The Perfect Fall Treat
Fall is finally here, and that means it’s time to embrace all things cozy and delicious. As the leaves start to change and the air gets crisp, there’s nothing quite like filling your kitchen with the warm, comforting scents of freshly baked pumpkin goodies. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just looking for new recipes to try this season, these Easy Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Filling are sure to become your go-to treat. I got this recipe idea from Pinch of Yum and am very excited to share the results with you all!
These muffins are the epitome of fall flavors, combining pumpkin’s rich, earthy taste with the sweet, creamy goodness of maple cream cheese. Perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, dessert, or even a treat for your favorite fall gather-together event. These muffins are incredibly versatile and will quickly become a favorite in your household. So grab your muffin liners and nonstick muffin tin — let’s dive into this delightful recipe!
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Muffins
A Taste of Fall in Every Bite
When it comes to fall baking, pumpkin is a must. Thanks to the generous amount of 100% pumpkin puree in the batter, these muffins are bursting with pumpkin flavor. The warm spices — cinnamon and cloves — add a cozy, aromatic touch that pairs beautifully with the subtle sweetness of the pumpkin. But what sets these muffins apart is the maple cream cheese filling. It’s rich, velvety, and infused with pure maple syrup’s deep, caramel-like sweetness. The combination of flavors is like a warm hug in muffin form, making these treats impossible to resist.
Easy to Make, Hard to Resist
You don’t need to be a professional baker to whip up these delicious pumpkin muffins. With just a few simple steps, fall specials, and everyday ingredients, you’ll have a batch of muffins that taste like they came straight from a bakery. The recipe is straightforward, making it perfect for novice bakers and seasoned pros. Plus, making the maple cream cheese filling is almost as fun as eating it — there’s something so satisfying about piping that creamy goodness into the center of each muffin!
Step-by-Step Instructions
How to Prepare the Pumpkin Muffin Batter
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining a nonstick muffin tin with muffin liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until well combined and smooth. The sugars dissolve into the oil, creating a glossy base for your batter.
Next, add the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, eggs, and milk to the large bowl. Whisk everything together until smooth and well combined. The pumpkin puree adds a beautiful orange hue and keeps the muffins moist and tender.
In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently just until everything is incorporated. Be careful not to overmix — this will keep your muffins light and fluffy.
For more baking tips, you can also check out the Simply Pumpkin Muffins by Sally’s Baking Recipes!
How to Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar Topping for the Pumpkin Muffins
In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Stir until the cinnamon is evenly mixed throughout the sugar. For an extra touch of richness, you can also add 1 tablespoon of melted unsalted butter to the mixture, creating a slightly more textured topping. Once mixed, generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the tops of the muffin batter before baking. This will create a sweet, slightly crunchy topping that perfectly complements the warm flavors of the pumpkin muffins.
How to Bake the Pumpkin Muffins
Pour the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full. This will give the muffins enough room to rise without overflowing. For an extra touch of sweetness and texture, you can sprinkle a bit of cinnamon sugar on top of each muffin before baking.
Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Your kitchen will be filled with the warm, inviting aroma of pumpkin and spices — truly a fall dream come true! Once baked, let the muffins cool completely before moving on to the next step.
How to Prepare the Maple Cream Cheese Filling for the Pumpkin Muffins
While the muffins cool, it’s time to make the maple cream cheese filling. Start by whipping the heavy cream in a small bowl until stiff peaks form. This will give the filling a light, airy texture.
In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until it’s smooth and creamy. Gradually fold in the whipped cream, mixing gently to maintain that light texture. Finally, add the pure maple syrup and stir until everything is well combined and the filling is smooth. The maple syrup adds a lovely sweetness and deep flavor that perfectly complements the pumpkin muffins.
How to Fill the Muffins
Now for the fun part! Once the muffins have cooled completely, use a small paring knife to cut a small hole in the center of each muffin. Don’t worry about making the hole too big — the more filling, the better!
Using a piping bag (or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off), carefully pipe the maple cream cheese filling into the center of each muffin until it reaches the top. The filling should be visible at the top of each muffin, giving them an extra touch of elegance and deliciousness.
Serve and Enjoy
Your Easy Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Filling are ready to enjoy! These muffins are best enjoyed fresh, but they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They taste great chilled or at room temperature, so you can enjoy them however you like.
Serve these muffins as a delightful breakfast treat with a hot cup of coffee, or bring them to your next fall gathering and watch them disappear! They also make a wonderful gift for friends and family who love pumpkin season as much as you do.
If you’re looking for a low-carb or keto version of this recipe, please check out Low Carb Pumpkin Muffins With Cream Cheese Filling for more details and yumminess while maintaining your weight loss goals.
Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Muffins
Choosing the Right Pumpkin Puree
When it comes to pumpkin puree, not all options are created equal. Canned pumpkin puree is a convenient choice that delivers consistent results, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you can make your own by roasting a pie pumpkin and blending the flesh until smooth. Just be sure to use 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling (I recommend turning the product around and reading the label to ensure it’s just pumpkin) , which contains added sugars and spices that can alter the flavor of your muffins.
Getting the Maple Flavor Just Right
The key to achieving the perfect maple flavor in your cream cheese filling is to use pure maple syrup. Avoid pancake syrup, which is often made with corn syrup and artificial flavoring. Pure maple syrup provides a natural sweetness and rich flavor that can’t be beaten. If you prefer a stronger maple flavor, feel free to add a bit more syrup to the filling, tasting as you go until it’s just right for your palate.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
These muffins are perfect for making ahead of time, especially if you’re planning for a busy week or preparing for a special event. To keep them fresh, store the filled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can be enjoyed cold or brought to room temperature before serving. If you’d like to make the muffins ahead of time but don’t want to fill them until later, simply bake and cool the muffins, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature. You can prepare the maple cream cheese filling and fill the muffins just before serving.
Variations and Serving Suggestions
Pumpkin Spice Lovers
If you can’t get enough pumpkin spice, feel free to add a pinch of nutmeg or ginger to the muffin batter. These additional spices will intensify the pumpkin spice flavor and give your muffins an extra layer of warmth and complexity.
Serving Ideas
These muffins are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in so many ways. Serve them warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of extra maple syrup for an indulgent breakfast. They’re also the perfect treat to bring to a fall gathering, whether it’s a cozy brunch with friends or a festive holiday party. Pair them with a hot cup of coffee, spiced tea, or even a pumpkin spice latte for the ultimate fall experience.
Final Thoughts
There’s something truly magical about baking in the fall, and these Easy Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Filling capture that magic perfectly. Whether you’re a pumpkin lover or just looking for a new muffin recipe to try this season, these muffins are sure to bring a little bit of fall into your kitchen. They’re easy to make, incredibly delicious, and perfect for sharing with loved ones. So go ahead—grab your muffin tin and get baking. These muffins are too good to miss!
Print
Easy Pumpkin Muffins With Maple Cream Cheese Recipe
This Easy Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Filling recipe combines the warm, cozy flavors of pumpkin with a rich, velvety maple cream cheese filling. Perfect for fall, these muffins are moist, fluffy, and packed with autumn spices, making them an irresistible treat for breakfast, dessert, or a festive gathering. Simple to make and bursting with flavor, they’re sure to become a seasonal favorite!
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Muffins:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
For the Maple Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
1.Prepare the Muffins:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a nonstick muffin tin with muffin liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, eggs, and milk to the large bowl, and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
2.Bake the Muffins:
Pour the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool completely.
3.Prepare the Maple Cream Cheese Filling:
In a small bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the whipped cream to the cream cheese, folding gently until combined. Add the pure maple syrup and mix until the filling is smooth and creamy.
4.Fill the Muffins:
Once the muffins are cooled, use a small paring knife to cut a small hole in the center of each muffin. Using a piping bag (or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off), fill each muffin with the maple cream cheese mixture until it reaches the top of the hole.
5.Serve and Enjoy:
These muffins are ready to eat as-is! If making ahead, they should be stored in the fridge. They can be eaten at room temp or cold—both delicious!
Notes
You can add a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar to the top of each muffin before baking for an extra touch of sweetness and crunch.
These muffins pair perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or tea on a crisp fall morning.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Resources For Bloggers
Creating this blog post was made easier with the help of a few valuable resources that I’d love to share with you!
- Nutrifox Label Generator: This tool helped me create an easy-to-read nutrition label for the recipe. Nutrifox is perfect for generating custom nutrition labels, especially if you want to give your readers detailed nutritional information at a glance.
- Tasty Recipes Plugin: For those of you who run your own food blog, the Tasty Recipes Plugin is a must-have! It allows me to format my recipes beautifully, making them easy to follow and print, while also optimizing them for SEO.
- RankIQ: I used RankIQ to ensure this post was fully optimized for SEO. It helped me find the best keywords and phrases to make sure this recipe reaches the right audience. RankIQ is great for content creators who want to increase their visibility on search engines.
These tools made the entire process smoother and helped me deliver this delicious pumpkin muffin recipe to you in the best way possible!
[…] a healthier alternative to the traditional versions – check out last week’s recipe for Easy Pumpkin Muffins With Maple Cream Cheese Recipe. Each muffin is loaded with the richness of pumpkin spice, and the creamy, sugar-free cream cheese […]