Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Copycat Recipe)
Fall isn’t complete without a pumpkin muffin – and when it’s stuffed with cream cheese like the Starbucks favorite, it’s even better!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tastes just like the pumpkin cream cheese muffins you can get at Starbucks but the muffins you bake are fresher and cheaper.
- This recipe uses simple ingredients you will have in your pantry or can easily pick up at your local grocery store.
- They’re a delicious treat! Perfect for fall baking, Thanksgiving, and cozy afternoons.
- You can easily freeze your Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins and reheat when you’re ready for a pumpkin spice fix.
Just like Starbucks (but we think they’re better!) A light muffin packed with pumpkin flavor and stuffed with a deliciously sweet cream cheese center.
Ingredients you’ll need
For the Pumpkin Muffins
- flour
- sugar
- pumpkin pie spice
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- pumpkin puree
- egg
- butter
- vanilla
For the cream cheese filling
- Cream cheese
- Sugar
- Flour
- Milk
- Vanilla
Step-by-Step Instructions (How to Make Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins)
Step 1: Mix dry ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice
Step 2: Mix wet ingredients – pumpkin puree, egg, butter and vanilla
Step 3: Combine into batter, but don’t overmix!
Step 4: Make cream cheese filling – cream cheese, flour, milk, sugar, vanilla,
Step 5: Fill the muffin liners and spoon out a small amount of batter from the center of each muffin
Step 6: Pipe filling into muffin batter – use a freezer bag and snip the end
Step 7: Bake until golden and cool on a baking rack
Step 1: Mix dry ingredients
Step 2: Mix wet ingredients
Step 3: Pumpkin Batter
Step 4: Cream Cheese Mixture
Step 5: Fill muffin liners
Step 6: Pipe cream cheese centres
Step 7: Bake until golden and cool on baking rack
Pro Tips for the Best Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Don’t overbake – check at 15 minutes.
- For extra Starbucks-style: sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top before baking.
- Double the batch and freeze for quick breakfasts.
Variations You’ll Want to Try
- Healthy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins – swap sugar for coconut sugar or stevia.
- Protein Pumpkin Muffins – add a scoop of vanilla protein powder.
- Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins – stir in chocolate chips.
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins – swirl the cream cheese mixture on top instead of filling.
Storing & Make-Ahead Tips
- You can store your pumpkin cream cheese muffins in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- These muffins freeze really well! Use airtight freezer bags or containers and freeze up to 3 months – thaw overnight in the fridge.
Why this Recipe works
- One of the many traditions I continue is Fall Baking. Delicious apple recipes, pies, breads, cookies and amazing muffins, bursting with flavour, just like these pumpkin muffins!
- I love copycat recipes, and you’ll find a bunch of them here! Recipes like, Starbucks Banana Bread, Starbucks Lemon Loaf, and now these amazing pumpkin muffins. All of these recipes are so easy to make, and let you indulge in coffee shop treats right in your own home. No drive thru needed!
What’s your favorite Starbucks fall treat? Are you a pumpkin spice lover?
FAQs
More Fall Baking Recipes You’ll Love
- No Bake Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Cake Balls
- Apple Pie Tacos
- Best Apple Recipes
Wrapping It Up
Thanks so much for spending time with me today! I hope you love these pumpkin cream cheese muffins just as much as I do. You can double the batch too, and share with friends. These yummy muffins make great hostess gifts and are perfect for bake sales!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Starbucks Copycat)
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the muffins –
- 1 ½ c flour
- ¾ c sugar
- 1 t baking powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 t pumpkin pie spice
- ½ t salt
- 1 – 15 oz can pumpkin puree - not pie filling
- 1 egg
- ¼ c unsalted butter - melted
- 1 t vanilla
For the cream cheese filling –
- 4 oz cream cheese - softened
- 2 T sugar
- 1 t flour
- 1 t milk
- 1 t vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C degrees. Spray or line a standard muffin tin and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, egg, melted butter and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the cupcake liners. Set aside.
- To make the cream cheese filling – in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened cream cheese, sugar, flour, milk and vanilla.
- Mix on medium low until combined and smooth.
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag. Cut off about ½ of an inch from the tip.
- Insert the piping bag just below the surface of the muffin batter and gently squeeze until the filling reaches the top of the muffin (about a tablespoons worth of filling). Repeat with the remaining muffins. You can always go back and give some muffins more filling if there is any remaining.
- Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until set and just slightly starting to golden up.
- Allow to cool
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Judy Kahansky
Judy Kahansky is an experienced writer and baker, creating delicious desserts (including pie!) for over 40 years. She loves to take classic and vintage recipes and update them to fit the busy lives of her readers. When not baking, Judy and her husband Mark are passionate golfers, enjoy the simple life, and are travelers and dog lovers, spending as much time as they can with their sweet pup Ruby.
