Recipe

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Updated on 3 min read

✅ Weight Watchers (WW)
✅ Slimming World (SW)
✅ High-Protein
✅ Keto
✅ + Diabetic-Friendly (low-sugar)

All in one complete guide 👇

Soft, moist pumpkin muffins with a creamy swirl of sweetened cream cheese — full of autumn flavor and healthy substitutions for every plan.

🕒 Prep & Cook Time

  • Prep: 15 minutes
  • Bake: 20–22 minutes
  • Total: 35–40 minutes
  • Servings: 12 muffins

🧂 BASE INGREDIENTS (Standard Recipe)

For Muffins:

  • 1½ cups (180g) flour (see diet swaps below)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (225g) pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅓ cup olive oil or melted butter
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar (or substitute)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For Cream Cheese Filling:

  • 100g light cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbsp sweetener or sugar substitute
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

💙 WEIGHT WATCHERS (WW)

Adjustments:

  • Use whole wheat pastry flour
  • Replace oil with unsweetened applesauce (½ cup)
  • Use fat-free cream cheese
  • Sweeten with monk fruit or Stevia

SmartPoints: ~4 per muffin
Macros:

  • 130 kcal | 6g protein | 22g carbs | 3g fat

✅ Great with a cup of coffee or Greek yogurt for breakfast.

⚖️ SLIMMING (SW)

Adjustments:

  • Flour: wholemeal self-raising (≈4.5 Syns per 25g)
  • Sugar substitute: use erythritol or sweetener (Free)
  • Pumpkin puree, eggs, spices: Free
  • Cream cheese: low-fat — Healthy Extra A
  • Oil: use 1 tsp olive oil spray total (½ Syn each muffin)

Per Muffin: ~4½ Syns
✅ Optional: serve with fat-free yogurt for balance.

💪 HIGH-PROTEIN

Adjustments:

  • Replace ½ cup flour with vanilla or unflavored whey protein
  • Use Greek yogurt instead of oil
  • Cream cheese: blend with protein powder and sweetener

Macros (per muffin):

  • 150 kcal | 14g protein | 8g carbs | 5g fat

✅ Excellent post-workout snack or breakfast.

🥓 KETO

Adjustments:

  • Flour: 2 cups almond flour + 1 tbsp coconut flour
  • Sweetener: erythritol or monk fruit (¼ cup)
  • Cream cheese: full-fat
  • Pumpkin puree: ½ cup (lower carb)
  • Oil: butter or coconut oil

Macros (per muffin):

  • 170 kcal | 7g protein | 3g net carbs | 14g fat

✅ Low-carb, gluten-free, and rich in healthy fats.

💚 DIABETIC-FRIENDLY

Adjustments:

  • Use whole wheat flour + almond flour (1:1 ratio)
  • Replace sugar with erythritol or monk fruit
  • Pumpkin puree: unsweetened
  • Cream cheese: light or Neufchâtel
  • Add chia seeds or flaxseed for fiber

Macros (per muffin):

  • 145 kcal | 8g protein | 10g net carbs | 6g fat | <1g sugar

✅ Low glycemic impact — won’t spike blood sugar.

👩‍🍳 DIRECTIONS (for all versions)

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
  2. Line muffin tin with liners or lightly grease.
  3. In one bowl, mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt).
  4. In another bowl, whisk wet ingredients (pumpkin, eggs, oil or yogurt, vanilla, sweetener).
  5. Combine both bowls — don’t overmix.
  6. Fill muffin cups ¾ full.
  7. Whip cream cheese filling separately; add a spoonful on top of each muffin and swirl gently.
  8. Bake 20–22 minutes, until tops are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Cool before serving or storing.

🧠 Storage & Serving

  • Store in fridge up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months.
  • Best served warm with coffee, tea, or plain Greek yogurt.
  • Great for meal prep or snack boxes.

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