Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Name: Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice; 1/2 tsp salt; 15 1/2 ounce can pumpkin puree (not pie filling); 1 large egg; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, or 1/2 stick; 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract; 4 ounces cream cheese, softened; 2 tbsp granulated sugar; 1 to 2 tsp half and half or milk; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

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These copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins deliver all the rich, delicious flavor of the Starbucks favorite right from your oven. These muffins are moist and tender and feature a rich, sweet cream cheese filling. They’re sooo good.

Yes, it’s another copycat Starbucks recipe. Hey, what can I say? I’m a Starbucks gal. I’m also a frugal gal, so if I can get my favorite Starbucks flavor without the hit to my wallet, I’m all for it. These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are another one that fits that bill. They’re packed with all the sweet cream cheese flavor I love about the original, but they’re far more affordable, and they taste even better!

Why You’ll Love These Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

It uses simple baking ingredients, most of which are probably in your kitchen right now.
It’s an easy recipe that even beginners can make.
The muffins are moist and tender, and the cream cheese center is rich, creamy, and sweet.
It’s the perfect sweet breakfast or brunch, a sweet addition to breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a tasty dessert.

Ingredients

Everything you need to make these muffins is either in your kitchen right now or just a quick trip to the grocery store away. There’s nothing fancy here!

For the Muffins

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¾ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/8 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, or 1/2 stick
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Filling

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons milk or half and half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make some Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

For the Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Set aside.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a stand mixer or hand mixer. Set aside.
Whisk the pumpkin puree, egg, melted butter, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed.
Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to evenly divide the batter between the muffin cups. Set aside.

For the Filling

Mix the softened cream cheese, sugar, milk or half and half, and vanilla on low speed in a stand mixer or hand held mixer until combined and smooth.
Add the mixture to a piping bag, or add it to a Ziploc bag and snip off a corner of the bag.

Make the Muffins

Use a straw to poke a shallow hole in the center of each muffin. Then, insert the piping bag just below the surface of the muffin batter and gently squeeze until the filling reaches the top. It takes about 1 tablespoon of filling.
Repeat with the remaining muffins, going back and adding more filling if any remains.
Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes or until they’re golden and set and spring back slightly when the tops, (not on the filling part) are gently pressed.
Cool the muffins on a wire rack and enjoy!

Substitutions and Variations

Add chocolate chips for a chocolate chip pumpkin variation.
Use plant butter and milk for a dairy-free version.
You can make these gluten-free by using a 1:1 gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose flour.

Equipment

Measuring cups and spoons
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Mixing bowl
12-count muffin tin
Foil or paper cupcake liners
Wire cooling rack

Storage

Refrigerate these muffins for up to 2 days in an air-tight container. For longer storage, wrap the muffins in plastic wrap and freeze them for up to 2 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.

Defrost the muffins in the refrigerator overnight and enjoy!

What to Serve with Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

Serve these muffins as an afternoon snack or sweet breakfast with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. You can also pair them with your favorite savory breakfast items for a sweet and savory breakfast or brunch.

More Muffin Recipes

If you love muffins as much as I do, I think you’ll enjoy these delicious recipes.

FAQ

Why were my muffins dry?

Dry muffins are usually the result of using too much flour. It’s important to accurately measure your flour to ensure soft, moist, and tender muffins.

How do you properly measure flour?

NEVER scoop your flour out directly with your measuring cup. Instead, loosely spoon the flour into the cup with a spoon and level it off with a knife. This prevents using too much flour due to compacting.

How do you make moist, soft muffins?

The first and most effective way to ensure your muffins are soft and tender is to mix the batter until it’s just combined. Mixing as little as possible prevents the formation of gluten, the protein that makes baked goods tough when they bake.

What does just combined mean?

Mixing batter until just combined means that all the dry ingredients are moistened. Batter mixed until just combined will be lumpy, and that’s okay. Everything will even out as the batter bakes.