Description
These Cream Cheese Strawberry Muffins are incredibly moist and flavorful, combining fresh strawberries with a creamy cheesecake-like filling. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack, these muffins are easy to make and sure to become a favorite treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar added)
Fruit
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it with non-stick spray.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well mixed to ensure even distribution of leavening agents.
- Mix sugars and egg: In another bowl, mix granulated sugar and brown sugar together. Add the egg and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add butter and buttermilk: Pour the melted and cooled butter and buttermilk into the sugar and egg mixture. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix to keep muffins tender.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula until no dry flour remains, avoiding overmixing.
- Add strawberries: Gently fold in the chopped strawberries until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Prepare cream cheese filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Blend until smooth and creamy, then set aside.
- Start muffin assembly: Spoon about a tablespoon of the muffin batter into the bottom of each muffin cup in the prepared tin.
- Add cream cheese filling: Place a small scoop of the cream cheese filling in the center of each muffin cup, on top of the batter.
- Top with batter: Cover the cream cheese filling completely with another tablespoon of muffin batter.
- Add extra strawberries (optional): Sprinkle leftover chopped strawberries on top of each muffin for extra fruitiness and color.
- Bake: Bake the muffins for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the muffin (avoiding the cream cheese center) comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring the muffins do not get soggy.
Notes
- To substitute buttermilk, use milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice added per ½ cup, let sit for 5 minutes.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep muffins light and fluffy.
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened for a smooth filling.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor and texture.
- Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Reheat muffins slightly before serving for a fresher taste.
