These gluten-free pumpkin cream cheese muffins have cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in the batter, with a sweetened cream cheese filling layered into the center. They use a whole 15-ounce can of pumpkin, so there’s no leftover purée to use up.
The recipe makes 18 muffins. Spoon the filling into the middle of each one, cover it with batter, and fill the liners almost to the top. Serve them for breakfast or brunch, then refrigerate any leftovers.
Ingredient notes:
- Gluten-Free Flour: I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour in the blue bag. It already contains xanthan gum, so don’t add more. Other flour blends have not been tested.
- Pumpkin: Use plain canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.
- Cream Cheese: Use softened block-style cream cheese, not whipped cream cheese or a spread from a tub, for a smooth filling.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to Soften Cream Cheese Quickly
Soften the cream cheese in warm water if you’re short on time. Leave it sealed in its foil wrapper and set it in a bowl of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes instead of microwaving it, which can melt the edges before the center softens.
Megan’s Tips
Storage Instructions
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Because of the cream cheese filling, refrigerate within 2 hours of baking rather than leaving them out for the day.
Serving Suggestions
These muffins fit right into a weekend brunch with my gluten-free apple cinnamon baked oatmeal, another make-ahead dish built on the same warm fall spices. For something a little more festive, serve them alongside an apple cider mimosa for a brunch spread that’s a step up from coffee and muffins alone. For a bigger gathering, serve them with my gluten-free fall charcuterie board. The sweet muffins go well with the cheese and cured meats.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese - block-style, softened
- 1 (18 g) egg yolk
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar - packed
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Muffins:
- 2½ cups (350 g) gluten-free flour blend - Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar - packed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 (100 g) large eggs
- 15 oz (425 g) canned pumpkin puree - not sweetened pumpkin pie filling
- ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract
**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
- For the filling, beat the softened 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese until smooth. Mix in 1 (18 g) egg yolk, ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract until combined, then set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together 2½ cups (350 g) gluten-free flour blend, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add 2 (100 g) large eggs, 15 oz (425 g) canned pumpkin puree, ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil, and 2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.
- Fill each liner about halfway with batter.
- Divide the cream cheese filling evenly among the 18 muffins, about 1 tablespoon each, keeping it in the center and away from the sides of the liners.
- Cover the filling with the remaining batter, filling each liner almost to the top.
- Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the muffin portion, avoiding the cream cheese filling, and look for 200–205°F. Alternatively, insert a toothpick into the muffin portion; it should come out without wet batter. The cream cheese filling will remain soft.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Flour: Tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour in the blue bag, which contains xanthan gum. Other blends have not been tested.
- Filling: Use softened block-style cream cheese and divide the filling evenly among all 18 muffins.
- Timing: Allow 5 minutes of cooling in the pan, plus additional time on a wire rack, after the listed baking time.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Refrigerate within 2 hours of baking because of the cream cheese filling.
I love the pumpkin cream cheese muffin at Starbucks and have been dying to make my own! Thanks!
I can’t find pumpkin puree anywhere in the UK 🙁 I’ll try and mash some up, but i think that might take a while! Yummy recipe anyway 🙂
Glad you enjoyed them. Those were certainly delicious!
When do you add the ginger nutmeg and cloves? It doesn’t say. It also doesn’t have an amount of contaminated to add to the cream cheese?
Hi Amy, Sorry about that. No cinnamon in the cream cheese layer and then add the ginger, nutmeg and cloves with the cinnamon in the dry ingredients. I’ve updated the recipe card which somehow reverted back to an old version that I have since updated. Sorry!