two copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins on a plate.

Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are loaded with flavor and topped with crunchy pumpkin seeds. Save money and make these homemade pumpkin spice cream cheese muffins instead of buying them at the coffee shop. These moist and soft pumpkin cheesecake muffins are perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins on a plate and in a basket.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

What Makes the Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins So Good? 

Starbucks may be the place to go for pumpkin-flavored drinks, but this Starbucks pumpkin muffin recipe proves the cafe can also deliver amazing pumpkin-centric snacks!

These spiced pumpkin mini-muffins with a rich cream cheese filling are perfect for serving during the autumn or, really, any time of the year. Bake a batch and treat your family and friends to these delicious treats.

Why You Should Try This Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Muffin Recipe 

These muffins are made with real pumpkin purée and flavored with a seasonal mix of spices, including cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. The result is moist muffins that taste a lot like pumpkin pie.

It is the rich and sweet cream cheese filling that takes this recipe over the top. It is good that these muffins are small because you will want to eat more than one.

Ingredients For Starbucks Pumpkin Muffins

To make the muffin batter, you’ll need:

  • All-purpose four 
  • White sugar
  • Dark brown sugar 
  • Baking powder 
  • Ground cinnamon 
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Allspice 
  • Ground ginger 
  • Ground cloves 
  • Salt 
  • Whole milk 
  • Vanilla extract
  • Vegetable oil 
  • Canned pumpkin purée

Be sure to use canned pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling. 

For the cream cheese filling, you’ll need

  • Cream cheese
  • Powdered sugar 
  • All-purpose flour 

For the garnish, you’ll need:

Pepitas are a type of pumpkin seeds that are roasted and have their hulls removed. 

Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins ingredients on a tray.

How To Make Pumpkin Muffins Starbucks Style

To make the cream cheese filling:

  1. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge about 15 minutes ahead of time to allow it to soften.
  2. Place the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and flour in a small bowl.
cream cheese muffin filling ingredients in a bowl.
  1. Use a silicone spatula to combine all the ingredients for the cream cheese filling.
  2. After mixing well, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until later. 

To make the batter for these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins:

  1. Sift the dry ingredients for the pumpkin muffin batter into a medium bowl. If you don’t have a sifter, use a sieve or whisk the ingredients.
pumpkin muffins dry ingredients in a bowl.
  1. In a large bowl, stir together the wet ingredients for the pumpkin muffin batter. 
pumpkin muffins wet ingredients in a bowl.
  1. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while stirring.
  2. If you have the time, cover the batter and allow it to rest in the fridge for at least an hour. Letting the batter rest will make your muffins fluffier.

To bake copycat Starbucks pumpkin muffins:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Place muffin liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Using reusable silicone muffin liners can save you a lot of money.
  3. Scoop a quarter-cup of muffin batter into each liner and lightly tap the tin to break up any bubbles and flatten the batter.
  4. Drop a teaspoon of cream cheese filling in the center of each batter-filled liner.
Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins before baking.
  1. Sprinkle chopped pepitas around the edges.
  2. Bake for about 17 minutes.
  3. Remove the tin from the oven but don’t remove the muffins. After 10 minutes, remove the muffins and place them on a wire rack to finish cooling. 
two copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins on a plate.

What To Serve With Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins 

Serve these muffins at room temperature or slightly warmed in the oven. They are perfect with a cup of strong coffee or tea for breakfast or as an afternoon snack.

How To Store Leftover Pumpkin Muffins

Since Starbucks pumpkin muffins contain cream cheese, keep them in the fridge wrapped in plastic. 

Take the muffins from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to allow them to come up to room temperature. To serve warm, wrap the muffins in aluminum foil and heat them directly on the oven rack in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes. 

How to Freeze Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins 

To keep the muffins for up to three months, let them cool and then wrap them in plastic. Place the wrapped muffins in a bag and store them in a single layer in the freezer.

Thaw the muffins overnight in the refrigerator before eating. 

How Long Do Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins Last?

Eat refrigerated muffins within a few days and frozen muffins within three months. 

overhead view of copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins.

Favorite Muffin Recipes

Check out more of my easy bread recipes and the best copycat Starbucks recipes on CopyKat!

copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins on a plate and in a basket.

Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Make Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins at home with this easy copycat recipe.

Print
Pin
Rate
Add to Collection Go to Collections

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, Starbucks Recipes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 240kcal

Ingredients

Muffin Batter

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup white granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Topping

  • 3 tablespoons chopped pepitas

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.

  • In a large bowl, add flour, white sugar, dark brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves, and salt. Stir with a whisk.

  • In a medium bowl, combine whole milk, two eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and vegetable oil. Stir until the mixture is uniform.

  • Combine the pumpkin puree mixture with the dry ingredients. Stir until the muffin batter is just mixed.

  • In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and flour. Stir to blend the ingredients until they are smooth.

  • Place a little more than ¼ cup of batter in each liner.

  • Place a small dollop of the cream cheese mixture in the center of the muffin.

  • Sprinkle the chopped pepitas around the edge of each muffin.

  • Bake muffins for 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

  • Let the muffins rest in the pan for 10 minutes before you remove them from the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 3384IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 2mg

Leave a Reply