Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two standard muffin tins with 20 paper liners. Set aside.
To make the cream cheese filling, add the cream cheese and granulated sugar into a medium-sized mixing bowl. With a handheld mixer, on medium-low speed, beat together the cream cheese and granulated sugar for 1 minute or until smooth.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds to fully incorporate and create a smooth cream cheese filling. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, add the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice blend, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the canned pure pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, large eggs, vanilla extract, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk until all the ingredients are completely blended and the mixture is smooth.
Add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and whisk just until all the ingredients are combined and the batter is thick and smooth.
Fill all 20 muffin liners ¾ full with the pumpkin muffin batter.
Squeeze 1½-2 teaspoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of each pumpkin muffin.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin part of the muffin comes out clean. Allow the pumpkin cream cheese muffins to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.