The ultimate pumpkin chocolate chip muffins filled with cream cheese swirls and topped with crunchy cinnamon streusel! The best pumpkin chocolate chip muffins to make this season!
The weather's getting colder and you know what that means. Pumpkins! These are literally the best pumpkin chocolate chip muffins with cream cheese filling and cinnamon streusel I've tasted! And I've tasted a lot of pumpkin muffins lately. You know, for research. 🙂
The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
What makes these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins stand out is definitely the flavor contrast and texture from the fillings and the topping. The components of this muffin are:
- luscious cream cheese swirl filling - adds a creamy, cheesecake like flavor
- crunchy, cinnamon streusel topping - the generous streusel topping adds a crunchy texture, almost like a crunchy cinnamon cookie on top
- big chunky chocolate baking chips - these big baker's chocolate chips add pockets of bittersweet chocolate that compliment the pumpkin and cream cheese
These muffins also have a healthy twist from the greek yogurt and avocado oil. It's also not overwhelmingly sweet as I personally don't like cloyingly sweet muffins. They'll make the perfect holiday snack for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
These pumpkin muffins are the perfect fall or winter snack, dessert, or even breakfast! They taste amazing with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
Variations on the Recipe:
Instead of Bittersweet Chocolate Chips:
- dark chocolate chips
- milk chocolate chips
- cinnamon chips
- butterscotch chips
- white chocolate chips
Flavor Variations for the Streusel Topping:
- chopped nuts - walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamia
- old fashioned oats (do not use quick instant oats)
- cocoa nibs
- cocoa powder
- pumpkin spice mix
You can see below the difference it makes to use big baking chocolate chips instead of mini chocolate chips. If you're a fan of chocolate, the more chocolate the better right? I used bittersweet chocolate chips to add a bit of flavor contrast from the sweet muffin. But you can use any kind of chocolate you'd like.
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins w/ Cream Cheese & Streusel
Make the pumpkin batter:
Mix together the wet ingredients with the brown sugar in a large bowl. In a medium size bowl, add all the dry ingredients and pumpkin spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. The consistency should be a thick batter. Add a tablespoon more flour as needed if your pumpkin puree was very wet.
Cream Cheese Filling:
Make sure you leave out your cream cheese at room temperature to soften up. Once it's combined with the egg, sugar, and flour, use an electric beater or whisk to get out any lumps.
Crunchy Cinnamon Streusel Topping:
The key to getting a crunchy, crispy cinnamon streusel topping is to use.....one egg white! This helps crisp up the topping, prevents the streusel topping from melting, and it helps it better adhere to the muffin top. Do not leave out the egg white if you want a crunchy streusel topping.
Assemble the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins!
Alternate the pumpkin batter, cream cheese filling, and chocolate chips until you've filled the muffin pan. Break apart pieces of the streusel topping with your hands and place them on top of the muffins along with the chocolate chips.
Bake these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins at 425 degrees F for the first 6 - 7 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F for the remaining 13 - 14 minutes. This will get you taller muffins!
See the rise in the muffins? This is due to the high initial temperature of the oven. This high temperature creates what's called "oven spring" which is a term used by bakers to describe the increase in volume you get during the first few minutes of baking. I can go on and on about baking since I love it so much and it's in my blood (I come from three generations of professional bakers) but I'll save that for another day. 🙂
Let the pumpkin chocolate chip muffins cool in the pan until they can be removed and place them on a cooling rack to completely cool. Serve with your favorite cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate and enjoy!
These pumpkin muffins can be stored in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer for one month. To reheat, place them in the oven at 325 degrees F until warmed through.
I hope you enjoy these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins with cream cheese and cinnamon streusel! Please share, rate, and comment below. I’d love to hear from you!
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Cream Cheese and Streusel
Equipment
Video
☑ Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 can pumpkin puree - 15oz, 425g
- 1 cup greek yogurt - plain, full fat
- ¼ cup avocado oil - substitute any vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Dry Ingredients
- 2⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups bittersweet chocolate baking chips
Pumpkin Spice Mix (or substitute with 2½ Tablespoons of store bought pumpkin spice mix)
- 1½ Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground clove
Cream Cheese Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese - softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon milk - can substitute water
Crunchy Cinnamon Streusel
- 1¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter - melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg white
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Take out your cream cheese to soften at room temperature.
Pumpkin Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients and brown sugar. Mix together until the sugar is dissolved.
- In a medium size bowl, add in the dry ingredients and the pumpkin spice mix, leaving out the chocolate chips. Mix the dry ingredients together with the spices, then add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix together until well combined. Set this aside.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the cream cheese filling until smooth. Use an electric beater or a whisk to get out any lumps.
Crunchy Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the cinnamon streusel topping. Do not leave out the egg white as this is what makes this streusel crunchy and prevents it from melting into the muffin.
Fill the Muffin Pan
- Save about ⅔ cup of chocolate chips for placing on top of the muffins. Grease your muffin pan with butter and fill your muffin pan with alternating layers of the pumpkin batter, chocolate chips, and cream cheese filling. Break apart varying size pieces of the streusel topping and pile them on top of the muffins. Press the remaining chocolate chips on top of the streusel.
- Bake them at 425 degrees F for the first 6 - 7 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake them for 13 - 14 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the streusel topping is a golden brown color.
✎ Recipe Notes
- dark chocolate chips
- milk chocolate chips
- cinnamon chips
- butterscotch chips
- white chocolate chips
- chopped nuts - walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamia
- old fashioned oats (do not use quick instant oats)
- cocoa nibs
- cocoa powder
- pumpkin spice mix
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.
Tina Fugere
Delicious 😋 how long can these stay at room temperature? I left mine out overnight and just thought that maybe I shouldn’t have. Will they still be good to eat?
Jamie
Hi Tina! So glad you like them! I usually put them in a zip lock bag and put them in the fridge the night of baking. I think it should be okay to consume but it depends on how warm or cool your kitchen was during that time.
Emma
The cream cheese filling is soooo good, and the topping!!! Wow!! These muffins are going to be my new go to - always!! I have enjoyed them the past few days with my coffee and they have made the best breakfast!
Barri
We are HUGE fans of these muffins in our household. We have been making them for a while now, and they're such a great fall treat - but super delicious any time of year. We make our own pumpkin puree (we go through it so much!!) and the spice mix is on point.
Jamie
Wow thank you Barri! I bet it tastes amazing with fresh pumpkin puree! 🙂
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes
Just the title of the recipe alone makes me so happy! So much goodness all in one! Delicious recipe 🙂
Jamie
Thank you so much Alex! So happy to hear you love it! 🙂
Suzy
These are my favorite type of muffin! I love pumpkin! I'm super impressed with that cream cheese filling! So good!
Jamie
Thank you Suzy! The cream cheese filling is my favorite. 🙂
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
This is my fall breakfast dream come true!
Jamie
Same here Jocelyn! They make an amazing breakfast. 🙂
Heidy L. McCallum
A super fab recipe that the entire family loved and begged me to make again. Your recipe rocked the house this morning and I wish I had made a double batch. I loved how easy the instructions were to follow.
Jamie
Wow that's so awesome to hear! I'm so happy your family loved it! My family loves it too and it's usually gone in a day lol! 😀
Beth Neels
The texture of these muffins is just spectacular! Moist and delicious!
Jamie
So glad you enjoy them Beth! 🙂
Kelly Anthony
From the streusel topping to the cream cheese swirl these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins have it all. I would pick these over a muffin in any pastry shop.
Jamie
Wow what a compliment! Thank you so much Kelly! 😀
georgie
wowee!!! This sounds amazing! I love the whole flavour combination you have going on!
Jamie
Thanks Georgie! The flavors go so well together! 🙂
Beth
Oh ya!! Give me all the pumpkin, chocolate and cream cheese!! Combo from heaven!!
Jamie
Right?! This combo is soo good together. Hope you enjoy these Beth!
Irina
The picture of cross section of your pumpkin muffins is the best! I am drooling over it. I am gonna make these muffins for sure. Thanks for sharing!
Jamie
Thanks so much Irina! That photo has me craving these again! 😀
Angela
Oh my, it seriously doesn't get any more delicious than this!!! So incredible. This will be a recipe on repeat all month! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Jamie
Thanks Angela! I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Anita
Wow, this is the best way to turn pumpkin into muffins! That cream cheese filling, the chocolate chips, and that streusel topping! I can tell they are super delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Jamie
Thanks so much Anita! These are definitely a crowd pleaser! 🙂