Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Chocolate Chips Recipe

If you love the cozy flavors of autumn, these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Chocolate Chips are a must-bake. They fill the kitchen with warm pumpkin spice and smell like your favorite coffee shop.

Inspired by the popular Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffin, this version adds a fun twist: mini chocolate chips for a touch of melty sweetness and extra texture.

Soft, moist, and aromatic, these muffins combine tender pumpkin spice batter with a creamy center. Each bite delivers a little surprise from the cream cheese and chocolate chips.

Baking these has become a favorite fall ritual in our house. My daughter Anna and I enjoy making them together on chilly weekends—mixing batter, spooning the cream cheese filling, and sneaking a few chocolate chips along the way. The kids always swarm when they come out of the oven, so I hide a couple for my morning coffee.

We’re a pumpkin-and-chocolate family, and these muffins capture everything we love about the season: comforting spices, tender crumb, and just the right amount of sweetness.

They’re straightforward to make and work well for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat with a latte. The key is the cream cheese filling, which stays soft and creamy after baking and contrasts beautifully with the pumpkin crumb.

Skip the coffee shop—bake a batch at home, share them with family, and enjoy a cozy slice of fall fresh from your oven.

Pro Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

• Don’t overmix the batter.
  After adding the dry ingredients, stir gently until just combined. Overmixing yields dense muffins instead of light, tender ones.
• Use room temperature ingredients.
  Bring eggs and cream cheese to room temperature so everything blends smoothly and bakes evenly.
• Chill the cream cheese filling slightly.
  Refrigerate the filling for 10–15 minutes before using; it firms up and is easier to portion into the batter.
• Don’t overfill muffin cups.
  Fill each cup about three-quarters full. Too much batter can cause the filling to sink or overflow.
• Bake until just set.
  Pumpkin muffins can dry out quickly—check at 18 minutes. The tops should spring back lightly when touched.
• Add chocolate chips smartly.
  Toss chips with about 1 teaspoon of flour before folding them into the batter to keep them from sinking to the bottom.
• Cool before removing.
  Let muffins rest in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. This helps the centers set while keeping the texture moist.
• Store like a pro.
  Once fully cool, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat for 10 seconds in the microwave to recapture that fresh-baked warmth.
• Optional: Freeze individually wrapped muffins for up to two months—great for quick breakfasts or a seasonal treat anytime.

BAKING PAN I USED:

Silicone Muffin Pans for Baking with Metal Frame

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BANANA PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

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If you make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Chocolate Chips, tag me @sandraseasycooking and use #sandraseasycooking so I can see your creations.

HAPPY BAKING!

Yield: 12 muffins

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
22 minutes

Total Time:
32 minutes

Inspired by the Starbucks pumpkin muffin, these easy pumpkin cream cheese muffins with chocolate chips are soft, moist, and perfect for fall.

Ingredients

For the Muffins:

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 312 g
• 1 tsp baking powder, 5 g
• ½ tsp baking soda, 2 g
• ½ tsp salt, 3 g
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice ≈ 8 g (or 2 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp ginger)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin purée, 245 g
• ½ cup granulated sugar, 100 g
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed, 110 g
• ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted butter), 120 ml
• 2 large eggs, 100 g
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, 5 ml
• ¾ cup mini chocolate chips, 135 g

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

• 4 to 5 oz cream cheese, 115–142 g
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar, 25 g
• ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2.5 ml

Topping, optional:

• Toasted pumpkin seeds tossed with a little brown sugar
• A light sprinkle of cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or use a silicone pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated and brown sugars, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined—avoid overmixing.
5. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese with powdered sugar, vanilla, and about 1 tablespoon of milk or cream until smooth and spreadable.
6. Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full with batter. Drop a heaping teaspoon (about 5–6 g) of cream cheese filling into the center of each cup and gently press down, or pipe the filling into the center.
7. Bake 22–24 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. If using a toothpick, avoid the cream cheese center when testing.
8. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

For extra-moist muffins, replace ¼ cup of oil (≈60 ml) with unsweetened applesauce or sour cream.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving
Calories 410
Total Fat 20g
Saturated Fat 7g
Trans Fat 0g
Unsaturated Fat 12g
Cholesterol 74mg
Sodium 255mg
Carbohydrates 53g
Fiber 3g
Sugar 27g
Protein 7g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate, but we try our best.

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