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Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins: Best Streusel Recipe

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These Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are tender, moist, and filled with a hidden ribbon of tangy cream cheese, topped with a crunchy, buttery streusel. They’re the ultimate fall treat that tastes like a bakery creation.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 oz cream cheese (full-fat, softened)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for cream cheese filling)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for cream cheese filling)
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup cold unsalted butter (cut into small cubes, for streusel)
  • Pinch of salt (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
  2. Make the cream cheese filling: In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar until smooth. Add egg yolk and ½ teaspoon vanilla; mix until combined. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the streusel topping: In another small bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cut in cold butter cubes using a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces. Refrigerate while making batter.
  4. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and ½ teaspoon salt.
  5. Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup pumpkin purée, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth and glossy.
  6. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined (a few lumps are fine). Do not overmix.
  7. Divide about half the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about one-third full.
  8. Drop a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each muffin cup (do not spread).
  9. Top with remaining batter, dividing evenly. Cups will be about three-quarters full.
  10. Sprinkle cold streusel generously over each muffin, pressing down lightly to adhere.
  11. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the cream cheese center) comes out clean. Tops should be golden brown.
  12. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For best results, use full-fat cream cheese and cold butter for the streusel. Do not overmix the batter. The cream cheese filling stays soft even when fully baked, so test doneness near the edge of the muffin. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, streusel muffins, fall baking, pumpkin cream cheese muffins, easy muffin recipe

Find it online: https://lirafood.com/perfect-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-best-streusel-recipe/