Half the Ingredients of the Starbucks Version 👇🏼

Have you ever taken a look at the ingredients in the original Starbucks Cream Cheese Muffins? I’ll spare you the pain of reading out the entire ingredient list, but let’s just say… there are quite a few of them. From ingredients such as PROPYLENE GLYCOL ALGINATE, CARRAGEENAN, and SOY LECITHIN… we can definitely do better. My version of these muffins are not only gluten-free, but are made with real, whole foods ingredients that you can recognize and pronounce!

Eggs: Yes, eggs are necessary in this recipe, and you’ll need 3 of them! You can replace the eggs with flax eggs, if desired, but just note that the recipe has not been tested with flax eggs.

Pumpkin Puree: It wouldn’t be a pumpkin recipe without the pumpkin puree, which you can usually find in abundance, this time of year!

Coconut Oil: You’ll need melted coconut oil for this recipe. You can use either refined or unrefined – both work here!

Maple Syrup: Maple syrup helps to add the natural sweetness that makes the muffins and cream cheese filling so yummy.

Vanilla Extract: And, of course, you need vanilla extract for any good muffin recipe! Both the muffins and the filling require some vanilla extract for that perfect vanilla flavor.

Almond Flour: Almond flour is one of my favorite gluten-free flours, because it’s high in healthy fats and plant-based proteins, and is grain-free.

A bowl of pumpkin batter with a wooden spoon sits on a marble countertop, surrounded by ingredients including a dish of cream cheese with vanilla extract being poured, cupcake liners, pumpkin seeds, a jar of milk, a small bottle of vanilla, and a jar of spices.

Transfer the cream cheese to a small bowl and microwave it for 30 seconds, until it’s soft and easy to stir. Add the maple syrup, milk of choice, flour and vanilla extract to the bowl with the cream cheese and stir until it’s fully combined.

Arrowroot Flour or Tapioca Flour or Cornstarch: A little starch makes the batter achieve the right consistency.

Coconut Flour: Coconut flour is a soft, fluffy flour that helps these muffins reach the perfect consistency and texture.

Pumpkin Pie Spice: It only takes a touch of pumpkin pie spice for these muffins to have the most delicious, warm, spicy fall flavor.

Cinnamon: An extra pinch of cinnamon tastes delicious in these muffins. Don’t skip it!

Baking Soda: Baking soda ensures that these muffins will get nice and fluffy.

Sea Salt: A little bit of sea salt ensures that these muffins don’t turn out too sweet.

Pumpkin Seeds: A sprinkle of pumpkin seeds adds the perfect finishing touch to these muffins!

Cream Cheese: Of course, it wouldn’t be a cream cheese filling without the cream cheese! I like to buy cream cheese in the brick form, but spreadable cream cheese also works well.

Milk of Choice: Pick your favorite milk and use it in this recipe! I like using almond milk, but any dairy or non-dairy milk should work well, in this recipe.

A muffin tray with six pumpkin muffins being decorated; some topped with cream cheese frosting and pumpkin seeds. Nearby are a bowl with batter remnants, a bowl of frosting with a spatula, a small bowl of pumpkin seeds, and a piping bag filled with frosting.

Add the batter evenly to a greased or lined muffin tin. Then, transfer the cream cheese filling to a piping bag and pipe a dollop of icing into the center of each muffin.

How to Make These Light & Fluffy Cream Cheese Muffins

To make these muffins, start by preheating your oven to 350F. Next, add all of the went ingredients to a large bowl- the eggs, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract- and whisk them together. Then, in a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients- the almond flour, arrowroot flour, coconut flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, sea salt, and pumpkin seeds.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until they’re fully combined and a batter has formed. Next, grease the muffin tin or fill the cavities with muffin liners. Then, transfer the batter into the muffin tins, diving it evenly amongst the categories.

Next, prepare the cream cheese filling. Transfer the cream cheese to a small bowl and microwave it for 30 seconds, until it’s soft and easy to stir. Add the maple syrup, milk of choice, flour and vanilla extract to the bowl with the cream cheese and stir until it’s fully combined.

A baking tray with six pumpkin muffins topped with cream and pumpkin seeds. To the side, there is a scooper, a small bowl of pumpkin seeds, a bowl of cream, and a patterned kitchen towel. Crumbs and seeds are scattered around the light-colored countertop. — Garnish with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds, then transfer the muffin tin to the oven and allow them to bake for 20-22 minutes.

A muffin baking tray with six baked muffins topped with pumpkin seeds and a dollop of cream is placed on a cooling rack. A yellow and white patterned cloth is on the left side, and a small bowl of pumpkin seeds is above the muffins. — Once the muffins are done, allow them to cool. Then, serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to one week.

Transfer the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can add it to a large ziplock bag and cut the tip off of it. Pipe the filling into the center of each muffin. Then, sprinkle pumpkin seeds around the top of each muffin.

Transfer the tray into the oven and allow the muffins to bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the muffin part (not the cream cheese part) comes out clean. Once the muffins are done, remove them from them from the oven and allow them to cool, in the muffin tin, for 5 minutes.

Then, transfer the muffins to a wire cooling rack, and allow them to sit until fully cooled. Once they’re done, serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to one week.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim

gluten-free/Grain Free