Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Starbucks Copycat, Gluten-Free)

Delicious and moist Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins! This Starbucks copycat recipe is gluten-free and allergy-free. Perfectly spiced, soft pumpkin muffins, topped with a sweet dairy-free cream cheese filling! These light and fluffy homemade bakery-style muffins are just what you need for a cozy fall or winter breakfast!

Moist, sweet, spiced, perfectly soft, and fluffy pumpkin cream cheese muffins! These vegan and gluten-free muffins are a healthier copycat version of Starbucks' seasonal bakery treat! Your hopes and dreams of being able to enjoy one of those muffins have finally been answered! Grab your pumpkin spice latte and that pumpkin muffin, and eat it too! They're perfect as a sweet snack, quick breakfast, or brunch, even decadent enough for a satisfying pumpkin dessert!

Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins are classic spiced bakery-style pumpkin muffins, baked with a sweet cream cheese filling that peaks out of the top, and rimmed with toasted crushed pumpkin seeds. Filled with gluten, dairy, egg, and soy, this little muffin clocks in at 350 calories, 53g carbs, 34g sugar, and 14g fat! Let's fix that!

A Healthier Copycat Starbucks Recipe

This homemade recipe isn't just easy and delicious! It's 100%

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
• Low in Sugar or Sugar-Free
• Full of Real Pumpkin
• Kid-Friendly
• Make-Ahead & Freezer-Friendly
• Perfect Fall Breakfast, Brunch, Snack, or Dessert

Ingredients You Need

For The Gluten-Free Muffins:

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: Your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour will make these muffins sturdy enough to hold up to the pumpkin.
• Baking Powder + Baking Soda + Salt: Baking powder, soda, and salt together make your pumpkin muffins fluffy and light.
• Granulated Sweetener: Your choice of granulated sweetener or sugar will make these healthier muffins perfectly sweet.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar or brown sugar-style sweetener gives a deeper molasses-like sweetness to these soft muffins.
• Pumpkin Puree: 100% pure pumpkin puree! Just smooth and creamy canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix!) This provides flavor, moisture, and binding to these vegan muffins!
• Flax Eggs: Two flax eggs also help bind these eggless pumpkin muffins so they don't fall apart and can stand up to the pumpkin.
• Vegan Butter: Dairy-free buttery muffins! You can use a neutral flavored oil if you don't have vegan butter on hand, but the butter adds a delicious cozy flavor to the pumpkin and spices.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: Homemade pumpkin pie spice or a pre-made mix (make sure it's gluten-free!) I love making the mix homemade so I can add EXTRA cinnamon!
• Vanilla Extract: Just a splash of vanilla extract will tie these flavorful fall muffins together!

For The Vegan Cream Cheese Filling:

• Vegan Cream Cheese: For the cream cheese filling, you'll want a non-whipped, block-style dairy-free cream cheese. I love Trader Joe's vegan cream cheese and Daiya brand!
• Granulated Sweetener: To give the filling just a touch of sweetness, add a tablespoon or two of granulated sweetener or choice to the mixture.
• Vanilla Extract: For some extra flavor, add another splash of vanilla extract!

Ingredient Variations & Swaps

• Make it oil-free: If you don't want to use vegan butter or oil, you can use ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce. You won't notice the apple taste, however, the muffins will be slightly gummier.
• Add some maple: You can swap the vanilla extract with maple extract for a subtle extra cozy fall flavor that pairs so well with the pumpkin and spices.
• No pumpkin: While it defeats the purpose of this recipe, you can swap in a can of pure sweet potato puree!

How To Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

1. Add your gluten-free flour to a large mixing bowl.
2. Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

3. Next, add the brown sugar and granulated sweeter to the dry ingredients and mix them together.
4. Add in the pumpkin puree and mix it into the dry ingredients until smooth and combined.

5. Add in the prepared flax eggs and vegan butter or oil.
6. Mix the batter until smooth and moist (careful not to over-mix).

How To Fill And Top

1. Fill a greased 12-cup muffin tin with batter. Fill each cup with about 3 tablespoons of batter.
2. Mix together the vegan cream cheese, sweetener, and vanilla in a small bowl.
3. Add 2 teaspoons of sweet cream cheese filling to the muffins. Pressing the mixture down into the wet muffin batter.
4. Bake the muffins until the top looks slightly golden brown before removing and cooling them on a wire rack.

Optional Spiced Pumpkin Seed Topping

Starbucks muffins have a sprinkling of chopped, spiced pepitas on the tops of the muffins. If you want that little extra crunch you can easily make and add this topping to your muffins before you bake them! Some people like seeds/nuts in baked goods, others don't. Some are allergic, sometimes you just don't have them on hand, so it's up to you! Here's how to make it!

1. Add ½ cup of chopped raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) to a skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of vegan butter. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar sweetener and a dash of cinnamon.
2. Toast the pumpkin seeds until fragrant and crunchy, constantly stirring to caramelize.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the seeds to cool before topping the unbaked muffins.

Baking Tips & Tricks

• I have a strong dislike for muffin liners, however, you can use them to line the pan instead of greasing each muffin hole!
• It's best to make the cream cheese filling ahead of time. The cream cheese should be at room temperature when mixing it with the sweetener and vanilla. Then, place it in the fridge to harden back up. This will make it easier to press into the wet muffin batter.
• To easily press the cream cheese into the muffins, you can use a piping bag and squeeze out about 2 teaspoons of cream cheese filling about ⅔ of the way down into the batter or you can simply scoop out 2 teaspoons of cream cheese and place it on the top of each muffin, then use the back of a spoon to press it down into the batter. Using a spoon is the easier way since the batter is so wet and sticky.
• If your cream cheese doesn't seem thick enough, add a teaspoon or two of gluten-free flour to the filling before scooping it into the muffins.
• You will get 10-12 large muffins from this recipe. It will depend on how accurate you are with filling the muffin tin!

How To Store And Serve

• You can store leftover muffins in a closed container in the fridge for about 5 days. Place a paper towel on the bottom of the container to absorb excess moisture. These muffins must be kept in the fridge due to the cream cheese filling.
• Serve the muffins at room temperature. When serving leftovers, allow them to come to sit on the counter for a few minutes before serving for the best taste.
• You can add a sprinkle of powdered sugar sweetener to the tops of the muffins if you'd like! I did this since I did not include the spiced pepita topping.

Can You Freeze Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins?

If you choose to freeze the muffins, the texture of the cream cheese may get a little funky. However, you can freeze the baked and cooled muffins for up to 4 months in the freezer, tightly wrapped in a container. When defrosting them, allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight. You can also place them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to remove the chill.

More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Treats:

• Starbucks Pumpkin Scones
• Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies
• Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Doughnuts

Print

There's something about those Starbucks treats that always put you into the festive spirit! So why don't you bake up some of your own gluten-free muffins this year and join in on the seasonal deliciousness too?

So tell me:

+ What's your favorite pumpkin treat to get from Starbucks?

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