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World Chef Recipes Test Kitchen

Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins: spiced pumpkin muffins with a sweet cream cheese center and pepita topping. Easy and freezer-friendly.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 15 oz pumpkin puree (1 can)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp roasted salted pepitas

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spoon it into a piping bag or zip-top bag and refrigerate while you make the batter.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  4. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin puree and oil until smooth.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until no dry flour remains.
  6. Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about three-quarters full.
  7. Snip the corner of the bag. Push the tip about halfway into each muffin and squeeze in about 1 heaping tablespoon of filling. Sprinkle the pepitas on top.
  8. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffin, not the filling, comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack.

Notes

Push the piping tip halfway into the batter so the filling bakes inside the muffin instead of sliding off the top.