The Only Pumpkin Muffin Recipe You’ll Ever Need

These muffins are perfectly spiced, moist, and mixed with a rich cream cheese swirl. Instead of refined sugar, we’re using honey or coconut sugar to keep them naturally sweetened without losing that bakery-style flavor.

Swirled Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS

Pumpkin Muffins

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
• ½ cup melted coconut oil (or neutral oil)
• ½ cup honey or ½ cup coconut sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Swirl

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoon honey or 4 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
3. Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, oil, honey (or coconut sugar), eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Combine: Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined (don’t overmix).
5. Make cream cheese swirl: In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, honey (or coconut sugar), egg yolk, and vanilla until completely smooth and creamy.
6. Assemble muffins:
   • Fill each muffin liner about ¾ full with pumpkin batter.
   • Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on top.
   • Use a toothpick or knife tip to gently swirl the cream cheese into the pumpkin batter — don’t overdo it; you want visible ribbons.
7. Bake: 18–22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the pumpkin part (avoid the cream cheese swirl when testing).
8. Cool & serve: Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTES

• Storage:
  • Countertop: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
  • Refrigerator: Because of the cream cheese swirl, they’ll last best in the fridge, up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature or warm briefly before serving.
  • Freezer: Freeze individually wrapped muffins in an airtight bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in the oven or microwave before serving.