Chai Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins (Printable)

Moist pumpkin muffins with a creamy chai-spiced cheesecake swirl, combining warm autumn spices in a handheld dessert.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Muffin Batter

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→ Chai Cheesecake Filling

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# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogeneous.
04 - Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain tender texture.
05 - Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add egg yolk, heavy cream, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla; beat until creamy and fully incorporated.
06 - Fill each muffin liner about 2/3 full with pumpkin muffin batter, ensuring even distribution.
07 - Drop approximately 1 tablespoon of chai cheesecake filling on top of each muffin. Use a toothpick to gently swirl the cheesecake layer into the muffin batter, creating a marbled effect.
08 - Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin portion (avoiding the cheesecake center) comes out clean.
09 - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

# Expert Advice:

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  • The cheesecake layer stays surprisingly creamy even after baking, creating that irresistible contrast textures moment with every bite
  • These freeze beautifully, so you can pull one out on a gray Tuesday and feel like autumn arrived all over again
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  • Overmixing the batter activates gluten and makes muffins tough, so gentle folding is your friend here
  • The cheesecake swirl sinks during baking, so do not panic when they come out looking different than when they went in
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  • Use a cookie scoop for the batter so every muffin bakes evenly
  • Let the cheesecake filling sit for 5 minutes before swirling so it thickens slightly and stays in place better

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