Celebrate Fall season with these Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese Mochi Muffins. This gluten-free muffin recipe is tweaked several times to make sure that the exterior is extra crispy and interior is dense and chewy.
I’ve been waiting for Fall season to start making pumpkin everything. The weather is still pretty warm here in Southern California, but my inner New Yorker is already full on Fall vibes. And of course, after making Black Sesame Mochi Muffins and Miso Tahini Mochi Muffins, I knew I have to try making the pumpkin version. You can say that I am addicted to the crispy exterior and chewy center of mochi muffins!
I was actually planning on making these pumpkin mochi muffins a few weeks ago, but I could not find canned pumpkin. I drove to 5 different grocery stores and it was either sold out or out of stock. After hoarding toilet paper and yeast, are people hoarding pumpkin now?! Anyway, I finally found a few cans of organic pumpkin at Whole Foods Market and walked out of the store holding them like Gollum holding his precious ring.
These pumpkin muffins are super addicting. I tweaked the recipe several times to make sure that the exterior is extra crispy and interior is dense and chewy. They are also gluten-free, which makes them perfect to make if you or your loved ones have diet restrictions. They can also be dairy-free if you choose to leave the cream cheese out. The texture and flavors are wonderful on its own. I personally don’t think frosting, glaze, or extra powdered sugar is needed.
NOTES:
- PUMPKIN PUREE: You can definitely make your own pumpkin puree. If you get canned pumpkin, make sure it is pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix.
- CREAM CHEESE: For the filling, beat room temperature cream cheese with sugar until smooth and creamy. For dairy-free option, you can leave the muffins completely plain without the cream cheese filling.
- SPICES: On top of pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg were added to enhance the flavor.
- FLOUR: Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour is used in this recipe to create that mochi chewy texture. Sweet rice flour is a rice flour ground from short grain sweet rice. If you can’t find the same brand, you can also look for glutinous rice flour.
- TOPPINGS: You can top the muffins with pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, walnuts, white sesame seeds, etc.
This pumpkin mochi muffins is inspired by Third Culture Bakery.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Make sure you also tag me @onehappybite on Instagram and hashtag it #onehappybite so I can see your creations!
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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Mochi Muffins
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cooling Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
Description
Celebrate Fall season with these Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese Mochi Muffins. This gluten-free muffin recipe is tweaked several times to make sure that the exterior is extra crispy and interior is dense and chewy.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sweet rice flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 13.5 oz coconut milk
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- pumpkin seeds (optional)
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
Pumpkin Muffins
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease the cupcake/muffin tin with butter.
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In a large bowl, prepare dry ingredients. Mix sweet rice flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, pumpkin spice, ground cinnamon, and nutmet together.
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In another bowl, prepare wet ingredients. Combine melted butter, coconut milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
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Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Whisk until smooth and no more clumps. Then add pumpkin puree into the batter, whisk until well combined.
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Fill ½ of each muffin tin with pumpkin muffin batter. Layer with 1 spoonful of cream cheese filling, then cover with more muffin batter. Fill each muffin tin with batter up to just below the rim. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top (optional).
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Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until top and edges are brown and crispy.
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Let cool for at least 30 minutes. Be patient! These mochi muffins need to cool down in order to achieve chewy texture.
Cream Cheese Filling
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Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in 2 tbsp of sugar until combined.
Notes
You can substitute brown sugar with coconut sugar
Muffins can be stored in an air tight container for up to 3 days. Refrigerate in a zip lock bag if storing for more than 3 days.
If using a lighter muffin tin, it may need longer baking time.
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Cuisine: American, Japanese
Keywords: cream cheese, mochi muffins, pumpkin
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