Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, perfectly spiced with pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Featuring a creamy swirl of slightly sweetened cream cheese on top, these muffins are the ideal fall treat. Made with a blend of white whole wheat and all-purpose flours, and lightly sweetened with raw sugar, they offer a comforting balance of pumpkin richness and spice in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Dried Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (King Arthur)
- 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (King Arthur)
- 3/4 cup raw sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 5 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons raw sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Other
- Baking spray
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray the liners with baking spray to ensure easy muffin removal after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, raw sugar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the canned pumpkin, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed until the mixture is thick and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Blend at low speed just until combined; be careful not to overmix to keep the muffins tender.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Swirl: In another large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the raw sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, beating until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Assemble Muffins: Pour the pumpkin batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin. Drop approximately 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the top of each muffin. Using a toothpick, gently swirl the cream cheese from the edges towards the center, creating a marbled effect.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin on the center rack of the oven and bake for 24 to 26 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve once cooled for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Sugar: You can substitute raw sugar with granulated or brown sugar depending on your preference or availability.
- Flour: Feel free to use all white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour if you don’t have both on hand.
- Gluten-Free Option: For gluten-free muffins, replace the flours with a gluten-free blend like Cup4Cup; results may vary.
- Spices: If pumpkin pie spice is unavailable, use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice for similar flavor.
- Optional Add-ins: Adding chopped walnuts or pecans can provide a delightful crunch.
- Oil Options: Coconut oil can be substituted with any neutral oil you prefer.
- To Make Pumpkin Bread: Pour batter into a loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick.
- Mini Muffins: Use a mini muffin tin, top with one teaspoon of cream cheese, and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, checking for doneness regularly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 170 kcal
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 34 mg
