Chai Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins (Printable Version)

Moist pumpkin muffins featuring a silky chai-spiced cheesecake swirl, blending warm autumn spices with creamy filling.

# 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

# How to Make It:

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.
03 - Whisk oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, milk, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until smooth.
04 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg yolk, heavy cream, spices, and vanilla. Beat until creamy.
06 - Fill each muffin liner about 2/3 full with pumpkin batter.
07 - Drop approximately 1 tablespoon of chai cheesecake filling on each muffin. Use a toothpick to gently swirl into the batter.
08 - Bake for 20–22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the muffin (not cheesecake center) comes out clean.
09 - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cheesecake layer stays impossibly creamy even after days on the counter
  • The chai spices hit different when they are baked into something sweet and portable
02 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable here, cold cream cheese will leave you with grainy little lumps throughout the filling
  • Do not swirl too aggressively or the cheesecake will disappear into the batter instead of staying as a distinct layer
03 -
  • Scoop your batter with an ice cream scoop for evenly sized muffins that bake at the same rate
  • Let the cream cheese sit out for at least an hour before starting, or speed it up with 10 second bursts in the microwave

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