high-protein pumpkin muffins with cream cheese filling

A pumpkin muffin with a cream cheese filling is split in half on a light surface, surrounded by pumpkin seeds and a small orange pumpkin—perfect for fans of high-protein muffins or classic pumpkin muffins.

5 from 12 votes

high-protein pumpkin muffins with cream cheese filling

Easy and quick to make, these high-protein pumpkin muffins are a healthier version of the infamous Starbucks muffins. They are filled with a cream cheese center and topped with crunchy and nutty pepitas. They have more fiber and half the sugar of their store-bought counterparts.

Servings:

Calories: 254kcal

Author: Mika Kinney

Ingredients

½ cup almond flour
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice *
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup maple syrup
15 oz pumpkin puree 1 can
½ cup greek yogurt
2 eggs large
pepitas for topping I used about ⅓ of a cup

Filling

8 oz cream cheese softened
3 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 egg
1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with any muffin liner you prefer. It’s nice to have bakery-style (high sides) liners, but it's not necessary. If using paper liners, spray them well with non-stick spray, or use silicone muffin tins or foil liners.
Combine ½ cup almond flour, 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix together the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ cup maple syrup, 15 oz pumpkin puree, ½ cup greek yogurt, and 2 eggs. Pour this into the dry ingredients and mix until a thick batter forms. No need to overmix – just until everything is incorporated.
Fill the muffin tins almost to the top with batter. These are meant to be bakery style muffins with a nice rise and you should have enough batter for 12 muffins.
Next, make the filling. Use a hand mixer to beat together the 8 oz cream cheese, 3 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 egg, 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl.
Transfer this to a piping bag or to a ziplock bag and cut the tip off. Squeeze about 2 tablespoons of filling into the center of each muffin by pushing the tip down into the batter.
The batter will rise up around the filling – that’s perfect! Just keep piping until you’ve used all the cream cheese filling! Top with pumpkin seeds around the edge before baking.
Bake the muffins for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before letting them cool completely on a wire rack.

Video

Notes

Storage: These muffins keep great in the fridge or freezer. They will last for up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat from frozen.

If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, just use an extra tablespoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.

Nutrition