Description
Seasonal pumpkin muffins embrace autumn’s warmth with a luscious maple cream cheese center. Fragrant spices and tender crumb invite comfort, promising delightful moments that connect you to harvest memories.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil
Sugars:
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup packed light brown sugar
- 0.25 cup maple syrup
Spices and Dry Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
- 0.75 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 0.75 cup heavy cream
Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and prepare a muffin tin with liners or grease.
- Whisk vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth and integrated.
- Incorporate pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, eggs, and milk into the sugar mixture, blending until just combined.
- Separately, create a dry ingredient mixture by whisking flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing minimally to prevent overmixing and maintain a tender texture.
- Fill muffin cavities approximately three-quarters full with prepared batter.
- Create a crumbly cinnamon sugar topping by combining granulated sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until texture becomes slightly sandy.
- Generously dust the cinnamon sugar mixture over muffin surfaces.
- Roast muffins in the preheated oven for 20-24 minutes, checking doneness by gently pressing the tops; they should spring back resiliently.
- Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form, creating a light and airy consistency.
- In a separate bowl, cream the softened cream cheese until completely smooth.
- Delicately fold whipped cream into cream cheese, then introduce maple syrup, beating until the filling becomes uniform and silky.
- After cooling muffins completely, carefully carve a small cone from each muffin’s center using a paring knife.
- Transfer maple cream cheese filling into a piping bag and generously fill each muffin’s cavity, ensuring a luxurious cream cheese layer is visible.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate. Enjoy at room temperature or chilled for a delightful treat.
Notes
- Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the muffins tender and light, as stirring too much can develop gluten and create a tough texture.
- Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature for smooth blending and easier incorporation with whipped cream.
- Use fresh pumpkin puree or high-quality canned pumpkin for the most vibrant autumn flavor and best moisture.
- Create clean filling holes by using a small paring knife at a slight angle, removing a neat cone-shaped center from each muffin.
- Allow muffins to cool completely before filling to prevent the cream cheese from melting and losing its structural integrity.
- Store filled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to maintain freshness and prevent cream cheese spoilage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg