Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your muffin tins with paper liners or grease them lightly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of salt.

In your large mixing bowl, combine 1 can (15 oz) of pumpkin puree, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and ½ cup of packed brown sugar. Whisk until smooth, then add in 2 large eggs, ½ cup of vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, mixing well.

Slowly add the dry flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, whisking gently until there are no lumps.

Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full with the pumpkin batter.

In a medium bowl, beat 8 oz of room temperature cream cheese until smooth. Add ¼ cup of granulated sugar, 1 large egg yolk, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, mixing until creamy.

Dollop about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling on top of each muffin batter and swirl gently with a toothpick or knife.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick.

Once baked, cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm.