Chai Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins (Printable Version)
Moist pumpkin muffins with a creamy chai-spiced cheesecake swirl for the perfect autumn treat.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Muffin Batter
01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
07 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
10 - 1/4 cup milk
11 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Chai Cheesecake Filling
12 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
13 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 large egg yolk
15 - 2 tbsp heavy cream
16 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
17 - 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
18 - 1/4 tsp ground ginger
19 - 1/8 tsp ground cloves
20 - 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
21 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Take care not to overmix to maintain tender texture.
05 - Beat cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add egg yolk, heavy cream, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla; continue beating until creamy and fully incorporated.
06 - Scoop pumpkin batter into each prepared muffin liner, filling about 2/3 full.
07 - Drop approximately 1 tablespoon of chai cheesecake filling onto the center of each muffin. Gently swirl the filling into the batter using a toothpick, creating a marbled effect.
08 - Bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin portion (avoiding the cheesecake center) comes out clean.
09 - Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
# Top Tips:
01 -
- The cheesecake layer stays impossibly creamy while the muffin crumb stays perfectly moist
- Chai spices transform regular pumpkin muffins into something special enough for company
- They freeze beautifully so you can pull out autumn comfort food anytime
02 -
- Test for doneness in the muffin part, not the cheesecake center, which will stay slightly soft
- Room temperature cream cheese mixes into the filling smoothly without any lumps
- Do not skip chilling the filling if your kitchen is warm, it keeps the swirl distinct
03 -
- Use a cookie scoop for the muffin batter so each one is the same size and bakes evenly
- Rotate the muffin tin halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots