Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Servings 12
Ingredients
**Cupcake Batter:**
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
**Cream Cheese Filling:**
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
**Other:**
- Chopped pumpkin seeds
Instructions
**Make the Cream Cheese Filling:**
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat together cream cheese, white sugar, vanilla extract, and all-purpose flour for about 2 minutes until smooth. Set aside. Be careful not to overbeat.
**Make the Batter:**
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients – white sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, whole milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add all the dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk vigorously until you have a smooth batter without any lumps.
**Prepare the Muffins:**
- Line a cupcake tray with liners.
- Fill each cupcake/muffin 2/3 to 3/4 full.
- Transfer the cream cheese filling to a piping bag with a tip.
- Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake and fill it to the top with the filling.
- Sprinkle pumpkin seeds around the edges of the muffin.
**Bake:**
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Allow the muffins to cool for half an hour before serving.
Notes
- Adding flour to the cream cheese helps stabilize it so it doesn’t sink after baking.
- Store the muffins in the refrigerator in an airtight container since the cream cheese filling contains dairy and needs to be kept cold.