🎃 Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Muffins 🧁
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
1 cup pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup neutral vegetable oil (like canola or grapeseed)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg (or ground)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Prep & Preheat: Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line with sturdy paper liners.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is completely smooth and glossy, with no streaks of egg remaining.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly distributed and no lumps remain.
Combine Gently: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold the mixture together just until no dry flour is visible. Do not overmix—a few small lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing leads to dense muffins.
Fill & Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Cool Completely: Transfer the muffin tin to a wire rack and let the muffins cool inside the tin for 5 minutes. Then, carefully remove them from the tin and allow them to cool completely on the rack before frosting. Frosting warm muffins will cause it to melt and slide off.
Make the Frosting: While the muffins cool, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until completely smooth, creamy, and lump-free (about 2 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, beating on low speed after each addition until incorporated, then increasing to medium speed until smooth. Finally, beat in the cinnamon until fully blended. The frosting should be thick, spreadable, and hold its shape.
Frost & Serve: Once the muffins are completely cool, generously spread or pipe the cinnamon cream cheese frosting over the top of each one. Serve immediately, or store frosted muffins in the refrigerator.
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