Description

These Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins are moist and fluffy with a delightful creamy center and fresh diced strawberries folded into the batter. Topped with a buttery crumb topping, they provide a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, making them an irresistible treat for breakfast or snack time.

Ingredients

Scale

Cream Cheese Filling

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Muffin Batter

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups diced fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for tossing strawberries)

Crumb Topping

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Prepare Oven and Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup to prevent sticking.
Mix Cream Cheese Filling: In a small bowl, blend softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is completely smooth; set aside for later use.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to create an even dry mix.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract thoroughly until well blended.
Incorporate Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently just until combined to avoid overmixing which can toughen the muffins.
Prepare Strawberries: Toss diced fresh strawberries with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour to evenly coat them, helping distribute strawberries throughout the batter without sinking.
Fold in Strawberries: Gently fold the floured strawberries into the muffin batter, ensuring they are evenly incorporated without crushing the fruit.
Make Crumb Topping: In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup flour and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Stir in the melted unsalted butter until the mixture reaches a crumbly texture, perfect for topping.
Assemble Muffins: Spoon the muffin batter into each prepared muffin cup filling about halfway. Drop approximately 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese filling into the center of each cup. Cover the cream cheese with the remaining batter.
Top with Crumb: Sprinkle the crumb topping generously over the batter in each muffin cup, ensuring a crispy, sweet topping after baking.
Bake Muffins: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes until the muffins turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the muffin portion (avoiding the cream cheese center) comes out clean.
Cool: Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, enhancing texture and flavor.

Notes

For best results, use fresh ripe strawberries to maximize flavor and texture.
Do not overmix the batter to keep the muffins tender and light.
The cream cheese filling adds moistness and a tangy contrast; be sure to center it in each muffin for best effect.
These muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Reheat briefly in the microwave or oven to enjoy the muffins warm.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Strawberry muffins, cream cheese muffins, crumb topping muffins, breakfast muffins, easy muffin recipe, sweet muffins