Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Yummy! I made a few changes. I substituted 2 tbsp. of brown sugar for the 5 tbsp. called for in the stuesel topping, and I didn't use pecans, because my husband doesn't like them. I added 1 tsp. of ground cloves and 1 tsp. of nutmeg to the muffin batter. I had enough muffin batter for 24 regular size muffins -- I did not have enough cream cheese topping for all 24 -- but that was okay, the muffins were divine without it. Also, I used vegetable oil, instead of olive oil. Great recipe! Muffins are "to die for". Will make perfect gifs this fall. Thanks a bunch for posting this recipe. It is a new family favorite!

I'm a 20-yr-old college student home for the holidays, and I just used this recipe to make a birthday cake for my pumpkin-loving mother (who usually requests a pumpkin pie on her birthday, when everyone has had their fill of pie). It worked out great! I skipped the crumb topping, cooked the batter in two round cake pans and then used the rosting (raw) to frost the cake. There wasn't enough to completely cover the cake, but I frosted the top of one, than placed the other on top and frosted the top of that one. It looked like a big sandwich cookie and after a while, the frosting starts to ooze down the sides, making it look like an old-fashioned confection (very pretty). I used nonfat cream cheese and was worried about its ability to stand up to refrigeration, but it made it great! I also used applesauce instead of any shortening-- no one was the wiser. Thanks a bunch!

My best friend and I used to work together . . . right across from a Starbucks. We loved getting their Pumpking Cream Cheese Muffins in the fall. When they stopped serving them, I found this recipe and made it right before my friend came over one night. We both loved them. She has since moved to another state and always asks me to make them when she comes to visit! My husband, who grudgingly tried these because he hates pumkin pie, also loves them. I did make a few variations. I make double the cream cheese mixture (and I've never had a problem when the cream cheese touches the paper cup). I leave out the pecans, and I add some pumpkin pie spice. I also substitute canola oil for the olive oil.

Please read the one, two and three star reviews - I found my experience with these muffins to be the same! While I wouldn't call them a failure, they didn't deliver the exceptional results I was expecting from them either. To address a few issues: olive oil is very well-suited for this recipe, so it is not a mistake or something weird. Extra-virgin olive oil, however, is generally NOT suitable for baking because its flavor is too strong. "Pure" or "light" olive oil should be used here. In addition to the cinnamon I also added a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice but it did little to give these the flavor boost I had hoped for. As for the "filling," which really is a topping, I increased the brown sugar to 1/3 cup and was glad I did. Similar recipes call for 1/3-1/2 cup sugar as opposed to this recipe's mere 3 T. But the "filling" was a disappointment, not making the statement I had hoped for or expected. Summing it up, these were a fairly flavorless muffin with a barely noticeable cream cheese topping. The recipe made 24 acceptable, but not outstanding muffins.

This is basically the first thing I've ever baked successfully! Haha. I even got the cream cheese filling to work for the most part by trying it a different way for every group of six muffins(it wasn't a very BIG filling, but there was still a definite area that was just cream cheese). To do this, all I did was add a little bit of batter to the bottom of a muffin cup, then used a spoon to make a sort of raised wall around one side. I snuggled the filling against that wall and then added batter to the other sides of the muffin cup and over the top of the filling. Most of them came out with no cream cheese on top but with a nice little section beneath the surface that tasted very good. I didn't use pecans and I added 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice to the streusel topping (which I made a double dose of so I could pack it on, mmm hahaha). The muffins turned out VERY good! =D I will definitely make these again, especially come Fall!

These were very nice muffins (as my co-workers who just happily gobbled down a bunch can attest!) I'd make them again, but here's how I'd fine-tune the recipe: In the streusel, I'd use a little less flour, a bit more butter, and a bit of brown sugar. Would also kick up the muffin's spiciness by adding some nutmeg to the batter. And, I didn't like the idea of using olive oil, so I used vegetable oil and the texture was great - very tender. Finally, these muffins are really not "cream cheese FILLED." Instead, the thin cheesecake-like topping sits atop the muffin underneath the streusel. Next time I may try adding a touch of flour to the cheese mixture and put more than 1 T. of the mixture in each muffin (Got leftover cheese mixture? Use it to make an individual-sized cheesecake "tart." I did and it was yummy and very cute!)

Yummy! The house smelled fantastic while these were cooking! I followed the recipe closely. I added a little extra vanilla to the batter, and I substituted pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon in the topping. It sounds like a lot of people are having issues with the filling being more of a topping. Put the cream cheese filling in a sandwich size ziploc bag and cut off the tip. Stick the tip of the bag about 3/4 of the way into the pumpkin batter (once in the muffin tin) and squeeze. Your muffins will have perfect cream cheese centers. Thanks for the recipe!

These muffins are the best! They are moist and very delicious....My husband thought they could win a prize for not only tasting great but looking so good as well! As others mentioned, I used veg. oil instead of olive oil. I highly recommend these muffins!!

These are the prettiest muffins ever. When I openned the oven to check them, I said, "Wow!" These make a great presentation and would make a wonderful, heart-warming gift!

The best muffins ever! Doesn't need the crumb topping but it is a nice addition. My friends LOVE this and beg for me to make it for get togethers! Made more than it says don't over fill...it will make a mess!

I followed the recipe to a "T" except I didn't use a muffin pan. I used 9x13 pan. I didn't have time to fill each cupcake holder then cream cheese mixture then topping. It turned out great! The cream cheese mixture made it more dense and moist but it made the pumpkin less in flavor. Next time I make this I'll add more pumpkin and allspice and cloves. My family and I really enjoyed this as a cake. Goes great with a cup of coffee!

Just a tip on how to keep the cream cheese mixture as a filling. Put just enough muffin batter in the tins to cover the bottom. Then, put 1 T. of the cream cheese mixture on top of the batter. Next, cover the cream cheese with remaining batter. This will keep the cream cheese as a filling.

I read all the reviews and baked them ( they are so good), and here is my final "tweeking". The cream cheese filling is too runny, so I simply left out the egg & it turned out with a much better consistencey , more like the cheese cake centre I was looking for.I use white sugar for the cream cheese filling. For the topping I use brown sugar. I also used vegtable oil, not olive oil. I use nutmeg also in the batter, or sometimes I use the pumpkin pie filling which has spices in it for that extra spice.I use paper liners in my muffin tins, put some batter in, then some cheese mixture, more batter & finally the topping and the cream cheese stays in the centre.I bake at 350 degrees also. These are expensive to make , so I hope this helps all of you make perfect muffins!

These were yummy! Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that I know, from experience, that cinnamon wasn't going to be enough to spice a pumpkin flavored baked good. Pumpkin is bland and generally needs more spice. I added nutmeg, ginger and cloves. The cream cheese mixture was runny, even after chilling. I tried to keep it from touching the paper cups, but it ran no matter what I did. I gave up and just put the cream cheese on top without worrying. Didn't cause any problems with the baking or the removal of the muffin from the paper cup. We have nut allergies in the home so instead of pecans, I used coconut and little nutmeg in the topping. Will be saving this recipe and making it again!

these muffins were really good. I did add nutmeg and ginger to spice them up a little. The only thing I did not like was that the cream cheese was very loose and it just sat on top. I would of liked a cream cheese surpise in the middle. I would make them again though.

Very tasty! The only change I made was to add a 1/4 tsp of cloves, nutmeg & allspice. It's a very easy recipe, definately a keeper. It makes your whole house smell like the holidays. My husband and kids gobbled them up. ONE QUICK TIP: Put the C.cheese mixture in a storage bag, cut the tip, insert the tip into muffin mixture in the cups and squeeze a dallop. It keeps the cream cheese from rising to the top while baking.

Dry, not good at all. I want to try it again because so many have liked it. I wonder if I left something out. They were very cake-like. And I could not taste the cream cheese filling at all.

I followed the recipe for everything except I added more spices (clove, fresh nutmeg, ginger). When making the batter, I accidentally dumped half of my container of cinnamon into the bowl. I tried to retrieve as much as I could but I should have just left it! [And then I should have added even more of the extra spices I put in!] The muffin is bland even with the extra spice. Every single one of them burned a bit on the bottom, even though I baked at 350 instead of 375 for 20 minutes. And yes, I have an oven thermometer, so I know the oven is accurate. Had no problems with the cream cheese part, however it was bland as well. The strudel part (which is usually my fave part) was also lackluster. I cut the bottom 2/3 off and kept the very top of the muffin. Honestly, I don't think even those will get eaten though. I would not make these again - I feel like I wasted my time and my money.

Delicious and SO moist! A perfect treat for Autumn. Here are a few things I would suggest: -Triple the streusel topping and use brown sugar instead of white sugar -Refrigerate topping and cream cheese mixture after preparing them until ready to use. This keeps the butter pieces firm and the cream cheese from getting too runny. -Use a 2 Tbs. scoop to get the perfect amount of batter in each muffin cup. Also makes for an easy release of the batter into the cups without making a mess. (Makes 24 muffins) -I did them at 375 for 18 min and they were a little too brown on the bottom, but still very moist. I will try turning down the heat to 350 next time.

BEST MUFFINS I'VE EVER HAD!! (nevermind ever made). These are fantastic! I don't even really like pumpkin but these are so good. Only changes were to add a few pinches of nutmeg to the batter, melt the butter and add it to the dry ingredients for the topping and to use an additional tablespoon of flour and brown sugar in the crumble topping. I cooked them at 375 for 21 minutes. I brought some into work and am getting tons of compliments. Next I'm going to try a blueberry cream cheese and maybe a carrot cake cream cheese muffin. I would think all I have to do is substitute a blueberry muffin or carrot cake muffin batter for the pumpkin batter. Also, it isn't too time consuming if you get three bowls out, get all of your dry ingredients measured out and then go down the line, adding wet ingredients and mixing up each one. Couldn't have taken me more than 15 minutes to put together.

After reading several of the reviews, I decided to modify these a little bit. I increased the cinnamon in the muffin batter to a full tablespoon and added a teaspoon of nutmeg and a teaspoon of ground cloves. I also added an extra 1/3 cup of pumpkin for moisture. I found the solution to the "soupy" cream cheese problem. Use only the egg white instead of the whole egg and don't over-mix it and it turns out perfect. I followed the advice of several reviewers and put a little batter, then some cream cheese, then a little more batter in the paper liners. I didn't have any pecans, so I used quick cooking oats instead. With these modifications, the muffins were exquisite!

These are incredible - 100 times better than the Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins!! I have to keep these under lock and key otherwise my husband would be jogging home every night except for twice a week!! :-) Bake these with confidence!

These were very good after a few changes (thanks everyone for the suggestions!). I used part brown and part white sugar in the muffins to improve the moisture, added some extra sugar to the cream cheese (wished I would've used powdered sugar in that), and added extra cinnamon, some nutmeg, and cloves to the batter. I put a little batter on the bottom of my muffin cups, used a scoop to drop in a large dollop of cream cheese, covered that with the rest of the batter, then finished with the streusel. There was no problem with the cream cheese staying in the center. I also baked them at 350 degrees. I had just enough cheese mixture and topping for 19 muffins, so I made two plain (I obviously got 21 muffins out of this recipe). They rose very high and did not overflow even though the cups were pretty full. They look great and are very moist. I have noticed with pumpkin bread that the flavor improves after a day, so I am interested if these will taste better tomorrow. I shared these and everyone thought they were great. Thanks.

needed more flavor - added cinnamon & allspice, but still needed more. easy recipe that went over well, but putzy to prepare (batter up sides, cream cheese in middle, batter on top, etc.). i will make them again with added spice and time on hands.

I used a plastic bag with one corner cut off to pipe the cream cheese filling into the center of each muffin. These were quick and easy to make, but look very fancy and impressive. They are a favorite of my guests and coworkers!

These are delicious and an exercize in "getting everything even". I made the cream cheese layer exactly, I used brown sugar, more spices and more pecans in the streussel layer. I subbed one cup ap flour with 1 cup white whole wheat, 1 c. sugar for brown sugar and used Healthy Balance instead of olive oil. I got 24 regular muffins but was short on the cheese layer and had some muffin batter left over. Next time I'll use the whole can of pumpkin and adust the other ingredients, and plan for a few mini's. . . and there will be a next time. I've eaten two and I quickly rushed 12 to my neighbors. Thanks for sharing!

These muffins turned out perfect! I made sure my cream cheese mixture was stiff and I made a well in each muffin for the cream cheese so that it could not run to the sides. I used grape seed oil instead of olive oil and I omitted the pecans. I also lightly pressed the streusel topping into the muffin. My muffins looked so beautiful and tasted fabulous! I got several requests for the recipe!

Love the idea of cream cheese pumpkin muffins. That said, these aren't what I'm looking for. All I can really seem to taste is the salt/baking powder. I barely added any salt, so I'm assuming it's the baking powder. Strange. I was out of pumpkin pie spice, but I would add that if I made these again. Also, the cream cheese filling needs to be covered by the pumpkin, otherwise it tastes weird and it gets kind of crusty.

There were good BUT the cream cheese filing is definitely more of a cheese cake topping...

Awesome..If you want to know how to make these perfect: DON'T be afraid to use olive oil! It makes them good.I used about 1/4 cup less than the recipe calls for.If you think the batter is too thick it's not! Just keep scraping the bottom of the bowl to mix well. Also I used PUMPKIN PIE SPICE,(1 to 2 tsp) in the struesel and also the batter, PLUS a few shakes of cinnamon! ADD some brown sugar in place of white in the batter. I only had a 6-muffin tray and baked for about 25 minutes, so you may have to adjust baking time.Trust me, these changes make them perfect!!

I give this recipe four stars, as I heavily modified it. In the batter, I used half whole wheat flour, half all purpose flour, 1.5 cups instead of 2 cups of white sugar, used a whole can of pumpkin instead of 1 1/3 cups, and added 1/4 t. nutmeg, 1/8 t. ginger, 1/2 t. extra cinnamon and 1/8 t. cloves. I also used 2 egg substitutes (1/4 c. applesauce plus 1/4 t. baking soda for lightness per egg) and 1/4 cup of apple sauce plus 1 T. of oil of canola oil. I made HUGE muffins, so this recipe gave me 12 REALLY BIG muffins. For the streusel topping, I melted the butter instead of just adding it in, did not use nuts (as I did not have any), and used brown sugar instead of white sugar. The muffins are great! For the cream cheese filling, I did not use an egg, as I did not want it to be soupy. And be sure not to beat it until it is creamy. A few lumps are what you want. In the cream cheese filling, I used brown sugar instead of white sugar. I made my muffins by layering them. Some batter on the bottom, then cream cheese, some more batter, then the streusel topping. I also did not have any muffin cups, so I just greased and floured my pan REALLY well (be sure to grease and flour them heavily, otherwise they will stick). I baked my muffins at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or so. I'm not totally sure though, as I pulled them out of the oven when they looked cooked. Next time, I would double the cream cheese filling and the streusel topping.

Well, I wanted to add a review to all the others, since I read so many conflicting ones. I gave this recipe a 4 because I did have to add extra spices (as I heeded the suggestions in the reviews ), but it was great with those slight changes. And I did use one cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of brown and added a little bit of milk (it really was so thick like I also read). I am not sure how it would have tasted with cinnamon alone. I did forget to add the butter to my streusel topping, but they were fine without it (and less those fat and calories). That was just a silly oversight as I am not a novice baker, but I found the recipe a little hard to follow. They should give each set of ingredients headings because when you print it out, they are all listed together and you really have to be careful you don't miss anything (like I did)! Overall, I was pleased with them. I did eat one when warm, and I know the flavor will really come out after cooling. Oh, and I also omitted the egg in the filling. Kudos to all the ladies who write in, as I find all the reviews quite helpful. I never make a recipe without reading them first! Happy cooking and baking!

These were not moist or fluffy. They were also lacking in flavor. They sounded so good, but alas, they were tough and unflavorful.

These were awesome. I added a pinch of nutmeg, allspice and clove. I did not do the strusel topping. The key with these is to fill each muffin cup 2/3 of the way with the pumpkin batter than pipe the cream cheese batter into the middle. I just used a ziploc bag and cut the tip off. It worked perfect! Tasted and looked just like the ones at Starbucks! This recipe made 12 Pumpkin cream cheese muffins and 20 plain pumpkin mini muffins. Thanks. I will make these every year!

these were vey good and easy to make. I tried to make a well in the muffin to put the filling in but it would close up before I could get the filling there. Still it made a very nice layer on the top under the crunchy topping.

These are a good base. I made them straight off the recipe and they were, OK. The cream cheese filling is awful. I don't know how anyone got it in the middle, ever. Next time I plan on using a different recipe for that involving freezing and putting a cube in the batter. Anyways, the dough is heavy, needs something more than cinnamon, otherwise it's OK. I will make it again, doctored up.

I left the eggs out of the cream cheese and used it as a filling, rather than a topping. The muffins came out really nice with the cream cheese inside and the crumbs on top, I don't think I'd make it any other way if I make these again.

Goodness! How wonderful these muffins were! Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out great. Second batch I changed things up slightly: filled muffins cups about 1/4 C with batter, indenting it slightly for the filling. Added a heaping tablespoon of filling. Then filled the rest of the muffin cup with the batter and skipped the streusel topping (though these are also excellent with the topping, too!). Made muffins with canola oil instead of olive oil. Added more cinnamon. Ate more than I should've!

Loved it! I made a few changes. Only had 1 cup of pumpkin left so made up the difference with crushed pineapple. Also, used a Splenda/Sugar mix. They turned out wonderfully. I think the key with the cream cheese staying in tact, is to use the real deal. Philadelphia is the best, the generic stuff is fine for spreads, etc. But when baking, I've found the generics just do not hold their shape like the Kraft brand. So that's my main suggestion, spend the buck or so extra, get Kraft Phildelphia, and you'll get a more solidified cream cheese center. These are super, you wont be sorry!

I wanted these to be like Starbuck's pumpkin cream cheese muffins and they aren't. The cream cheese becomes a crusty coating rather than a tunnel of cream. The olive oil is an odd addition but doesn't add olive flavor. They are moist and pale though in comparison to the deep rich orange color of Starbuck's. I probably wouldn't make them again but try another recipe.

As written the recipe really only deserves a 3 star, but gave it a 4 because the "bones" really are great and lend themselves to many variations. Not really fond of the muffins, but when I ran out of topping I did this with the leftover batter and LOVED it!!! -Poured leftover batter into a loaf pan, about 1 in deep. - Made two little wells long way down the loaf, filled them with a generous amount of the cheese mixture and gently marbled the top. - Grabbed a big handful of brown sugar and sprinkled over the top, then sprinkled on some pecans, and drizzled (ok, poured - I love butter) over the top before baking. - Once cooled a little, slice into bars and they are delish! Liked the topping this way MUCH better. Thoughts: 1) Batter and cream cheese mixture is plenty to make 24 muffins, but you would need to double the topping. 2) Don't use extra virgin olive oil, too strong. Use light olive oil or vegetable oil or applesauce. 3) These are VERY bland if you don't add more spice than the recipe calls for...at least double the cinnamon and/or add additional spice. 4) As others have noted, thoroughly creaming the cheese mixture is not such a good idea...it gets too runny with not such a great texture. Use cold cheese and mix it just enough. 5) Also, this makes a TOPPING of baked cheese rather than a filling. Even making a well it ended up baking into a topping. If you can get your pumpkin batter thicker, then perhaps you can slightly bury the cheese in it.

The recipe called from canned pumpkin and I used frozen pumpkin from our freezer. Instead of using cinnamon, I used pumpkin pie spice. I used my cookie scoop and placed two scoops of batter in each liner. Then, I placed one scoop of cream cheese filling in the center of each muffin. I sprinkled the streusel topping on top. I ran out of topping and left six muffins plain. The six plain ones were much better and I would rate them 5 star. Those six tasted like pumpkin bread with cream cheese. The streusel topping added too much sweetness. I used regular sized muffin tins with paper liners and my yield was 30 muffins. They looked bakery made!

I made these yesterday and I thought they came out very good. I followed someone else suggestion and left the cream cheese mixture a little lumpy and then put in in the refrigerator until needed . Also I made a few changes that others suggested and added a pinch of nutmeg and pinch of cloves. I used vegetable oil instead of olive oil. and I used half white sugar and half brown sugar. I used fresh pumpkin puree. I think they are better after cooled and the streusel topping is a must.

This recipe should have ten stars. Even my husband loved these. They are little pieces of heaven. You really don't have to like pumpkin to enjoy these. Very good!!!

By far, one of my favorite muffins. Every time I make them, my husband won't stop raving about them and he'll start handing them out to anybody who stops by. The kids love them too and ALWAYS ask for more. They are amazing and even more so the next day when the cream cheese ages.

Delicious! But the quantities were a little heavy and light: The recipe made 24 Big cupcakes (filled 3/4 full), and I ran out of streusel topping. I would increase the topping amts. to 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 6 Tbsp butter, 1/2 cup nuts, and add 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg.

This totally exceeded my expectations. Not being a big fan of pumpkin I was worried it might taste too much like pumpkin pie. Boy, was I wrong. The texture was light and airy and they baked up so nicely. I felt they were a little time consuming to make, so next time I am going to make it as a loaf. I have a lot of company coming in for Thanksgiving and I plan on making several loafs to serve for a quick and yummy breakfast.

excellent muffins, subbed apples for oil, used 3/4c w sugar and 3/4c brown sugar and added 1/2 cup wheat germ and 1/2c ground flax-trying to eat healthy and all. I followed a review stating cream cheese mixture is a toppin not an insert into muffins. Great recipe thank you, will make again

Not sure what I did wrong. The cream cheese and egg mixture ended up like scrambled eggs or a mini quiche in the middle of my muffin.

YUM!! These muffins are very good and very pumpkiny. The topping was more pasty than crumbly, but still very good. I didn't use paper cups either, just buttered and floured the muffin pan. I found that if you cover the cream cheese with some of the batter, you get the desired filling effect instead of an icing. The dough is very sticky, but it makes it easy to mold and form a well for the cream cheese filling. Definately a keeper.

While these were very nice in terms of crumb and texture, the cream cheese mixture was way too thin to manage. Next time, I'll just use the yolk as it was far too runny to place in the batter. I thought they had enough flavor when a bit of pumpkin pie spice was added - not sure it needed the topping, it made them almost too sweet. I almost cut it out and added some golden raisins. I did cut back on the brown sugar by half and replaced it with molasses, which made the cakes more flavorful. Next time I will use this as a 9 x 9 cake and frost it with a cream cheese frosting.

The cream cheese didn't work out for me at all, but I would make them again without it for sure! I might add brown sugar instead of white to the batter next time.

As with the previous review, I wasn't able to taste the cream cheese as much as I was expecting. Nonetheless, these are still very good.

Wonderful muffins! I made many of the recommended changes. I added more spices to the batter (1/2t allspice, cloves, 1 t nutmeg, 1/4 t ginger). It would have been bland without these. I used 15 oz of pumpkin, and substituted canola oil. Somehow I messed up the streusel. I may oats to it next time.

I love this recipe! I make it bariatric friendly and use fat free or reduced fat cream cheese. I cut the sugar in half and make up the difference with Splenda. I up the pumpkin a bit to add flavor. You couldn't tell the difference!

So so pretty! A bit of work though. And my cream cheese was runny, with chunks, and didn't look right, so I added a half a box more cheese. I dolloped it right on top just like the recipe says, and it came out perfect, just like those famous Starbucks ones. I also skipped the nuts and stirred a bag of dried cranberries right into the batter. I used veggie oil instead of olive oil, and added pumpkin pie spice, since I was low on cinnamon. I wish they were a little bit more pumpkiney tasting, but I think, short of pumpkin extract, it would be hard to achieve. My whole family loved these, and I sent a big batch to the fire house with my husband too! This recipe makes about 36 muffins, twice what I expected, which was awesome!

These muffins are OUTSTANDING!!! I made them twice, once with the olive oil for my boyfriend and once with applesauce in its place for myself. Both times, they turned out great, light and moist. They are also great with a buttercream icing with some of the pumpkin mixed in.

This was good but not great. I think these are very labor intensive as muffins. Made one pan and than pulled out a loaf pan and made the rest of the batter in there. The muffins came out dry and not very flavorful. The loaf on the other hand, came out very moist and was hands down the winner. Not sure I'll make this again. I have a number of pumpkin recipes I like better.

I made these as written and thought they were just okay. They were a bit too dry and I could barely taste the pumpkin flavor. I was hoping for a yummy moist pumpkin muffin and these were not even close. If I ever made these again, I would add the whole can of pumpkin and a bit more oil, add some pumpkin pie spice, and add white sugar to the cream cheese mixture instead of the brown sugar. I wanted to see the nice color contrast of the cheese with the pumpkin color and there was none with the brown sugar added mixture. The recipe says to try and not let it hit the muffin liner, but I say just load it on because the more cheese you add, the better the taste.

Excellent. Even my boyfriend's mother asked for the recipe. Leave the eggs out of the filling.

Very good! I followed the recipe exactly and had no problems. I did start with refrigerator cold cream cheese though, and just used the beaters on it briefly before adding the egg and vanilla. I then beat until just mixed, then added the brown sugar and beat again until just mixed. After that I put it in the freezer until I needed it. I filled the muffin cups 3/4 full instead of half and I made a resevior in each and added a spoonful of the stiff cream cheese mixture. I sprinkeled on the topping and patted it down a little. I ended up with 12 large beautiful muffins that have a definate cream cheese layer on top. Delicious! I did bake 28 minutes instead of 25. I will make these again for sure. A lot of steps but relatively easy.

Delicious Muffin, not real spicy, but still very good. I didn't want part of a can of pumpkin left over, so I scaled the recipe for 27 muffins. (which calls for 2 cups of pumpkin.) Since I baked 12 first, I followed the recipe, putting the cream cheese on top, then the streusel. I ate one before filling the second pan. It was wonderful, but just to experiment, for the 2nd pan, I put a small amount of batter in the muffin cup, topped it with the cream cheese, more batter on top, ending with the streusel. Now that the 2nd pan is done, I think I like it better with the cream cheese on top as the recipe calls for: the cream cheese bakes a little drier and looks prettier. These look like gourmet bakery muffins. I will put at least a dozen in the freezer to pull out this weekend when we'll have company. The next time I make them I will add about 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp each allspice, cloves, and nutmeg to make them a bit spicier. These will be Wonderful this Fall!

We really liked this muffin but for some reason i had quite a bit of left over batter after filling the 18 cupcake liners, but wouldn't have had enough of the cream cheese filling for more.

These are amazing I did not change a thing about this recipe. My husband and kids loved them. They were gone in one day! Will most definately be making these again!

Pretty good muffin. The cream cheese mixture does not necessary bake down into the muffin but rather thins out and stays on top with not a very noticable cream cheese taste. I yielded 24 muffins. Thank you for sharing your recipe.

Very very tasty! Though I ran out of the cream cheese mixture , but I think that is because I didn't fill the first batch up far enough with the pumpkin batter.

Fantastic muffins! I used vegetable oil rather than olive, and I added nutmeg to the batter. The cream cheese mixture didnt sink, it made a nice little cream cheese layer at the top. Delicious, I'll make these again for sure.

This is a good recipe. I used a few different ingredients and my muffins came out moist and delicious. I used 2/3 cups of turbinado sugar. I used 2 1/2 cups of organic pastry flour. I used 1 teaspon of ginger. 3/4 teaspon of nutmeg. I also added pecans to the batter. I reduced sugar alot. I did use eggs or oil. I used 1/3 cup of applesauce instead of oil.

Two days prior, I made pumpkin muffins from a recipe I found online from the Gourmet November 2006 issue, which came out fantastic, however this recipe with the cream cheese "filling" was drawing me to make this one. I just made these and will not be adding this one to my collection - they were too sweet, too dense, and the filling that I had pictured oozing out of the middle when I ate them was the biggest disappointment. It was more like a thin topping that got lost under a sugar coating. I suppose I could tweak the recipe like the other reviewers had, but why bother when there are better recipes out there!

Everyone loves these, even my hubby who doesn't like pumpkin :)

I thought these muffins had a great texture, but were too sweet for my personal taste. I like my muffins for breakfast and like more of a "flavorful" muffin- these, to me, tasted kind of bland... with an overpowering sweetness. I couldn't taste much of the pumpkin flavor and I thought it needed more spices added to the recipe...ie: nutmeg, etc. In all fairness though, I didn't use the cream cheese mixture- I just made the plain pumpkin muffins. If I try them again, I will leave off the streusel topping, and add more pumpkin and spices.

3 words. To. Die. For. Ok, 4. Delicious. These have got to be hands down the prettiest muffins I have ever made. They taste just as good as they look. Such a brilliant idea. I followed the recipe save for swapping out 1/4 cup of the flour with wheat germ and lowering the sugar in the muffin batter by 1/2 cup. They were just fine with those changes. I didn't and wouldn't change another thing. Moist, flavorful, and the topping was literally the 'icing on the cake'. If you like pumpkin muffins, get to the kitchen with this recipe in hand! Quick! **Just an update: these muffins keep very well, loosely covered on the counter or covered and refrigerated ~ reheated on low in the microwave, I think they might even be better as the topping caramelizes, the flavor intensifies and they are still so moist. This has become my new favorite recipe.

AMAZING!! I made only a few changes, the biggest being that I used pumpkin pie filling insted of just canned pumpkin. With the cream cheese mixture I didn't beat it until it was smooth for fear that it would be to runny, there were still small lumps of cream cheese left when I was done mixing. I also add a few dashes of nutmeg to both the batter and the topping... gave it amazing flavor! I baked them just over 20 mins and they came out extreamly moist! I can't wait until my husband comes home and gets to try these... he is going to love them!

I made these on a whim and OH MY GOSH! I have people asking me for both the recipe and more muffins every time. My fiance LOVES these. One note: Make sure to put a legitimate crater inside the center of the muffin for the cream cheese--didn't do it one time and the muffins were significantly altered.

Great recipe I used pumpkin pie filling instead of purée and it was fantastic. I did cut down on the sugar a bit to compinsate. Made baby muffins too and cooked for about fifteen min.

This was an amazing muffin - my husband and coworkers snatched them all up so fast! The things I did were: mixed the cream cheese with other ingredients while the cheese was still cold. this came out very lumpy but well mixed. I then put this into another bowl and kept it in the fridge while I made the other two layers. Important b/c my kitchen was getting warm and it would have been soupy if I kept it out. Then mixed the topping, used walnuts and brown sugar b/c that's what I had - amazing!! Nothing special for the muffin batter except I used my kitchenaid and the paddle attachment, mixed until just incorporated then stopped it and finished with a hand spatula, do not want to overmix! I also ran out of AP flour and used bread flour, it came out fine! Used Vegetable oil instead of Olive oil (I only had EVOO). In addition I took some others' advice and added more spices. Maybe 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, then an extra dash of nutmeg and cloves, sooo good!! I used an ice cream scoop about half full and the muffin batter perfectly half-filled 24 muffin cups, then used my fingers to make a small indent in each. used my melon baller to put a dab of the cream cheese mixture in the middle of each and then sprinkled with the topping. They came out perfect and amazing in 20minutes!! Will definitely make again. thank you!! A new fall favorite.

Easy to make. Stayed moist. And above all else, even non-pumpkin lovers, loved it :)

Holy Pumpkin, Cream cheese goodness! I used a ziploc bag w/ the corner cut off to get the filling into the middle of the muffins. They were gone in 2 days!

These are really good! I used applesauce instead of oil, splenda instead of sugar and fat free cream cheese and they turned out really good...even my husband liked them. That made them only 3 WW points too!

These were pretty good, except that I could taste the baking powder in the finished product and it took away from the yumminess quotient.I would HALVE THE BAKING POWDER next time for sure.

Freeze the cream cheese it will stay in a ball instead of spreading over the top

These are ok, but they were kind of plain. I thought there would be more of a pumpkin flavor, but it wasn't very strong. We liked the streusal, though, so will probably use that on top of my standard pumpkin muffin.

mmmm these are so good! The only things I changed were using 1c. brown sugar and 1c. white sugar in the muffin batter. My crumble topping didn't turn out due to my butter being too warm so I only placed halved pecans on top and it was to die for! To make the cream cheese into a filling instead of an icing I layered a spoonful of muffin batter on the bottom, followed by a tbsp of cream cheese, and topped with another spoonful of muffin batter.

These are good but not my favorite pumpkin muffin/bread recipe. My favorite is still the Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread, it just has really great pumpkin flavor. I do like the cream cheese filling idea though. I made 4 muffins and a loaf of bread with this recipe. I "filled" the muffins as the recipe said, but for the bread I ladeled in to about 1/3 the loaf pan. Then took a spoon and smoothed a "long ditch" down the center of the batter. Spooned in the cream cheese filling, then spooned in batter on the sides of the cream cheese filling to create walls to hold the filling in. Then I ladeled the batter over the top and added the crumb topping. It turned out very pretty when sliced. I will be posting a picture soon. Next time I make pumpkin bread I will be going back to the Downeast recipe and maybe I'll fill it with the cream cheese filling from this one!

simply fantastic! I saw that a lot of people found that the cream cheese baked out to be a topping instead of a filling...but I used two pastry bags to move things along in a neat way. First put a little of the pumpkin mix....then a dab of the cream cheese filling (there will be pleanty left over so you can go heavy on it...it makes the muffin super moist) and then when you put more pumpkin mix on top its okay if it doesn't cover the filling completely, it'll bake out just fine. I doubled up on the recipie and gave it out as a warming fall gift to family and friends...they're begging for more!

These are great. I made with Neufchatel cheese (1/3 of the fat instead of the cream cheese) and I cut the sugar totally in half.. and they were still yum! I only baked them for 20 mins. They came out so moist and delicious. I also omitted the pecans from the streusel topping and adding brown sugar instead. Delicious.

Very yummy. I got 15 muffins. They freeze very well.

Delicious!! The flavors went together excellently, the batter was perfect and easy to work with, and they baked exactly like the recipe said. The only thing I would do differently is add more spices next time, but even without extra the muffins were wonderful. And btw, they are phenomenal when they're hot, fresh out of the oven! :) Thanks for the great recipe.

A huge hit every time! I like to use fresh pumpkin for a less-intense pumpkin taste. I also will sometimes double the cream cheese & streusel topping!

Wow! These turned out great! After reading the reviews I experimented. With the first batch, I tried to make sure the filling was surrounded/hidden in the batter, to make sure it come out as "filling". The second batch, I created a little "well" in the middle of the batter & put in a dollop of filling, so it was still visible. Then I sprinkled the crumb topping on top of that. This latter batch was so much better. The cream cheese was not "filling", but a layer of cream cheese all over the top of the muffin (with the crumb topping on top of that. It made the cream cheese much more enjoyable, almost like frosting to a cupcake. I wish I had done them all like that. The recipe, as is, made 21 muffins, but I did fall short on crumb topping. I'd double that next time. I will definitely do this recipe again. This was awesome!

Soo Goood! The cream cheese makes it amazing! It could of tasted like pumpkin more though. But was still great!

Not enough pumpkin flavor, and I did not care for the topping.

I used this recipe to make a 9x13 layer coffee cake rather than muffins and it turned out wonderful! I love cream cheese and would probably increase the cream cheese layer by 1.5 next time.

These came out perfectly. I did add a little bit (about 1/2 tsp) of pumpkin pie spice. I filled the muffin cup up about 1/3 of the way, then put a dolip of the cream cheese mixture, and then a little more batter and they were perfect. I will absolutly make these again!

Very Good Muffins. I up-ed the pumpkin to 1 1/2 cups for a more moist muffin, but it still turned out a little on the dry side. I might have slightly over mixed though, so I might have to make another batch to see. If you fill each standard-sized muffin tin with about 1/8 cup of the pumpkin filling, then cover that with about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture, then spread another 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin mixture over that you will have an actual cream cheese filled muffin. I went without the streusel topping and they were great.

Wonderful muffins...loved by the entire family...the batter made 12 muffins, not 18 but about half of the cream cheese filling was left...would double the batter and topping to make 24 muffins and still have enough filling as the filling recipe is written

I made a few changes to this recipe after reading the reviews. In addition to cinnamon, I added ground cloves, nutmeg, all spice and ginger spice (about 1 teaspoon each). This added pleasantly to the flavour but, I'd actually double the amounts next time for even more flavour. Also used cream cheese icing on top instead of the filing. Good recipe overall but, definitely needs some tweeking!

The muffins are delicious! I expected them to by dry, but not at all. I've made them twice and both times I made a couple of minor changes. I used canola oil instead of olive oil and I added 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg to the muffin batter. I liked the extra kick it added. I chose to make a double batch of the streusel because I ran out of it the first time around and I piped the filling on instead of spooning it on. Will definately make it again!

Oh man, these were goooood!!! Didn't change a thing