Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Pumpkin, spice, and cream cheese make these delicious pumpkin cream cheese muffins are a healthier version of the fall Starbucks favorite.
Ingredients
Filling
- ⅓ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup cream cheese softened
- ½ tsp liquid stevia or 1/2 cup allulose, to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Muffins
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
- 2 large egg whites at room temperature
- 1½ tsp liquid stevia
- ¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt or substitute block style cream cheese
- 1 cup pumpkin puree at room temperature, not pumpkin pie filling
- ½ cup nonfat milk oat milk substitutes well here. Or use other plant-based milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper or silicone liners and spray lightly with a nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare the filling.
- Beat the yogurt and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add the stevia and vanilla. Beat until fully mixed. Set aside.
Prepare the muffin batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Using a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg white, stevia, and vanilla.
- Add the yogurt. Mix until there are no remaining large lumps. Some small lumps may remain.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree and stir to combine.
- Add about ½ of the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Stir gently.
- Stir in the milk to combine.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and stir just until combined. Avoid over mixing.
- Using about half the batter, spoon it evening between the 12 muffin cups.
- Carefully spoon the filling mix into the center of each batter. Try to avoid any filling seeping to the side of the muffins.
- Top with the remaining batter. It is ok if some of the filling shows through.
- Bake at 350°F about 20-24 minutes. When done, the pumpkin portion will feel firm when touched. You may also test the pumpkin portion with a toothpick. It will come out clean when they are done.
- Cool in the cups for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.½
Notes
We found that the block-style cream cheese works better than the tub style. It provided a firmer filling.
Use any type of cream cheese you prefer, including fat-free or regular.
If you prefer a little less spice, just reduce the portions of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger slightly. We developed this recipe for a full-flavored muffin, but some prefer less so.
Filling: To omit stevia in filling, use 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. This gives a sweeter filling which some consider more natural.
Batter: To omit stevia in the batter, use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of maple syrup or honey, depending on your sweetness preference. Omit the milk when making this replacement.
Some prefer to pipe the filling into the muffins. To do this, simply divide all the batter between the 12 cups. Use a piping bag or a zip-style bag with a corner removed to pipe the filling into the center of each.
Fancy Idea: Intentionally leaving a little of the filling showing out the top gives a snow-topped mountain look. You can even sprinkle some colored sugar over the filling when it is baked for a bit more decor.
Prefer larger muffins? This recipe easily converts to the mammoth-sized muffins we find in some restaurants. You may either double the recipe to create 12 jumbo muffins or simply divide into 6 muffin cups for 6 jumbos. Baking time will need to be extended accordingly.
Nutrition
Calories: 131kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 259mgPotassium: 120mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3355IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!