Delectable keto pumpkin pumpkin muffins with a rich gooey center of cream cheese. They’re a delicious fall breakfast or snack. You might even want to save them for dessert!
Make no mistake, my friends. These are the original keto pumpkin cream cheese muffins. I first posted this recipe way back in 2013 and now it’s easier and even lower in carbs.
It’s one of my most popular keto muffin recipes, and with good reason. They’re full of that classic pumpkin spice flavor, with a gooey, creamy cheesecake center. No one ban believe they’re sugar free.
They are, of course, modelled after the famous pumpkin muffins from Starbucks. And they taste just as delicious, but with a mere fraction of the carbs.
How does that sound to you, pumpkin lovers???
Pumpkin spice and everything nice
In case you haven’t noticed, I am a huge fan of keto pumpkin recipes. There is something so lovely and comforting about the warm spices paired with pumpkin puree.
I tend to use pumpkin in keto desserts most frequently, but it’s also delicious in savory recipes too.
These muffins might be one of my most popular, but other fan favorites include my Keto Pumpkin Cream Pie and Easy Pumpkin Breakfast Bars. And let me not forget my updated Keto Pumpkin Bread, which gets rave reviews every time!
How to make Keto Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
These tender and delicious muffins aren’t hard to make at all. Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- Prep your cream cheese filling. Do this first so that you’re ready to fill the muffins right away.
- Always use well softened cream cheese. You want to be able to poke a finger into it and leave an indent easily. Sometimes in winter, I even warm mine up for 15 seconds in the microwave, as I find it easier to beat smoothly when it’s really soft.
- Use a powdered sweetener for the cream cheese filling, so there’s no residual grittiness.
- This is an almond flour based recipe and it doesn’t work well with coconut flour. However, if you need to make it nut-free, use a seed flour like sunflower seed flour.
- The protein powder is vital, as it helps replace gluten so that the muffins rise and hold their shape. You can use egg white protein instead. You can skip it but just know your muffins may sink a bit more.
- Add about half of the batter to the bottom of the muffin cups, and then use a spoon to make a well in the center.
- Fill with cream cheese. Use about 1 tablespoon of the sweetened cream cheese mixture to fill the well in the center.
- Cover with more batter. Try to cover the cream cheese completely so it doesn’t ooze out the sides of the muffins.
- Bake until golden. And remember to let them cool completely before trying to eat them!
Frequently Asked Questions
Protein powder such as whey or egg white helps keto baked goods rise and be lighter and fluffier. If you skip it, the muffins will be more dense and heavy.
Any granular sweetener should be fine for the muffins, but do be aware that allulose will make them much darker in appearance. For the filling, you need a powdered sweetener to avoid grittiness.
Heavy cream will make the batter overly thick. I recommend just using water, or a mix of water and cream.
This recipe has been developed and tested using almond flour, and coconut flour is not a good replacement. However, you can try using sunflower seed flour as a 1 to 1 replacement. Just remember to add a tablespoon of lemon juice to offset the reaction between sunflower seeds and baking powder. They will turn a lovely shade of green if you forget!
Nothing! This is the nature of the beast with cream cheese stuffed goodies. The cream cheese expands during baking, and then contracts as it cools. So a little sink hole will appear in the tops of the muffins. They still taste fabulous!
More delicious keto cream cheese recipes
- Keto Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Muffins
- Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins
- Cookies and Cream Cheesecake
- Gingerbread Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Keto Strawberry Scones
Keto Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 6 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Pumpkin Muffins:
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ cup unflavoured whey protein powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice OR 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cream cheese filling
- Beat the cream cheese with the powdered sweetener, cream and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.
Muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line a muffin tin with parchment or silicone liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, protein powder, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Add the eggs, pumpkin puree, melted butter, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Drop a spoonful of batter into the bottom of prepared muffin tins and use a spoon to make a well in the center. Drop a tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the well, then top with more batter to cover the cream cheese mixture
- Bake 23 to 25 minutes, or until tops are set and edges are just browned. Let cool in pan 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Charity Elizabeth says
This was easy to do, and so perfect!
The whey protein powder is non-negotiable – perfect amount of batter for 12 muffins!
Gloria says
How do I store KETO PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS
Carolyn says
They’re fine on the counter for 2 days, but the fridge is good for 5.
Wendy says
Has anyone tried freezing these? Thinking of making a double batch.
Carolyn says
Yep, they freeze well!
K.mC says
Hi Carolyn! Can you tell me how you stored them for freezing? Plastic wrap vs freezer ziploc etc? I make these weekly for my husbands daily breakfast and snack – but would LOVE to do a double batch and only have to do one time a week!
Carolyn says
I put them in big ziplock bags.
Jani says
I think baking at 350 degrees would work best. I had to add 3+ min to the 25 min at 325.
Carolyn says
What kind of pan did you use? And no… keto baking is best at 325, often. 🙂
Melissa McFrederick says
Hello I have Genpro protein powder will that work in place of the whey
Carolyn says
I don’t know what that is. What is the source of the protein?