Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
These soft and moist Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins are full of pumpkin flavor with chunks of apple, topped with a cinnamon sugar crumble and sweet glaze, and have a surprise cream cheese filling. All the best flavors of Fall in every bite!
Is there anything more delicious than a moist muffin full of all the flavors of Fall to enjoy the season? I love both pumpkin and apple so I decided to combine them together in this amazingly sweet treat. The apples soften perfectly so that they almost melt in your mouth. Then the crumble topping gives it a nice yummy texture. And the sweet cream cheese filling is a pleasant surprise that makes this absolutely irresistible! These are so delicious for breakfast or dessert!
How to make it
This recipe takes a few minutes to prepare but is really very easy to make. All you have to do is:
Cream cheese filling
Beat– cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until it becomes smooth. Cover and place this in the freezer while you assemble the rest of the muffin. This will help it firm up slightly so it’s easier to form into a ball. Be sure not to over freeze though- only around 30 minutes is needed. Place in the refrigerator if it will be longer.
Muffin batter
Whisk– flour, white sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set this aside.
Mix– eggs, oil, and pumpkin puree.
Add– the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
Stir– until just combined. With quick bread, you don’t want to over stir or it becomes too dense.
Fold– the apples into the batter gently.
Fill– each muffin cup with about 1 tablespoon of batter. This should be around 1/3 full of the muffin cup.
Add– 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese filling to the center of the muffin cup on top of the batter.
Fill– each muffin cup with 1 more tablespoon of batter or until the muffin cup is filled about 2/3 full.
Streusel topping
Whisk– flour, brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Grate– or cut butter into the flour mix. This can be done in a variety of ways. You can use a pastry blender, a fork, a food processor, or even your hands. You will want it to be a mix of sand and coarse crumbles.
Top– each muffin with streusel topping, around 3 tablespoons or 1/4 cup. You will want enough to cover each muffin top.
Bake
Bake– for 20- 25 minutes until fully cooked through and the crumble top has a slight golden brown appearance. Take a toothpick and insert it just off the center of the muffin (since the center has cream cheese filling) and it should come out clean.
Glaze– (optional) mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of milk until you reach the desired consistency. I personally like a thicker glaze so it resembles a thickness like honey. Once the muffins have cooled to room temperature, drizzle glaze over the top of the muffins.
Enjoy– these muffins can be eaten at room temperature or cooled.
How to store streusel muffins
These muffins can be stored in the refrigerator or the freezer. Once muffins have cooled, place in an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or individually wrap in cling wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Variation ideas
There are a few different ways to add variety to these muffins:
- Apples– use any type of apple you want! A Granny Smith will give it a slight tart flavor while something like Honeycrisp will keep it nice and sweet flavor. You can also remove the apple all together if you do not want or have them on hand.
- Chocolate chips– you can replace the apples with chocolate chips for a chocolate pumpkin flavor.
- Streusel topping– these muffins would be delicious even without the streusel topping if you do not want to make it or would like to reduce the prep time.
- Pumpkin spice– need more pumpkin flavor? Replace cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice in the streusel topping for an extra pumpkin kick!
More delicious recipes
- Pumpkin Butterscotch Bars– moist and fluffy cake like bars with all the Fall flavors!
- 2 Ingredient Apple Dip- thick and creamy dip that only takes minutes to make!
- Pumpkin Dip– fluffy and creamy with the perfect amount of pumpkin spice in every bite!
Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Streusel Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup cold butter cut into small pieces
Muffin Batter
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 15 ounces pure pumpkin puree
- 2 cups apples peeled, cored, chopped
Glaze (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a muffin pan with muffin cups.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar using a hand mixer or mix vigorously by hand until creamy and smooth. Cover and place in freezer to chill while you make the muffins. (do not allow to fully freeze)
Streusel Topping
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until it resembles course crumbles. Set aside.
Muffin Batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, white sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, mix eggs, oil, and pumpkin and add to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Gently fold in apples.
- Scoop the batter (about the size of one heaping tablespoon) into the muffin cups. Using a teaspoon, scoop the cream cheese filling and place into the center of the muffin batter in each muffin cup. This will rise while baking so do not worry if it is almost on the bottom. Fill each cup with the remain muffin batter until it reaches 2/3 full. Top each muffin with streusel topping (around 1/4 cup) or until it completely covers the batter.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. The top should be lightly browned and a toothpick inserted just off the center of the muffin should come out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow to completely cool. Eat warm or cooled.
Glaze (optional)
- In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and milk until you reach the desired consistency (the thickness of honey will give a nice appearance). Drizzle over cooled muffins. Enjoy!
I have to try this. Looks & sounds delicious!
OMG!!! This recipe sounds too good not to try. I’ll be making some for sure 🤗
These look amazing! All of my favorite fall things in one place.