Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins (Printable Version)

Tender, moist muffins bursting with fresh strawberries and creamy cheesecake swirls, perfect for a brunch delight.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Muffin Batter

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
06 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced

→ Cream Cheese Filling

11 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1 large egg yolk
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Topping

15 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or turbinado sugar

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and sugar until combined. Beat in eggs, then milk and vanilla extract.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold in diced strawberries without overmixing.
05 - In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
06 - Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of muffin batter into each muffin cup. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of cream cheese filling in the center. Top with remaining muffin batter to cover the filling.
07 - If desired, sprinkle muffin tops with coarse sugar for a crunchy finish.
08 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted into the muffin body comes out clean.
09 - Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The cream cheese filling stays hidden until you bite through, making every muffin feel like a small, delicious surprise.
  • They come together in about 45 minutes from start to finish, which means you can have fresh-baked muffins without spending your whole Sunday in the kitchen.
  • They're sturdy enough to grab on the way out the door but tender enough that people will actually sit down and savor them.
02 -
  • The cream cheese filling must be at room temperature and smooth, or it will seize up and become grainy when it hits the cold batter, so plan ahead and let it soften for at least 30 minutes on the counter.
  • Overmixing the batter is the most common mistake that turns tender muffins into tough, rubbery hockey pucks, so stop stirring the moment you see no white flour streaks.
  • A toothpick test works best if you insert it into the muffin portion and not the cream cheese, because the cheese might be creamy even when the cake is fully baked.
03 -
  • Room-temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable, so take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to bake, and your filling will become silky instead of grainy.
  • Dice your strawberries fairly small so they distribute evenly and don't sink to the bottom, and if you get strawberries that are very juicy, drain them on paper towels first so they don't make your batter soupy.
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