread.
- Add pumpkin seeds: For an added nice crunch, try adding pumpkin seeds or your favorite nut variety!
- Make a cheesecake variation: Next time, try adding a a cheesecake filling to the batter for some delicious pumpkin cheesecake muffins! Mix together cream cheese, egg yolk, powdered sugar, and vanilla for a sweet cream cheese filling. Then, add some of the batter to the muffin tins, add the cheesecake filling, and then add the remaining batter. You may need to increase the total time for baking.
- Try making pumpkin bread or cake: This recipe could easily be adapted to put in a bread pan instead of muffins! Or you can try makeing a pumpkin cake with a crunchy topping! Almost like a coffee cake variation. Perfect for those slow Saturday mornings.
More Pumpkin Recipes
If you love pumpkin desserts as much as I do, you’ll love some of these other pumpkin recipes:
- Vegan Pumpkin Waffles
- Pumpkin Spice Irish Coffee Recipe
- Pumpkin Honey Bun Cake
- Creamy Sugar-Free Pumpkin Mousse
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Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Muffin Batter Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Streusel Topping:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 375F and spraying a muffin tin with nonstick spray. Line the muffin tin with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar and melted butter until smooth, using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, pumpkin purée, and greek yogurt. Mix the wet ingredients until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon.
- Add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients together until well combined. Do not overmix the pumpkin muffin batter. Leave the batter to rest at room temperature while you prepare the streusel topping.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until crumbly.
- Fill each of the paper liners 3/4 of the way full of pumpkin batter. Sprinkle crumb streusel topping evenly across the top of the muffins.
- Bake the pumpkin spice muffins in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the batter comes out clean.
- Let them cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, start preparing the cream cheese topping. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the confectioners sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Beat until creamy, adding additional milk until you reach your desired consistency.
- Once the pumpkin muffins are cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting over the muffin tops or pipe with a piping bag. Enjoy your delicious pumpkin dessert!
Notes
Spraying muffin liners is optional, but it can help muffins release more easily.
