Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins Tim Hortons Copycat

Pumpkin spice season in Canada kicks off early, and nothing says fall like moist pumpkin muffins with a creamy cream cheese filling. These bakery-style muffins are domed, tender, and topped with crunchy salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas). Perfect for Thanksgiving brunch, a harvest party, or packing into the kids’ lunches when the mornings turn crisp.

I made this recipe because I was tired of paying Tim Hortons prices for something I could easily bake better at home. When you’ve grown up baking from scratch, store-bought muffins don’t measure up. And truthfully, buying four muffins at a time for my family adds up fast — so making a dozen and a half at once feels like the brighter and tastier option, plus the bonus of the house smells like fall. It was a no-brainer.

If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes to pair with these pumpkin cheesecake muffins, try my pumpkin scones with sweet spiced drizzle, pumpkin cake, or go for a complementary fall flavor with my easy apple cinnamon biscuit rolls. They’ll round out your fall season baking lineup.

​Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffin Recipe

Bakery-style muffins at home: Tall domed tops without muffin liners — soft inside, golden outside.

Balanced flavors: Sweet pumpkin pie spice meets tangy cheesecake filling, with salty pepitas for crunch.

Perfect for fall gatherings: A dozen and a half muffins make them ideal for sharing at Thanksgiving or bringing to a harvest table.

​Pumpkin Spice, Tim Hortons, and Canadian Food Culture

​Pumpkin spice in Canada appears earlier than in the U.S. because our Thanksgiving falls in early October. By late August, lattes, pies, and muffins hit coffee shop menus, marking the real start of pumpkin season.

Tim Hortons has turned seasonal muffins into a tradition. Their cream cheese-stuffed pumpkin muffins are a favorite — but like most coffee shop pastries, they’re not cheap. For many Canadians, stopping at Tims is less about the muffin itself and more about the ritual that surrounds it.

Making your own copycat version at home ties that Canadian food culture back into your kitchen. You get the nostalgia and the familiar warm spices, but fresher, cheaper, and with your own tweaks. For me, swapping streusel for salted pepitas was the win — a little crunch, a little salt, and a whole lot more balance.

​Let’s Get Started Of The Pumpkin Spiced Muffin

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly coat a muffin pan (12 wells) with nonstick spray or a thin film of vegetable oil. Skip the muffin liners if you want that classic bakery crust around the sides.

Start with a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (or your preferred pumpkin spice blend).

In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients with the sugar—eggs, pumpkin puree, and vegetable oil — until smooth and airy.

Tip the wet mixture into the dry. Stir gently until well combined. The pumpkin batter is exceptionally smooth and lightly orange-colored, but I promise it’s going to taste amazing and have a nice muffin texture.Fill your muffin tins right to the brim with the pumpkin muffin batter. Once filled, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of salted pepitas on top of each muffin cup.

Bake the muffins at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 15–20 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick (or, like me, use a butter knife because it has a better coverage area and is super convenient) inserted into the center comes out clean.

If you’re thinking, whoa, a butterknife? This is old school granny stuff. Yup, slide that knife into the muffin on a downward angle towards the center, starting at the edge of the pan. It’s tried and true. And that butter knife, when it comes out clean, is now going to serve double duty by loosening (if you went paperless) the muffins from the muffin cups. Just slide it in the side of the cup and wiggle it loose. Some will come out better than others. If you have one giving you a hard time, use the knife to lever it out bit by bit, working around the entire muffin. I promise this no-fail trick is going to become your favorite method.

Make the filling in a small bowl: Soften room temperature cream cheese in the microwave for about 30 seconds (to soften, not melt). Beat until smooth, then mix in half the icing sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl, add the remaining icing sugar, and blend until creamy. 

Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag fitted with a round tube tip (a zip-top bag with the corner snipped works; a freezer bag is sturdier if you don’t have a pastry bag). For less mess, fold the bag in half, fill the bottom first, roll the top back up, and then twist it closed so you can maintain steady pressure.

When the muffins are cool enough to handle, insert the pastry tip deep into the center of each muffin. Give a slow, gentle squeeze. Think of it like filling a poke cake — the thin creamy cheesecake filling wants to travel into open spaces. If you push too hard, it will come back up along the insertion point. Go slowly so it spreads into the crumb, then ease the tip back toward the surface while squeezing. Stop near the top — it’s fine if a little sweet cream cheese peeks out.

If baking multiple trays, always let the oven preheat back up to 425°F before starting the next batch so you don’t lose your domes.

​Ingredients:

Note to my Canadian readers: You’re not alone if you’re sourcing these ingredients without relying on U.S.-based imports. Given our country’s current challenges, supporting Canadian-owned businesses and Canadian-made products matters more than ever. Every little bit helps keep our food systems strong, our neighbors employed, and our dollars in our communities.

You will now find more Canadian content on the blog as I continue to source Canadian food brands and products. 

And to our American friends—we still love you! We always have and will. But when possible, we’re leaning toward local to keep our shelves stocked and our people supported.

​Flour – Provides structure, allowing the muffins to rise tall while remaining tender. It supports the moisture from the pumpkin puree and holds the cream cheese filling without collapsing. My muffins were made with Five Roses flour. The flour I keep coming back to after 40+ years of baking. 

Baking powder – Delivers the first lift when batter hits high heat, helping create the best results, tall domes. When you want quality Magic Baking Powder never let’s me down.

Baking soda – Reacts with the natural acidity of pumpkin for added rise and a fluffier interior. Arm and Hammer baking soda is a Canadian favorite and perfect for using in these muffins.

Salt – Sharpens sweetness and fall flavors, and keeps the cheesecake filling from tasting too rich. Ever since I started my baking journey in the kitchen as a young child there’s always been a box of Windsor salt in one form or another in my home.

Sugar – White sugar sweetens evenly and caramelizes to create a golden, coffee-shop top. Roger’s Lantic for the win. This recipe uses a full three cups so check your pantry to be sure  you have enough on hand!

Eggs – Bind the batter and add richness for a soft, bakery-style crumb. Local farmers sell out of farm fresh eggs fast in our area. But when possible it’s always nice to have locally sourced eggs in home baking.

Pumpkin pie spice– The classic mix of warm spices that turns pumpkin into a seasonal favorite. 

Pumpkin puree – Adds flavor, color, and moisture for truly moist pumpkin muffins. Apparently this ingredient is one of the harder to source in the Canadian market which is funny considering how many gardens grow pumpkins. So of course my first recommendation is to go grab a nice pie pumpkin and make your own puree. But when you can’t or don’t have the time a can of E.D. Smith is always a good product. In fact because the recipe uses two cups of puree one large can, can do a full recipe of these muffins with enough left to make my favorite fall soup with ravioli. 

Vegetable oil – Keeps the crumb soft, even after chilling; doesn’t firm up like butter. Unico has the most economical of neutral oil in Ontario. 

Salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) – A crunchy, salty topping that balances the sweetness of the muffin and filling. Adding them before baking lets them toast lightly in the oven, giving even more flavor and a little shine on top.

Cream cheese – Tangy center that balances sweetness and gives a cheesecake bite. 

Icing sugar (powdered sugar) – Dissolves smoothly into the cream cheese, so the filling pipes cleanly.

Salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) – Salty crunch that balances the sweet and adds a bakery finish.

​Substitutions & Add-Ins For These Cheesecake Filled Muffins

​Flour (all-purpose) – Swap up to half for whole wheat for a heartier crumb; keep some AP for lift.

Baking powder: In a pinch, increase the amount of baking soda slightly and add a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to the wet ingredients for activation.

Baking soda: Can sub a little extra baking powder; rise will be slightly less.

Salt: -Remains-

Sugar: Brown sugar (or a combination of white and half-brown sugar) adds molasses depth and a darker crumb.

Eggs: For an egg-free option, use flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water per egg). For extra richness, adding one egg yolk makes the crumb even more tender.

Pumpkin pie spice: DIY with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves; a pinch of cardamom is lovely.

Pumpkin puree: Butternut or sweet potato puree works; drain if watery. 

Vegetable oil:  Canola, sunflower, or melted butter (more flavor, slightly firmer when chilled). Coconut oil works best when entirely melted and then cooled.

Salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) – Use unsalted pepitas if that’s what you have, but add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor. Chopped pecans or walnuts can also be sprinkled on top before baking. If you prefer a sweeter muffin, you can use a streusel topping instead of seeds, but the salty crunch is what keeps these from being too sugary.

Cream cheese: Mascarpone for a milder, sweeter center; dairy-free cream cheese also works.

Icing sugar: Powdered sugar is the same; if you must, blitz granulated sugar until fine.

Salted pepitas: Unsalted pepitas, chopped pecans, or walnuts for a different crunch.

Optional flavor boost: Adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the wet ingredients complements the spices (not required, but a nice addition).

​Expert Tips, Serving And Storing Suggestions For These Pumpkin Muffins

Tip #1: Get the dome: Start hot at 425°F for 10 minutes; that initial blast creates dramatic lift. Don’t open the door — steam = rise.

Tip #2: Cream Cheese Filling: Use room-temperature cream cheese and mix at a low speed so it’s silky and pipes cleanly.

Tip #3: Clean piping: A proper piping bag (or a sturdy ziplock bag) provides control; go slowly so the filling spreads into the crumb instead of backing up the channel.

These pumpkin cheesecake muffins are perfect for the fall season. For Thanksgiving brunch, I pile them high on a wooden board with apple slices, sharp cheddar, and a big pot of of steaming fresh coffee. For a harvest party, they hold their own on a dessert spread with roasted nuts and grapes, and they look gorgeous with those glossy pepitas. And if you’re gifting, a parchment wrap and twine turn them into the perfect treat for a hostess gift.

​Because of the cream cheese filling, these aren’t counter muffins. If you’re serving the same day, cover the muffins loosely with a clean towel to prevent the tops from drying. Otherwise, tuck them into an airtight container and refrigerate up to four days; a quick warm-through at 300°F brings back the fresh-baked feel. For more extended storage, wrap each muffin in plastic wrap, slide it into a freezer bag, and freeze for up to three months. 

​Reheat from frozen at 325°F for about 15 minutes or thaw overnight. If you prefer true day-of freshness for events, portion the batter into muffin cups and freeze. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of minutes, for the best muffins right when you need them.

​

​