✔ Updated · new copycat recipe with a no-sink cream cheese filling trick
These copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins are soft, spiced and moist, with a sweet cream cheese center and crunchy pepitas on top. They are my favorite fall bake, and a batch disappears faster than I can make coffee.
How Do You Make Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins? (Quick Answer)
To make copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins, freeze a sweetened cream cheese filling into a log, then whisk a pumpkin batter with sugar, eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, flour and pumpkin spice. Layer batter, a slice of frozen filling and more batter in lined muffin cups, top with pepitas and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 to 22 minutes.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Freeze the cream cheese filling in a log for 20 minutes, then slice it into rounds. Firm filling stays put in the middle instead of sinking to the bottom or swirling into the batter.
Why You'll Love These Muffins
- A cream cheese center in every single muffin, not a swirl that disappears.
- Real pumpkin and warm spice without a mixer: two bowls and a whisk.
- Pepita crunch on top, just like the bakery case.
- Stays moist for days thanks to oil instead of butter.
- Freezer friendly for grab-and-go fall breakfasts.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Pumpkin puree: plain canned pumpkin gives the best color and texture.
- Vegetable oil: keeps the muffins moist for days, more than butter would.
- Pumpkin pie spice plus cinnamon: the warm, cozy coffeehouse flavor.
- Full-fat cream cheese: holds its shape in the oven. Light cream cheese turns runny.
- Roasted, salted pepitas: the crunchy, slightly salty topping. Raw pepitas work too.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Freeze the filling. My first batch had all the cream cheese sink to the bottom and stick to the liners. Freezing it in a log and slicing rounds fixed it for good.
- Use pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so the muffins come out too sweet and dense.
- Don't overmix. Fold the flour in just until it disappears. A few lumps are fine and keep the muffins tender.
- Test the muffin, not the middle. The cream cheese always looks wet. Poke the toothpick into the cake part near the edge.
- Fall breakfast duty. Lucy sprinkles the pepitas and Max counts that every muffin got its fair share. Nobody in my kitchen skips the topping.
- Make them ahead. Freeze cooled muffins in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
12
muffins20
minutes22
minutes345
kcal1
hourCopycat-style pumpkin cream cheese muffins inspired by the Starbucks bakery case: a moist, spiced pumpkin muffin with a sweet vanilla cream cheese center and roasted pepitas on top. Makes 12 muffins.
Ingredients
- For the Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (226 g)
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Pumpkin Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (220 g)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250 g)
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree, not pie filling (240 g)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
- For the Topping
1/3 cup roasted, salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Directions
- Make the Filling
- Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spoon it onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shape it into a 12-inch log, wrap and freeze for 20 minutes while you make the batter.
- Make the Muffins
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon in a bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, pumpkin and oil until smooth, then fold in the dry ingredients just until no flour shows.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into each liner. Slice the frozen cream cheese log into 12 rounds and press one into the center of each cup.
- Cover the cream cheese with the rest of the batter so the cups are about three-quarters full, then sprinkle the pepitas on top.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until domed and a toothpick in the muffin part (not the filling) comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then on a rack.
- Store in the fridge, covered, because of the cream cheese. Let them sit out 15 minutes before eating, or warm for 10 seconds.
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Storing and Freezing
These keep well, which is good news for busy fall mornings.
| How | Where | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Baked muffins | Covered in the fridge | Up to 4 days |
| Baked muffins | Frozen in a zip-top bag | Up to 2 months |
| Cream cheese filling | Wrapped log in the freezer | Up to 1 month |
| To serve | Room temperature 15 min, or microwave 10 seconds | Eat the same day |
More Starbucks Bakery Copycats
Bake a loaf too: my copycat Starbucks pumpkin bread uses the same warm spice. Pair a muffin with my Starbucks pumpkin spice latte, and browse all our Starbucks copycat recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in a Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffin?
It is a spiced pumpkin muffin with a sweet cream cheese filling and a pepita (pumpkin seed) topping. This copycat uses pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon in the batter and a vanilla cream cheese center.
How do you keep the cream cheese filling from sinking?
Freeze it. Shape the filling into a log, freeze 20 minutes, slice into rounds and sandwich each between two layers of batter. Firm filling holds its place while the batter sets around it.
Do pumpkin cream cheese muffins need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Because of the cream cheese filling, store them covered in the fridge and eat within 4 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before eating for the softest texture.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
Yes, but drain it in a sieve for 30 minutes first. Fresh puree is often wetter than canned and can make the muffins gummy.
Can I make these as mini muffins?
Yes. Fill mini cups halfway, add a small piece of frozen filling, top with batter and bake at 350°F for 11 to 13 minutes. It makes about 36 minis.
Is this the official Starbucks recipe?
No. It is a copycat-style recipe inspired by the Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffin, made in my home kitchen. Starbucks does not publish its bakery recipes.
