You guys have heard me talk about how I was once a Starbucks® addict.

Like MAJORLY.

I used to drink Starbucks almost every day, and sometimes twice a day! EEK! Not only was that a big hit on my health, but my pocketbook sure suffered as well.

I am happy to report that I have since broken my Starbucks addiction and since learning that coffee is a migraine trigger for me, I only stop in occasionally for an iced tea. But boy do I miss coffee. I don’t really miss the sugary coffee drinks, but I miss a cup of coffee with a big splash of cream. Yum… For more about how I broke my coffee habit and what I created as a suitable substitute, read this post here.

Earlier this Fall, I was going through their drive-thru to pick up a coffee for my husband and I saw their sign announcing that their pumpkin cream cheese muffins were back.

I used to LOVE those muffins. They were the perfect accompaniment to my pumpkin spice latte…Can you say sugar overload?

In any case, that brought back memories of those tasty muffins and I set out to re-create them in a slightly healthier version. This is what I developed and they are pretty dang tasty if I do say so myself.

The muffin is moist and flavorful and is perfectly offset with a bite of tangy cream cheese filling.

They make the perfect snack or dessert for your holiday meals — or, if you’re like me, any time of year. It’s always pumpkin season in my house! 🙂

Delicious Obsessions Trusted Product Recommendations for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

I am always asked about my favorite ingredients and what I use in my own kitchen. I have linked to the products from my affiliate partners that I personally use and recommend. And now, here are the special coupon offers that select affiliate partners are currently offering:

• Thrive Market: If you sign up through this link, you will get 15% OFF your first order.
• Amazon, of course, has everything you need for this recipe. Their prices are often very good, though I love to shop around and sometimes find that Thrive Market has better deals. If you like saving money, it’s good to shop around! 🙂

Important Note On Gelatin Types 

When it comes to gelatin, you don’t want any old gelatin off the supermarket shelves. You want to look for 100% grass-fed gelatin from healthy animals. Just like other animal products, quality is important.

That is why I recommend Vital Proteins Grass-Fed Gelatin products and Perfect Supplements products exclusively. I have compared these brand with other brands on the market and the quality far surpasses anything else I’ve tried. I am thrilled to be one of their affiliate partners and support such great products and companies.

Perfect Supplements offers a grass-fed hydrolyzed collagen (cold-soluble) right now and has a gelatin (hot-soluble) in the works for 2016. Read my review of their product here or watch the video below. You can order their own products via their own site here or on Amazon here.

Vital Proteins offers two types of gelatin. The green top (Collagen Protein) is what you need for this recipe and for recipes where you are making gummies, “jello”, etc. The blue top (Collagen Peptides) is cold water soluble and does not thicken or gel like gelatin does. Both are very nutritious, but can’t be used interchangeably. You can order their own products via their own site here or on Amazon here.

 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (a Starbucks® copycat recipe) :: Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option

Yield: 18 Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

If you've been a fan of the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins from Starbucks, you are going to swoon for this copycat recipe. Dare I say they taste just like those muffins (or perhaps even better!)? Enjoy!

Print

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp. grass-fed gelatin
• 15 oz. pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup finely chopped my homemade honey candied ginger (or whatever your favorite brand is)

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup superfine blanched almond flour
• 1.5 tbsp. coconut flour
• 3 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (learn to make your own here)
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt

Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients

• 8 oz. full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature (for dairy-free, use a vegan cream cheese like Kite Hill, Daiya, or VioLife)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. lime juice (or lemon)
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup

Toppings (optional)

• Toasted pumpkin seeds
• Finely chopped candied ginger

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a small bowl, whip the cream cheese filling ingredients together until light and fluffy.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix until combined.
5. With your mixer running, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
6. Line your muffin tins with paper wrappers. If you don't use wrappers, make sure you grease your muffin tins well.
7. Spoon the muffing mixture into the pan, filling each slot 1/3 full.
8. Add a dollop (about 2 tsp.) of the cream cheese mixture directly in the middle of each muffin.
9. Top each muffin with a few pumpkin seeds and candied ginger.
10. Bake at 350 F for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when you test the middle of a muffin.
11. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.
12. This recipe makes approximately 18 muffins.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

• 
  AmazonBasics Nonstick Carbon Steel Muffin Pan, Set of 2, 12 Cups Each
• 
  Nutiva Organic, Neutral Tasting, Steam Refined Coconut Oil from non-GMO, Sustainably Farmed Coconuts, 15-ounce
• 
  Perfect Bovine Gelatin - Sourced EXCLUSIVELY From Brazilian Grass Pastured (Grass Fed) Cows
• 
  Farmer's Market Foods Organic Canned Pumpkin
• 
  Anthony's Almond Flour Blanched, 2lb, Batch Tested Gluten Free, Non GMO, Vegan, Keto Friendly
• 
  Anthony's Organic Coconut Flour, 4lbs, Batch Tested Gluten Free, Non GMO, Vegan, Keto Friendly
• 
  Coombs Family Farms Organic Pure Maple Sugar, 6-Ounce
• 
  Go Raw Pumpkin Seeds
• 
  Next Organics Dried Crystallized Ginger 6 oz

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 208Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 193mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 4g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered from Nutritionix and we often find their calculations to be slightly inaccurate based on the whole food ingredients we use on this site. Nutrition information can vary for a recipe based on many factors. We strive to keep the information as accurate as possible, but make no warranties regarding its accuracy. We encourage readers to make their own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Were you ever a Starbuck’s® addict? What was your favorite thing to get there? Leave a comment below! 

Learn How to Make Perfect Ice Cream (and Other Frozen Treats) at Home

Ice cream is the quintessential dessert (and, ahem, it would probably go pretty darn great with this recipe!). I mean, I can’t think of a single person that I’ve ever met who doesn’t like ice cream. While not everyone is as passionate about the cold, creamy, sweet concoction as I am, I am betting that if you’re reading this, you probably enjoy a frozen treat of some sort every now and then.

If so, then I have the PERFECT resource for you today.

I am crazy for ice cream, but I find that there are very few commercial ice creams that I can eat. I can’t do dairy, so that scratches a good 75% of them off the list. And the non-dairy options either taste funny, have too much sugar, or have weird gums and additives that my poor gut just doesn’t tolerate.

So, what’s a gal to do?

Master the art of making her own ice cream at home, that’s what!

And create I did and The Splendid Scoop and Other Frozen Treats eBook was born! This is one of my best-selling eBooks because I arm you with everything you need to make your own perfect ice cream (or other frozen treats) at home any time you want. 

And I do it all with real food ingredients, no refined sweeteners, not gums, not stabilizers. No junk here.

Oh, and I also have made the recipes allergen-friendly and even adaptable for stricter healing diets (like the AIP).

So, if you are ready to master the art of making your own ice cream at home, this is the perfect book for you. Don’t let another special occasion or hot day in the summer pass you by watching everyone else enjoying cold treats while you sit on the sideline due to your dietary restrictions.

No more!

If you are ready to learn more about The Splendid Scoop and Other Frozen Treats and see how you can download your own copy today, click here (or just click on the image below!).

Want Even More Gelatin Goodness?

Health Benefits and Gelatin Info

• Get the real scoop on gelatin brands here.
• Learn how to use gelatin for an egg replacement here.
• Find out the amazing health benefits of gelatin here.

Gelatin Recipes (Gluten-Free)

• Strawberry Mint Lemonade Gummies
• Melon Gummies
• Elderberry Gummies with Ginger and Turmeric
• Honey Orange Fruit Snacks
• Strawberry Clouds Dessert
• Vanilla Bean Faux Cheesecake
• Clean and Healthy Homemade Marshmallows
• Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
• Pumpkin Brownies
• Pumpkin Scones
• Double Dark Chocolate Coconut Milk Pudding
• Coconut Tulsi (Holy Basil) Ice Cream
• Strawberries & Cream Tart
• Creamy Coconut Milk Yogurt (no yogurt maker required)