Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g light brown sugar, packed
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 45 g unsalted butter, melted
Cream Cheese Filling
- 225 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Pumpkin Batter Dry Ingredients
- 220 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking powder
- 5 g baking soda
- 3 g salt
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground ginger
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 1 g ground cloves
Pumpkin Batter Wet Ingredients
- 340 g pumpkin puree
- 120 ml neutral vegetable oil
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper muffin liners.
In a small mixing bowl, create the streusel by mixing the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until entirely smooth. Transfer this mixture to a piping bag.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until completely combined and homogenous.
Pour the wet pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a silicone spatula to gently fold them together just until no streaks of dry flour remain. Do not overmix.
Fill each muffin liner about one-third full with the pumpkin batter. Pipe about a tablespoon of the cream cheese filling directly into the center of the batter.
Cover the cream cheese filling with the remaining pumpkin batter so the liners are nearly full. Sprinkle the streusel topping generously over the top of each muffin, gently pressing it into the batter so it adheres.
Bake in the preheated oven at 190°C/375°F for 18 to 20 minutes.
Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Chef's Notes
- For the most distinct cream cheese pockets, chill your prepared filling in its piping bag for 15-20 minutes before use. This lowers its temperature, preventing it from melting too quickly into the surrounding batter during the initial oven spring.
- Canned pumpkin puree can vary significantly in moisture content depending on the brand. If your puree looks particularly watery, blot it briefly with a paper towel before mixing to prevent dense, heavy muffins.
- When folding the wet and dry ingredients together, stop the moment the last dry streak of flour disappears. Overmixing develops the gluten network, resulting in tough muffins rather than tender, cake-like crumbs.
- To achieve bakery-style domes, ensure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. You can also start the bake at 220C/425F for the first 5 minutes, then drop the temperature to 175C/350F for the remainder of the bake, though the standard temperature provided works beautifully for a reliable, even rise.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a heavy-duty freezer bag.
Reheating: Microwave refrigerated muffins for 15-20 seconds. Thaw frozen muffins at room temperature or microwave for 45-60 seconds.
