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Perfect Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

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These Perfect Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are a fall favorite, featuring a tender, fluffy crumb, a generous tangy cream cheese center, and a crunchy crumb topping. They’re better than the original and perfect for cozy mornings or fall brunches.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour (2 cups / 240g)
  • Granulated sugar (1 cup / 200g)
  • Light brown sugar (½ cup / 100g), packed
  • Baking soda (1 teaspoon)
  • Baking powder (½ teaspoon)
  • Salt (½ teaspoon)
  • Pumpkin pie spice (2 teaspoons)
  • Cinnamon (1 teaspoon)
  • Vegetable oil (½ cup / 120ml)
  • Large eggs (2)
  • Pumpkin purée (1 cup / 240g)
  • Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
  • Cream cheese (8 oz / 226g), softened
  • Powdered sugar (¼ cup / 30g)
  • Vanilla extract (½ teaspoon)
  • All-purpose flour (⅓ cup / 40g)
  • Light brown sugar (¼ cup / 50g), packed
  • Granulated sugar (2 tablespoons / 25g)
  • Cornstarch (1 tablespoon)
  • Cinnamon (½ teaspoon)
  • Cold unsalted butter (3 tablespoons / 42g), cubed

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prep (5 minutes): Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Make the Cream Cheese Filling (5 minutes): In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  3. Make the Crumb Topping (5 minutes): In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter bits. Refrigerate while making the batter.
  4. Mix the Dry Ingredients (5 minutes): In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
  5. Mix the Wet Ingredients (5 minutes): In a separate large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  6. Combine the Batter (5 minutes): Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold together gently until just combined (a few lumps are fine). The batter will be thick.
  7. Assemble the Muffins (10 minutes): Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about halfway. Place about a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of each cup, pressing down gently. Top with remaining batter (cups will be almost full). Sprinkle cold crumb topping generously over each muffin, pressing down lightly.
  8. Bake the Muffins (20-25 minutes): Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center (avoid cream cheese) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool the Muffins (30 minutes): Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Don’t overmix the batter; keep the crumb topping cold; the high-heat start is crucial for domed tops; use room temperature ingredients; check for doneness at 18 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese muffins, copycat Starbucks, fall baking, pumpkin spice, breakfast muffins

Find it online: https://fizzlefork.com/perfect-copycat-starbucks-pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins/