Pumpkin Muffins with a Cream Cheese Filling and Crumb Topping

by cookingwithauntjuju.com

This is the September Bakealong recipe from King Arthur Flour which I have adapted. I decided not to join this bakealong but make the recipe anyways as it sounded so good and it is perfect for the Fall and holidays.  Go to their site for the original recipe as I am having trouble linking the specific recipe! The only thing I changed was the topping…

Pumpkin Muffins with a Cream Cheese Filling and Crumb Topping

Crumb topping (cut this recipe in half for 12 muffins):

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 7 tbsp. butter, melted (next time I will add cold butter cut into small pieces and blend the mixture together with my fingers like I usually do)

Combine the first five ingredients and then add cold butter cut into small pieces. I kind of wanted to see the difference, melted versus cold butter – see my Banana Blueberry Muffins as an example.

Cream Cheese Filling:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature (can use low-fat)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla or a few drops of Fiori di Sicilia flavoring (see Comment below)

Combine the above ingredients and set aside. I had a little leftover but I am sure you will find something to do with it.

Muffins:

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup boiled cider (can use dark corn syrup or honey)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; or 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves and 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/3 cup milk (I used 2%)
  • 1-1/2 cups flour (could use white whole wheat flour)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a regular 12-cup muffin pan with greased muffin papers.

Whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, boiled cider, salt, spices, baking powder, baking soda and milk. Add the flour and mix until well combined.

Drop a scant 2 tbsp. of the batter (a heaping tbsp. cookie scoop works perfectly) into each muffin paper, spreading it to cover the bottom. I scooped a scant 2  tbsp. of the batter and placed it in the cookies scoop as it was a lot easier to place in the muffin wrappers. Add a heaping tbsp. of filling in the middle of each muffin (I did this with a small cookie scoop) then cover with another 2 tbsp. of batter. First I only placed a tbsp. on top of the filling and then went back and distributed the rest of the batter spreading it to cover.

Sprinkle each muffin top with some of the crumb topping and press down lightly so it will stick to the muffins.

Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, with a cake tester inserted towards the edge (not into the filling) comes out crumb-free. Cool for 10 minutes on a rack, then remove from the pan and cool on the rack.

A couple of other possibilities: use a maple glaze and/or a cider-cinnamon filling. Both of these recipes are delicious.

You can eat these muffins within 2-3 hours of baking; refrigerate up to 3 days and you can freeze them, well-wrapped, up to 3 weeks. Rewarm in an oven or heat briefly on low in a microwave.

Comment: Fiorio di Sicilia is a combination of citrus and vanilla with a pleasingly floral aroma. King Arthur Flour describes it as combining vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet in the same bowl!

Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com 

I’ m sharing these seasonal muffins with Angie @ Fiesta Friday #139 and her two co-hosts this week, Antonia @ zoale and Sandhya @ indfused

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22 thoughts on “Pumpkin Muffins with a Cream Cheese Filling and Crumb Topping”

  1. Such wonderful looking muffins you have here Judi. I can see why you wanted to make them. I just love the cream cheese filling, and the vanilla-orange essence sounds heavenly. Need to look for it! 🙂

    Reply

  3. Oh, these are some deluxe muffins Judi. I love how generous the filling is! I quite agree–the Fiori di Sicilia sounds just divine. I’ve been meaning to participate in a bakealong, so maybe I will try this one!

    Reply

    • Thanks as I knew they would be good. I did add a tad more filling so the pictures would look better – there is a small gap! One thing for sure is the recipes KAF picks are always going to be tasty and you can even change things like I did for the topping.

      Reply

  4. I just love these muffins, Judi. I look forward to this time of year and pumpkin bars with cream cheese are always on my list. Now I can put these muffins on my list. I like making treats for my husband’s employees, and they would love these!

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  5. Judi,
    I love everything pumpkin in the fall and these muffins with the cream cheese filling and crumb topping are simply droolicious! Your photos have captured the color and the texture perfectly.
    And then you mentioned the option of maple glaze….I want to make and eat them right now!
    Thank you so much for sharing this yummy treat with all of us at Fiesta Friday!

    Reply

    • Thanks Sandhya for your nice comments. Fall is such a fun time – pumpkins, apples, orchards and the leaves turning are a favorite time of the year. I just wish it would stop raining!!!

      Reply

  7. Cream cheese and vanilla-orange essence?! Oh this is a teaser of an excellent recipe. Thank you. It’s the time of the year for pumpkin muffins and using your recipe, mine will certainly surprise this year. Thank you. 🍁

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  8. I had planned on joining the bake along this month, but time got away from me. These just look so heavenly! I’m glad you at least found the time to make them because they look absolutely amazing!

    Reply

    • Thanks Colleen – I changed the topping but otherwise followed the recipe. The filling takes them over the top. I am rather disappointed with the next bakealong – just a simple bread recipe, nothing very different or exciting!

      Reply

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