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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Crunchy Pepita Topping

Pumpkin cream cheese muffins have a soft, warmly spiced crumb, a smooth cream cheese center, and crunchy toasted pepitas on top. Bake them in a standard muffin pan until the tops spring back and the filling is set.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Cooling 10 minutes
Total Time 58 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 270
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pepita topping
  • 0.33 cup pepitas raw
For the cream cheese filling
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 egg yolk large
For the muffins
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon ground
  • 0.5 tsp ginger ground
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg ground
  • 0.5 tsp salt kosher
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree canned
  • 2 eggs large
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar light, packed
  • 0.5 cup neutral oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 12-cup standard muffin pan
  • 1 10-inch skillet

Method
 

Prepare the pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a 12-cup standard muffin pan with paper liners.
Prepare the pepita topping
  1. Toast the pepitas in a dry 10-inch skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned.
  2. Transfer the pepitas to a plate to cool.
Make the cream cheese filling
  1. Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg yolk in a medium bowl until smooth.
Make the muffin batter
  1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla in a separate bowl until smooth.
  3. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and fold just until no dry streaks remain.
Assemble and bake
  1. Divide half of the batter among the muffin cups.
  2. Add about 1 tablespoon of filling to each muffin cup.
  3. Divide the remaining batter over the filling.
  4. Sprinkle the toasted pepitas evenly over the muffins.
  5. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the muffin tops spring back and the filling is set; the center of a cream cheese portion should reach 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  6. Cool the muffins in the pan for 10 minutes.
  7. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack.

Notes

Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the muffins tender. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.