Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Mini Pumpkin Cream Cheese Breads, perfect for fall or anytime you crave a pumpkin-spiced treat with a creamy twist. These mini loaves combine dense pumpkin bread with luscious cream cheese swirls, creating the ideal sweet and creamy balance in every bite. Perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert, and easily portioned for sharing or gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups (213 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (fresh)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (245 g) canned pumpkin purée (100% pure pumpkin, not spiced filling)
- 1/3 cup (79 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
- 1 1/3 cups (267 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 (8-oz.) package full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Other
- Cooking spray (for greasing pans)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (177°C) and let it fully heat. Grease 10 mini loaf pans (4×2 inches) with cooking spray to ensure the bread doesn’t stick during baking.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy—approximately 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition to maintain a smooth batter. Stir in the vanilla extract until combined.
- Mix in Pumpkin Purée: Add the canned pumpkin purée and mix just until incorporated, scraping down the bowl sides to ensure even mixing.
- Alternate Dry Mixture and Water: Add the dry ingredient mixture and water alternately to the wet batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently between additions to avoid overmixing and dense bread.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: In a separate bowl or the stand mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
- Layer Batter and Filling: Spoon half of the pumpkin batter evenly into the greased mini loaf pans. Dollop the cream cheese filling over the batter, then cover with the remaining pumpkin batter, filling each pan about 3/4 full.
- Swirl to Combine: Using a long skewer or sharp knife, gently swirl the top layers of batter and cream cheese filling a few times to create marbled pockets, taking care not to overmix.
- Bake and Check Doneness: Place the mini pans on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no raw batter. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.
Notes
- Use 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, for authentic flavor and texture.
- Room temperature eggs and cream cheese help create a smooth, even batter and filling.
- Do not overmix the batter once you add dry ingredients to maintain a tender crumb.
- Swirling the cream cheese filling creates a beautiful marbled effect; avoid excessive stirring.
- Mini loaf pans are perfect for individual servings and make an excellent gift or party favor.
- Bake times may vary slightly based on your oven; watch closely after 25 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
