This is the perfect Fall muffin recipe! These Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins use a secret shortcut – Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread Mix. They are insanely good…its hard to eat just one! I am a huge fan of this Trader Joe’s mix, so I saw no reason to make this recipe harder that it had to be by reinventing the wheel! The Cinnamon Streusel topping might look familiar. It’s from my Perfect Blueberry Muffin recipe! It’s the perfect finishing touch to these muffins – don’t leave it off!
About 3 hours before making this recipe, start by making the filling, as it needs time to set up in the freezer. This prevents it from disintegrating into the muffin when baking, leaving you with plenty of delicious filling! Beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Spray a piece of foil or press-n-seal with baking spray, then scoop the cream cheese mixture into a log shape. If you make the log the width of a piece of regular sized foil or wrap, it will be the perfect length! Use your hands to form it into a tight log, then freeze for 3 hours.
To make the log, I first spread the cream cheese mixture with a spatula into a log shape the best I can.
I then fold one side of the foil over and use that to form the cream cheese into a more firm log shape.
I then finish wrapping it and freeze! At this time, you can set out the butter to soften for the streusel topping.
After 3 hours, mix the pumpkin muffin mixture according to the package directions. Line a muffin tin and spray with baking spray. Fill the muffin cups about halfway with the muffin mix.
Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 12 equal portions. Place 1 portion in the center of each muffin cup, lightly pressing down so it doesn’t fall over.
Top each muffin cup with muffin mix, filling the cup to the top. Make the streusel topping by combining the softened butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon with a fork, until it makes small crumbles.
Top each muffin cup with cinnamon streusel topping and bake according to package directions.
The next step is to try to not eat all of these fluffy filled muffins at once!
Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
1 box Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix
1 8oz block cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
In a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Spray a piece of foil or Press-N-Seal with baking spray. Spoon the cream cheese mixture down the center to form a log shape. Roll the wrapping around the cream cheese log, gently pressing as you go so that it forms a pretty solid log. Freeze for 3 hours.
Once the cream cheese log is fairly solid, preheat the oven according to package directions. Prepare the pumpkin muffin mix according to package directions. Prepare a muffin tin with liners and spray lightly with cooking spray. Fill each muffin cup halfway full with the pumpkin muffin mixture. Prepare the cinnamon streusel topping by using a fork to combine the softened butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. It should be in small crumbs. Remove the cream cheese filling from the freezer and wrapping. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Place a cream cheese piece in the center of each muffin cup. Scoop the remaining pumpkin muffin mixture over the top of the cream cheese filling. Sprinkle the crumb topping on top. Bake according to package directions.