If you love the cozy taste of fall, these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Chocolate Chips will absolutely steal your heart, and your kitchen will smell like your favorite coffee shop!

They’re inspired by the beloved Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, but we add a little twist — chocolate chips for extra sweetness and texture.

Soft, moist, and filled with warm pumpkin spice, these muffins are everything you crave in a fall treat. The melty chocolate chips make them even more decadent, with a sweet surprise in every bite.

My daughter Anna and I love baking these together every autumn. She’s quite the baker, and it’s become our cozy weekend tradition — especially after watching a few British baking shows that give us the confidence to try new recipes beyond our comfort zone.

While she helps mix the batter and spoon in the cream cheese filling, my boys wait impatiently. These muffins disappear fast once they’re out, so I always have to add a few on the side so I have them with my morning coffee!

We’re definitely a pumpkin-and-chocolate kind of family, and these capture everything we love about fall — comforting, aromatic, and perfectly sweet.

They’re easy to make, too… perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon pick-me-up with your favorite latte. The secret is the luscious cream cheese filling that stays creamy after baking, the ideal contrast to the tender, pumpkin-spiced crumb.

Whether you’re a fan of Starbucks-style muffins or simply love baking cozy seasonal recipes at home, this one will make you skip the coffee shop line. Bake a batch, share with your family, and enjoy a taste of fall right from your oven.

Pro Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

• Don’t overmix the batter.
  Once you add the dry ingredients, gently stir just until combined. Overmixing makes muffins dense instead of light and fluffy.
• Use room temperature ingredients.
  Let the eggs and cream cheese come to room temperature before mixing — it helps everything blend smoothly and bake evenly.
• Chill the cream cheese filling slightly.
  Pop the filling mixture in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before using. It thickens up and is easier to spoon neatly into the batter.
• Don’t overfill muffin cups.
  Fill each cup about ¾ full. Too much batter causes the filling to sink or overflow.
• Bake until just set.
  Pumpkin muffins can go from perfect to dry quickly. Check at 18 minutes — the tops should spring back lightly when touched.
• Add chocolate chips smartly.
  Toss them in 1 tsp of flour before folding into the batter. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom.
• Cool before removing.
  Let muffins cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. The centers set better, and the texture stays moist.
• Store like a pro.
  Once completely cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm in the microwave for 10 seconds before serving — tastes like fresh-baked again!
• Optional: Freeze individually wrapped muffins for up to 2 months. Perfect for quick weekday breakfasts or a cozy fall treat anytime.

BAKING PAN I USED:

Silicone Muffin Pans for Baking with Metal Frame

Recipes you might like:

BANANA PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

Yield: 12 muffins

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Inspired by the Starbucks Pumpkin Muffin, these easy pumpkin cream cheese muffins with chocolate chips are soft, moist, and perfect for fall.

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Ingredients

For the Muffins:

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 312 g
• 1 tsp baking powder, 5 g
• ½ tsp baking soda, 2 g
• ½ tsp salt, 3 g
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice ≈ 8 g If you want to make it with the individual spices instead: Cinnamon, ground 2 tsp ≈ 4.6 g, Nutmeg, ground ½ tsp ≈ 1 g, Ginger, ground ½ tsp ≈ 1 g
• 1 cup canned pumpkin purée, 245 g
• ½ cup granulated sugar, 100 g
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed, 110 g
• ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted butter), 120 ml
• 2 large eggs, 100 g (about 50 g each)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, 5 ml
• ¾ cup mini chocolate chips, 135 g

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

• 4 to 5 oz cream cheese, 115 g-142g
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar, 25 g
• ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2.5 ml

Topping, optional:

• Toasted pumpkin seeds with some brown sugar
• sprinkle of cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners unless you're using a silicone baking pan like I did..
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice, then add in chocolate chips; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, pumpkin puree, both sugars, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, stirring gently until just combined; don’t overmix.
5. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with a splash of milk or whipped cream (but just 1 tablespoon) until creamy and smooth.
6. Fill muffin cups about ¾ full with batter, drop 1 heaping teaspoon (5–6 g) of cream cheese filling in the center of each muffin and press down, or use a piping bag and fill them in the center..
7. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. You can insert a toothpick, but on the cake side, avoiding the cheese filling.
8. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack, serve warm or at room temperature.
   

Notes

For extra moist muffins, replace ¼ cup of oil, ≈60 ml, with unsweetened applesauce or sour cream.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 410Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 74mgSodium 255mgCarbohydrates 53gFiber 3gSugar 27gProtein 7g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate, but we try our best.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

As I sit here writing this post, it hits me—if you told me years ago that pumpkin would become one of my favorite ingredients for baking, I’d never have believed it.

I’ve always loved using sweet potatoes and carrots in baked goods, and while I’m not a fan of pumpkin spice lattes, there’s just something about pumpkin treats that really makes it feel like fall has arrived.

These banana-pumpkin-chocolate chip muffins are not only delicious and easy to make, but they’re also light, moist, and perfect for any occasion.

While testing them out, I tried baking with and without muffin liners and, personally, I prefer them without liners. However, my boys enjoyed them both ways.

For me, these are a great base muffin recipe. You can easily adapt them for different seasons—swap the chocolate chips for cranberries during the winter, add shredded carrots in the spring, or toss in fresh berries during the summer. The possibilities are endless when it comes to muffins.

One thing I love is using bananas in my muffins because they add natural sweetness and moisture.

No one likes a dry muffin, right? Bananas—or even applesauce—are great for keeping muffins moist and just sweet enough.

And if you have kids who aren’t big fans of fruits and veggies, this is a perfect way to sneak some in. Just shred or mash the produce and add it to your muffin batter!

As for the sugar, you can substitute it with stevia or your preferred sugar alternative.

The same goes for the flour—if you’re sensitive to gluten, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour. I’m all about giving you options, especially for those new to baking.

I hope you try these tasty banana-pumpkin-chocolate chip muffins—they’re a true fall treat!

Recipes you might like:

• Gluten-Free Banana Cocoa Muffins

• Banana Nut Oat Muffins

• Banana Bread with Figs

• GF Banana Pumpkin Bread

LET ME KNOW IF YOU MAKE my yummy Banana Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Thank you so much for your support! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest; search @sandraseasycooking

Happy Baking & Cooking!

– Sandra 🙂

AMAZON BAKING FINDS:

• Food Kitchen Scale, Digital Grams and Ounces

• 2 Packs Round Muffin Baking Pan, Premium Steel Muffin Pan for Baking

Yield: 16 Muffins

Banana Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

Wet Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas (about 1 pound)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup yogurt (83g, 2–3 oz)
• 10 oz pumpkin purée (1 cup, 283g)

Dry Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (6 3/4 oz, 193g)
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
• Pinch of salt and black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips (reserve some for topping)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease or butter your muffin tin.  
2. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a bowl, reserving a handful of chocolate chips for topping.  
3. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and mix in the remaining wet ingredients, including the sugar, until well combined.  
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined.  
5. Portion 1/3 cup of batter into each muffin tin using a measuring cup. Top with the reserved chocolate chips.  
6. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  
7. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin, then take them out, place them on a wire cookie rack or similar then let them cool for additional (at least) 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Notes

• You can use sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin puree.
• Use walnuts/nuts instead of chocolate chips.
• Instead of All Purpose Flour, use Gluten Free 1:1 AP Flour.

Nutrition Information

Yield

16

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 165Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 24mgSodium 89mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 2gSugar 14gProtein 3g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate, but we try our best.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest