These mini pumpkin muffins with cream cheese are soft, warmly spiced bites with a sweet, creamy center tucked into each one. The batch makes twelve, six for each of you, so you get all the fall flavor without a counter full of muffins going stale. Everything fits in a single mini muffin pan, and the batter uses one egg yolk, which means no measuring out half an egg. They are just right for a slow weekend breakfast or an afternoon coffee break for two.
Why you’ll like it
- A true small batch: twelve mini muffins instead of the three or four dozen most recipes make.
- One pan, two bowls: a single mini muffin pan, one bowl for the batter and one for the filling.
- No fraction of an egg: one egg yolk binds the batter, so nothing is left over.
- Ready in under an hour: about 15 minutes of mixing, 12 minutes in the oven and a short cool.
- Pantry spice: one jar of pumpkin pie spice does the work of four separate spices.
What makes it work
A batch built for one pan. Most pumpkin muffin recipes start with a whole can of pumpkin and end with dozens of muffins. This one uses a third of a cup of puree and half a cup of flour, which fills a standard 12-cup mini muffin pan exactly. The rest of the can keeps in the refrigerator for oatmeal, smoothies or another bake.
An egg yolk instead of half an egg. Scaling a full recipe down this far would call for half an egg, which is awkward to measure. A single yolk gives the batter enough structure and a little extra richness, and it keeps the crumb tender.
A simple, egg-free filling. Softened cream cheese stirred with a spoonful of sugar and a little vanilla stays creamy in the oven and sets as the muffins cool. Because it has no egg, it only needs to warm through, so the muffins bake in the same short time as plain ones.
Ingredients for mini pumpkin cream cheese muffins
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below. Here is what each ingredient does.
- Cream cheese: full-fat block cream cheese, softened at room temperature so it stirs smooth. Spreadable tub cream cheese is softer and runnier.
- Sugar and vanilla for the filling: just enough to sweeten the center lightly.
- Pure pumpkin puree: plain canned pumpkin, unsweetened and unspiced. It brings moisture, color and flavor.
- Light brown and granulated sugar: brown sugar adds a soft caramel note and keeps the muffins moist; a little granulated sugar keeps the crumb light.
- Vegetable oil: oil keeps muffins tender for days, even straight from the refrigerator. Canola or another neutral oil works the same way.
- Egg yolk: binds the batter and adds richness.
- All-purpose flour: spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off so the muffins do not turn dense.
- Pumpkin pie spice: a ready blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
- Baking soda and salt: the soda lifts the muffins and the salt sharpens the spice.
How to make mini pumpkin muffins with cream cheese
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line or grease a 12-cup mini muffin pan.
- Stir the cream cheese filling until smooth.
- Whisk the pumpkin, sugars, oil, egg yolk and vanilla.
- Stir in the flour, spice, baking soda and salt until just combined.
- Fill the cups about three quarters full and add a dollop of filling to each.
- Bake for 12 minutes, until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs.
- Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then on a rack.
Step-by-step notes
Making the filling first. Stir the softened cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla until there are no lumps. Making it before the batter gives the cream cheese a few more minutes to soften while you work.
Mixing the batter. Whisk the wet ingredients until the sugar has mostly dissolved and the mixture looks glossy, then add the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just until the last streak of flour disappears. The batter is thick, a little like soft cookie dough, which helps it hold the filling in place.
Filling the cups. Divide the batter evenly, about three quarters full in each cup. Then add a small dollop of the cream cheese mixture to the center of each and press it in lightly with the back of a spoon so it sits in the batter rather than on top. A small zip-top bag with the corner snipped off makes neat work of both steps if you prefer piping.
Knowing when they are done. After 12 minutes the tops should spring back when you press them gently. Push a toothpick into the muffin part, beside the filling: a few moist crumbs mean they are done. If it comes out wet, give them 2 more minutes. The cream cheese center will still look soft and will firm up as the muffins cool.
Tips for the best mini muffins
- Soften the cream cheese well. Let it sit out while the oven heats, so the filling is smooth and easy to spoon.
- Measure the flour gently. Spoon it into the cup and level it; packed flour makes heavier muffins.
- Stop stirring early. Mix only until the flour is gone so the muffins stay soft and domed.
- Check at the first time. Mini muffins bake quickly, so look at them right at 12 minutes and use the toothpick cue.
- Let them rest in the pan. Five minutes in the pan lets the centers set before you lift them out.
Substitutions and variations
- Your own spice mix: instead of pumpkin pie spice, use mostly cinnamon with a pinch each of ground ginger and nutmeg.
- Another neutral oil: canola, sunflower or light olive oil all work in the same amount.
- All brown sugar: use brown sugar for both sugars in the batter for a deeper, more caramel flavor and a slightly moister crumb.
- Paper or greased cups: liners make cleanup easy and help the muffins travel; a well-greased pan gives slightly crisper edges.
How to serve them
These muffins are lovely slightly warm, when the centers are soft, or chilled, when the cream cheese is firm and almost like a little cheesecake bite.
- With coffee or tea: three or four each make a cozy weekend breakfast.
- Alongside fruit: apple slices or a few grapes balance the sweetness.
- In a lunch box: pack a couple for an afternoon snack; they hold up well in a small container.
- On a fall dessert plate: serve them with our pumpkin cheesecake cookies for two for a small pumpkin dessert spread.
A plate of these warm from the oven makes an ordinary Sunday morning feel a little more like a treat.
Storage and freezing
Because of the cream cheese filling, refrigerate the muffins within 2 hours of baking. Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They taste good cold, or you can let them sit out for a few minutes to take the chill off.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled muffins in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then enjoy them chilled or let them come up toward room temperature for a short while before serving.
Twelve little pumpkin muffins, each with a creamy surprise inside, and just enough for two. Put the kettle on and enjoy them while they are still a little warm.
Frequently asked questions
Can you freeze mini pumpkin cream cheese muffins?
Yes. Let them cool completely, freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months, and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
Can I use foil baking cups?
Yes, foil mini cups work just like paper liners. You can also skip liners entirely and grease the pan well with nonstick spray.
Can I use a different oil?
Yes. Any neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower, works in the same amount. This recipe already uses vegetable oil, so no adjustment is needed.
Do pumpkin cream cheese muffins need to be refrigerated?
Yes. The cream cheese filling means they should go into the refrigerator within 2 hours of baking, where they keep for up to 3 days.
How do I know mini pumpkin muffins are done?
The tops spring back when pressed and a toothpick in the muffin part, not the filling, comes out with a few moist crumbs. That usually takes 12 minutes at 350°F.
Print
Mini Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins for Two
- Total Time: 47 minutes
- Yield: 12 mini muffins
Description
Twelve soft, spiced mini pumpkin muffins with a creamy cream cheese center, baked in one mini muffin pan and sized for two.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for the filling
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, for the filling
- 1/3 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup mini muffin pan with mini paper liners or coat it with nonstick spray.
- In a small bowl, stir the softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon sugar for the filling and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla for the filling until smooth. Set aside.
- In a second bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, oil, egg yolk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt, and stir just until no dry flour remains. The batter will be thick.
- Divide the batter among the 12 cups, filling each about three quarters full. Spoon or pipe a small dollop of the cream cheese filling into the center of each and press it in lightly.
- Bake for 12 minutes, until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted into the muffin part (not the filling) comes out with a few moist crumbs. If it is still wet, bake 2 minutes more.
- Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack and let them cool for 15 minutes before serving. Refrigerate any you are not eating within 2 hours.
Notes
Equipment: 12-cup mini muffin pan, mini paper liners or nonstick spray, 2 small bowls, whisk, toothpick, wire rack
- Use pure pumpkin puree; it is unsweetened and unspiced.
- Soften the cream cheese so the filling is smooth and easy to spoon.
- Stir the batter only until the flour disappears so the muffins stay tender.
- Fill the cups about three quarters full so the filling has room and the muffins do not overflow.
- Doneness: The tops spring back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted into the muffin part comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Doneness: The cream cheese center looks set at the edges and still soft in the middle; it firms up as the muffins cool.
- Keep cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve them chilled or let them sit out for a few minutes first.
- Freeze cooled muffins in a freezer bag for up to 2 months and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerate the muffins within 2 hours of baking because of the cream cheese filling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Rest Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
