Streusel Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are bakery-style treats loaded with cozy fall flavors. Soft, spiced pumpkin muffins hide a sweet, creamy center and are finished with a buttery cinnamon crumble that bakes into a golden, crunchy topping. They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon pick-me-up with a hot drink.

A plate with a halved streusel muffin, a fork, and a knife; more muffins in a basket and a bowl of orange spread are on the table, along with cinnamon sticks and forks.

This post may contain affiliate link(s). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure.

I love these muffins because they’re just the right mix of textures: tender pumpkin crumb, silky cream cheese, and crunchy streusel. They’re easy enough for weekday baking but special enough to share at fall gatherings. I can never make just one batch of these because they disappear faster than I expect. The creamy middle and crunchy streusel topping make every bite a little different, and they freeze beautifully so you can enjoy pumpkin season any time of year.

31 of Chef Jenn's FAVE Casseroles!

Name: Streusel Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup brown sugar; ½ cup flour; ¼ cup butter melted; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ cup butter melted; ½ cup brown sugar; ¼ cup granulated sugar; 1 cup pumpkin puree; 2 eggs; ½ cup buttermilk; 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract; 8 ounces cream cheese softened; ⅓ cup granulated sugar; 1 egg; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipes for Comfort-Filled Family Meals

An iPad and an iPhone display the cover of a digital cookbook titled "31 Hot & Hearty Casseroles" by Chef Jenn Allen, featuring a close-up of a cheesy casserole.

⭐

I've gathered 31 of my favorite casseroles for you and your family to love! I've created and tested each recipe many times, and you can be sure of no AI. Just dependable, scratch-made dishes to dig into!

You'll get ad-free recipes like:

✅ Spaghetti Casserole
✅ Sloppy Joe Casserole
✅ Sausage-Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
✅ Tuna Noodle Casserole.
✅ and so many more!

$7.99 for a limited time!

This is a digital product. You'll receive an instant download link after purchase.

A cinnamon streusel muffin sits on a plate with a wooden spatula, next to a jar of sugar, cinnamon sticks, and a muffin tin holding more muffins.

Ingredients

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Brown sugar – You can use light brown sugar, or for a deeper, richer flavor, opt for dark brown sugar.
Flour – You don’t need to sift it.
Butter – I cook with salted butter. If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the melted butter and dissolve it.
Ground cinnamon – Fresh spices make so much difference!
Pumpkin pie spice – I always buy a new container of pumpkin pie spice each season. Fresher is so much tastier!

Spiced Pumpkin Muffin Batter

All-purpose flour – No need to sift.
Baking powder – Watch the expiry date on your baking powder. Expired baking powder won’t rise well.
Baking soda
Ground cinnamon
Pumpkin pie spice
Salt
Butter
Brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Pumpkin puree – Ensure you’re using pure pumpkin puree. Don’t use pumpkin pie filling.
Eggs – Large or even extra large eggs are fine in this recipe.
Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, add a spoonful of sour cream to ¼ cup of milk and mix until smooth. Then top up with milk until you get to ½ a cup. This is a good buttermilk substitution.
Vanilla extract – Use artificial vanilla. It’s fine, trust me.

Cream Cheese Filling

Cream cheese – Softened. You want your cream cheese to be quite soft. Don’t be afraid to microwave it for 10-second bursts until it is quite soft but not liquid.
Granulated sugar
Egg – Large or extra large.
Vanilla extract – Artificial vanilla is fine.

Assorted baking ingredients including flour, eggs, sugars, pumpkin puree, butter, cream cheese, spices, leavening agents, vanilla extract, and buttermilk arranged on a white surface.

How to Make Streusel Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour, melted butter, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until crumbly. Set aside.

A bowl of brown, grainy paste with a silver spoon resting inside, placed on a white textured surface.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet using a flex-edge spatula until just combined.

A metal mixing bowl filled with orange batter and a wooden spoon resting inside, placed on a light-colored surface.

Beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until smooth and creamy.

A white bowl filled with smooth, yellow mayonnaise on a light textured surface.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of muffin batter into each cup, then add 1 heaping tablespoon of cream cheese filling. Top with another tablespoon of batter, then sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of streusel over each muffin, pressing it lightly so it sticks.

A muffin tin holds twelve paper liners, with three partially filled with batter and one containing a dollop of butter; the rest are empty.

Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 12–15 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the muffin (avoiding the cream cheese) comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

A muffin tin holds nine pumpkin muffins with crumb topping, with three empty spaces. Nearby are a bowl of pumpkin puree, a bowl of spices, a spoon, and a striped towel.

Let the muffins rest in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack with legs to cool completely.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

Use a cookie scoop set to portion the batter and filling evenly.
The high starting temperature gives the muffins a tall, bakery-style dome.
Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened for a smooth filling.
Fresh pumpkin pie spice makes a noticeable difference in flavor.

Make It a Meal

Serve one of these muffins with scrambled eggs and fresh fruit for a fall breakfast, or pair them with a pumpkin spice latte for a cozy afternoon snack. They’re also a great addition to a brunch table alongside savory dishes.

A crumb-topped muffin on a white plate with a spoon, with more muffins in a baking tray and a jar of brown sugar in the background.

Storage

Keep muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for 4–5 days. To freeze, wrap muffins individually and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm slightly before serving.

Streusel Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Chef Jenn

Streusel Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins combine tender spiced pumpkin batter, a sweet cream cheese center, and a buttery cinnamon crumble for the perfect fall treat.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe

Add Preferred Source Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Course Breakfast, brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 385 kcal

Equipment