Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Tall, golden Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins with a tangy cream cheese ribbon hiding in the middle — all from one bowl in 40 minutes. This easy copycat tastes even better than the coffee shop version when it's warm.
Equipment
- 12-count standard muffin tin
- Paper muffin liners
- Two medium mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- Cookie scoop or two spoons
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée, not pie filling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened (block style, not tub)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Topping
- turbinado sugar, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and fold with a rubber spatula until no white flour streaks remain. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.
- In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla together until smooth and scoopable.
- Scoop batter into each liner until about half full.
- Drop a generous teaspoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each muffin cup; do not spread it.
- Add another scoop of batter over the filling, covering it completely, until each liner is about three-quarters full.
- Sprinkle the tops generously with turbinado sugar.
- Place the muffin tin in the oven at 425°F, then immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm for the melty cream cheese center.
Notes
Use block-style cream cheese, not the tub spread, so the filling stays put. Spoon and level the flour for a tender crumb. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. For dairy-free, use a block-style dairy-free cream cheese; for gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.