Last year, my mom and I stopped by a childhood friend’s house to see the mom and one of her three daughters, who was about four years younger than me. We carpooled for a few grades in both elementary and middle school, but after losing touch when everyone left town for college, Mom and I looked forward to saying hi.
When they opened the front door, we shared plenty of hugs all around, and the two ladies invited us in to sit and chat for a while in their living room. Before we settled back into the comfy sofa, the daughter showed me into the kitchen, where a batch of freshly baked treats cooled on the counter.
She was heading out on a road trip with her father extremely early the next morning, well before the sun rose and the birds started chirping, so she had whipped up some pumpkin cream cheese muffins for them to bring along for breakfast. She explained that they were a copycat of Starbucks’ seasonal treat, and she offered to send us home with a few.
As she packaged them up, she admitted, almost shamefully, that the muffins were nowhere near healthy. (She loves to bake as much as I do, and she’s made countless of my recipes from my blog!) I laughed and reassured her, “I’m a firm believer in ‘everything in moderation’ — even moderation itself, at times!”
When I recently dashed into Starbucks for a quick coffee pick-me-up, I spotted their autumn-themed muffins in the display case, which reminded me of my friend’s from that evening. With my pumpkin obsession, I knew I just had to create a healthier version, so here they are: these Healthy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins! They have the same familiar flavors and super moist texture as the ones from Starbucks, but unlike the originals, they contain absolutely no oil, refined flour or sugar… And over 6g of protein too!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS
To make these healthy copycat Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins muffins, you’ll start with white whole wheat flour. I know; that sounds rather contradictory, doesn’t it? But white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. White whole wheat flour still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour (like extra fiber!), but it has a lighter taste and texture, similar to that of all-purpose flour, which is perfect for letting the pumpkin flavor shine in these super moist pumpkin cream cheese muffins.
Because they only contain 1 tablespoon of butter (or coconut oil, if you prefer!), the rest of these muffins’ tender texture comes from a combination of two ingredients: Greek yogurt and pumpkin purée. If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you know how much I love Greek yogurt! It adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your healthy copycat pumpkin cream cheese muffins a protein boost, too.
As for the pumpkin, you just need regular ol’ pumpkin purée. Skip the canned pumpkin pie mix! That contains refined sugar, which we’re avoiding in this healthier recipe. Instead, you’ll sweeten the muffins with another one of my favorite ingredients: liquid stevia.
Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly, and it’s highly concentrated. You just need 1 ½ teaspoons for the muffin batter! This is the kind that I buy because I love its sweet flavor and don’t detect any strange aftertastes like some other stevia products have. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I buy mine online here because that’s the cheapest price I’ve found. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
For the sweet cream cheese centers of the copycat Starbucks pumpkin muffins, you’ll mix together a combination of Greek yogurt cream cheese and Greek yogurt, along with a hint of vanilla and more liquid stevia. I found my Greek yogurt cream cheese at Safeway (their own Lucerne brand), and many Walmart stores carry this brand.
To add the cream cheese mixture to the muffin tin, you’ll transfer it to a zip-topped plastic bag, cut off one corner, and pipe it into the center of each portion of muffin batter. Super easy! And much less messy than trying to dollop it in using measuring spoons and spatulas… Plus it makes clean-up a breeze!
Now… Who needs Starbucks when you have these and a healthy homemade pumpkin spice latte around? 😉 And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy pumpkin cream cheese muffins!
| Healthy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins | | Print |
- for the filling
- 6 tbsp (90g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 6 tbsp (84g) Greek yogurt cream cheese, softened
- ½ tsp liquid stevia, or adjusted to taste
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- for the muffins
- 2 cups (240g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 tbsp (8g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp liquid stevia
- ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup (244g) pumpkin purée, room temperature (not pumpkin pie mix)
- ½ cup (120mL) nonfat milk
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the filling, beat the Greek yogurt and Greek yogurt cream cheese with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Add in the liquid stevia and vanilla. Beat until fully incorporated. Transfer to a zip-topped plastic bag.
- To prepare the muffin batter, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg whites, vanilla, and liquid stevia. Stir in the Greek yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Stir in the pumpkin purée. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Cut the corner off of the zip-topped bag with the filling, and pipe the filling into the center of each muffin cup’s batter. (It’s okay if the filling sticks up over the top of the batter. The batter will rise around its sides as it bakes.) Bake at 350°F for 20-23 minutes or until the pumpkin parts of the tops feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin part comes out clean. Cool in the muffin cups for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.
For a stronger spice flavor, increase the cinnamon by up to an additional 1 teaspoon.
Any oil may be substituted for the unsalted butter or coconut oil.
I highly recommend using the liquid stevia! It’s my favorite sweetener, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too. I buy mine online here because that's the best price I've found. If you prefer, 8-12 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, honey, or agave may be substituted for the liquid stevia in the muffin batter. If using this substitution, omit the milk. The baking time may change.
For a sweeter filling, increase the liquid stevia by ¼ to ½ teaspoon. If you prefer to substitute something else for the liquid stevia in the filling, then I recommend 1½ tablespoons of this powdered stevia or 8-12 tablespoons of granulated sugar. I don’t recommend using a liquid sweetener like pure maple syrup, honey, or agave because it will make the filling too runny.
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: For the gluten-free flour, I recommend the following blend: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) brown rice flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will work as well, if measured like this.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, lower sugar, higher protein}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Cheesecake Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡ ;Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bran Muffins
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Mini Muffins
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pumpkin recipes!
Oh my goodness Amy, you’ve outdone yourself with these beauties! You’re definitely right though, sometimes you just need to have the unhealthy version every now and then! It’s good for the soul! 🙂
AMEN!! I 100% agree Marina. Eating healthfully is no fun unless you let yourself splurge every now and then on something special! 🙂
I don’t see how much cream cheese to use??
Duh seen it now
I’m glad you found it Janet! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the muffins!
I love all things cream cheese, and especially when it’s sweet cream cheese filling in pumpkin muffins! Mmm…? And I don’t even need to go to Starbucks – I can just make them right here at home, yay!? I made your delicious carrot mug cake recipe for pudding today, and it was just the right portion size for me! Especially, I like how you said to microwave it at 30% power, which gives it a lovely soft texture, whereas other mug cakes I’ve had have been quite rubbery because the outside is overcooked while the inside is undercooked! The carrot mug cake was just perfect.☺
I’m so glad you loved the carrot cake mug cake Katie! That means a lot to me that you thought the texture was perfect. You’re such a sweetheart — I feel SO blessed to have “e-met” you when you first baked my Greek yogurt blueberry lemon pound cake. You always brighten my day!! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these muffins too!
Aww haha, you’re very welcome.? I’m so glad to have “e-met” you, too! I feel so privileged to be talking to such a lovely, sweet person who has always inspired me (and continues to inspire me!) The Greek Yogurt Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake recipe will always be a special one for me, as it was the recipe that first connected us!? I always look forward to reading your replies when I check my e-mails each morning – it’s one of the highlights of my day!? Thanks again for the brilliant recipes, Amy – I can’t wait for the next one!?x
I thought that was the first recipe of mine that you tried! I still remember how sweet you were to wish my brother happy birthday in your blog post. He was really touched by that! 🙂 You’re a true sweetheart Katie — the world needs more wonderful people like you! ♥
I used to love these muffins from starbucks, that is until I realized that they were just as bad as cupcakes! Love that you made them healthier! I’m sure they taste just as good!
Thanks Bethany — you’re so sweet! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of the muffins if you try them!
Hello,
Can the Whole Foods 365 brand french vanilla stevia sweetener drops be substituted for the sweet leaf brand or do they not taste as good?
Thanks!
Also, i can’t find this brand of cream cheese near me. Are there other brands of greek yogurt cream cheese, or is there a healthy substitute?
I appreciate your interest in my recipe Stephanie! I wrote about where I found my Greek yogurt cream cheese in the text of the blog post above the recipe, and I already included appropriate substitutes in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. I haven’t personally used that brand of stevia before, but after looking at its label, I think it should work. I can’t wait to hear what you think of the muffins!
These are great!! Worth the effort! Love your website and recipes, Amy!!
I’m so glad you loved them Angie! And thank you so much for your sweet words about my blog and recipes — that means the world to me! 🙂
Hi! Do these need to be refrigerated (because of the cream cheese)?
Yes! I already addressed that in the text directly below the recipe title in the recipe box. I know it can be easy to miss! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the muffins Jen!
How would you recommend altering the recipe for baking at altitude? I live at about 5400′ above sea level. These have such potential but didn’t quite come out right for me today.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Allie! What happened when you tried them? If you can describe the issues you saw in detail, that will help us figure out what you should do to fix it! 🙂
Well, the main thing is just that they’re a little dry. I haven’t done a ton of baking since I have been living at altitude so I don’t know what works best, but I was reading some tips for breads/muffins to reduce sugar, slightly reduce baking soda/powder, increase flour, possibly increase liquid, and increase oven temp by 15-25 degrees. I tried all of those things, but I know baking is a much more exact art than cooking and I didn’t really do it in any sort of exact way. I guess I wonder if you as a baker if you have an idea of how much to reduce/increase certain ingredients by?
Thanks for the info Allie! So to verify — you made those modifications to my recipe, and you did not follow it exactly as written? If so… Then I highly recommend you actually follow my recipes, including this one, exactly as written! Many of my other readers that bake at high altitude actually have reported that my recipes turn out perfectly without any modifications, even at high altitude. 🙂
Thanks for the sugar-free and low-fat recipe, I just made these muffins! 🙂 And although I didn’t have your Stevia brand, I think they came out OK. I say OK because I had no idea how many drops I should use and 1.5 tsp seemed a lot to me (I’ve always used drops, never 1 full tsp). So I added just 18 drops to the muffin batter. Do you have any idea how many drops your 1.5 tsp stevia are?
BTW, I just ordered one of your Stevia vanilla crème 😉 (but I think it’s going to get here in 1 month… and I just couldn’t wait that long to make the muffins haha)
That being said, the cream cheese filling did not work for me at all 🙁 it was way too thin and it spread out on the top of the muffins (unlike yours, which looks thick). The only thing I can think of is the Greek yoghurt: I guess American Greek yoghurt is way thicker than the one we have here.
(and the Greek yoghurt I used was full fat… I couldn’t find any low-fat version; same with the cream cheese, although at least it was from skim-milk, so half-fat content; I have one 0% quark too, but that one doesn’t taste anything at all! :O
In that case, what would you recommend, using e.g. 1 part cream cheese and just half the amount of Greek yoghurt? Or any other ideas?
Thanks again! 😉
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Lynn! I personally don’t how many drops are in 1 ½ teaspoons of my vanilla stevia… But their website says 144 drops! I don’t have the patience to measure that many drops, so I use teaspoons instead. 😉 I’m guessing you’re correct in that your Greek yogurt isn’t as thick as the ones here in the US! If so, then I think your idea of reducing the Greek yogurt would work much better. You’ll need 12 tablespoons total between the two, so try starting with 8-9 tablespoons of cream cheese and using Greek yogurt for the remaining amount! 🙂
Is there a way to make these dairy free? I have a friend who is lactose intolerant, and I already purchased dairy free cream cheese and almond milk, but can anything be substituted for the greek yogurt? I wonder if applesauce or banana might work…
I’m so honored that you’d like to make these for your friend Cacey! If you can find dairy-free yogurt (ie soy- or almond-based), that would be the best substitute. Otherwise, you can substitute additional pumpkin purée, but the muffins may turn out ever so slightly denser. I can’t wait to hear what you and your friend think of them! 🙂