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Cozy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins with Easy Brown Sugar Pecan Streusel

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These cozy pumpkin muffins feature a creamy cream cheese swirl and a crunchy brown sugar pecan streusel topping, perfect for fall mornings or late-night baking cravings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup roasted and mashed fresh sugar pumpkin (or canned pumpkin puree)
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (220 g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (150 g)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (80 ml)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (120 ml)
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened (115 g)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (60 g)
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar (65 g)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed (42 g)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds, and roast cut-side down on a baking sheet for 40-50 minutes until tender. Cool and mash until smooth (about 1 cup). Skip if using canned pumpkin.
  2. Prepare streusel: In a small bowl, combine chopped pecans, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add cold cubed butter and mix with fingers or pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. Make cream cheese swirl: Beat softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  4. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
  5. Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk brown sugar and vegetable oil until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla extract, mashed pumpkin, and buttermilk until smooth.
  6. Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cups.
  8. Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into each muffin cup. Drop a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on top and swirl gently with a toothpick or knife.
  9. Top with remaining pumpkin batter and sprinkle generously with brown sugar pecan streusel.
  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin (avoiding cream cheese swirl) comes out clean. Tent with foil if streusel browns too fast.
  11. Cool muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Use softened cream cheese for smooth swirl. Do not overmix batter to avoid tough muffins. Keep streusel cold for best crumbly texture. Toast pecans for extra crunch and flavor. Room temperature eggs help muffins rise nicely. Tent muffins with foil if streusel browns too quickly. You can roast pumpkin ahead of time and refrigerate. Substitute part of vegetable oil with applesauce to reduce fat.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin muffins, cream cheese swirl, brown sugar pecan streusel, fall baking, easy muffins, cozy recipe

Find it online: https://noshbelle.com/cozy-pumpkin-cream-cheese-swirl-muffins-with-easy-brown-sugar-pecan-streusel-recipe/