Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
These gluten-free Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are soft, flavorful, and freezer-friendly. A rich cream cheese swirl takes them from simple to sensational — all in under 45 minutes.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Muffin tin
- Whisk
- - Toothpick or knife (for swirling)
- Measuring cups & spoons
Ingredients
- ### For the Muffin Batter:
- - ½ cup brown rice flour
- - ½ cup sorghum flour
- - ½ cup tapioca starch
- - 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- - 1 tsp baking soda
- - 1 tsp xanthan gum
- - ½ tsp ground ginger
- - ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- - ½ tsp salt
- - ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- - 2 large eggs
- - ½ cup packed brown sugar
- - ½ cup white sugar
- - 1 cup canned pumpkin 100% puree
- - ⅓ cup neutral oil e.g. avocado or vegetable oil
- - ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- - 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ### For the Cream Cheese Swirl:
- - 4 oz cream cheese softened
- - 2 tbsp white sugar
- ### Optional Toppings:
- - Chopped pumpkin seeds walnuts, or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to **350°F (175°C)**. Line a muffin tin or grease lightly.
- In a small bowl, mix **cream cheese** and **2 tbsp sugar** until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all **dry ingredients**.
- In another bowl, whisk together all **wet ingredients** until smooth.
- Pour wet mixture into dry, and mix just until combined — do not overmix.
- Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Add 1 tsp cream cheese mixture to each muffin and gently swirl with a toothpick.
- Sprinkle with optional toppings.
- Bake for **20–25 minutes**, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter to keep muffins light.
- Be sure to use **pure pumpkin puree**, not pie filling.
- Muffins freeze well for up to 3 months.
- Be sure to use **pure pumpkin puree**, not pie filling.
- Muffins freeze well for up to 3 months.