Strawberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Muffins with Fresh Strawberries
These strawberry cream cheese muffins are soft, fluffy, and filled with a rich, creamy center. Bursting with fresh strawberries and topped with an optional crumb topping, they taste just like bakery-style muffins but are easy to make at home. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a quick snack, they’re sure to become a favorite treat!
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 oz cream chees
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Large egg yolk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Muffin Batter
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 Large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup fresh strawberries
- 1 tbsp flour (for tossing strawberries)
Crumb Topping (Optional)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven & prep pan: 375°F (190°C), line or grease muffin tin.
- Make cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: Eggs, milk, oil, vanilla until smooth.
- Combine: Add wet to dry, stir gently, do not overmix.
- Prep strawberries: Toss diced strawberries with 1 tbsp flour; fold into batter.
- Assemble muffins: Fill cups halfway, add 1 tsp cream cheese, cover with remaining batter.
- Add crumb topping (optional): Mix flour, sugar, butter; sprinkle on muffins.
- Bake: 18–22 minutes until golden and a toothpick in the muffin portion comes out clean.
- Cool: 5 min in tin, then transfer to wire rack. Enjoy warm or room temperature.
Notes
- Cream Cheese: Make sure it’s softened to room temperature for a smooth, lump-free filling. Cold cream cheese can break the batter or leave clumps.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries work best for flavor and texture. If using frozen, thaw and drain thoroughly to avoid extra moisture.
- Mixing Batter: Gently fold ingredients. Overmixing can make muffins dense instead of soft and fluffy.
- Measuring Flour: Spoon and level your flour rather than scooping directly—it keeps the muffins tender.
- Crumb Topping: Optional, but adds a bakery-style crunch. You can even mix in oats or chopped nuts for extra texture.
- Baking Time: Oven temperatures vary; check muffins around 18 minutes. Use a toothpick in the muffin (avoid cream cheese) to check doneness.
- Cooling: Let muffins cool for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. This allows the cream cheese filling to set perfectly.
- Storage Tip: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.