Description
These Cream Cheese Strawberry Muffins are a delightful blend of moist, fluffy muffin batter filled with a sweet cream cheese center and studded with fresh strawberries. Perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack, they bake up golden brown with a tender crumb and luscious, fruity sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Muffin Batter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 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)
- 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 to ensure the muffins don’t stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined to create a uniform leavening base.
- Combine Sugars and Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, blend granulated sugar and brown sugar. Add the egg and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is smooth and creamy, ensuring proper emulsification.
- Add Butter and Buttermilk: Pour the melted butter and buttermilk into the sugar and egg mixture, stirring gently to combine without overmixing which can toughen the muffins.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, gently mixing until just no dry flour remains, maintaining a tender batter texture.
- Add Strawberries: Carefully fold in the chopped fresh strawberries, distributing them evenly throughout the batter for bursts of fruity flavor.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: In a small bowl, blend the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth and creamy; this filling adds a luscious surprise inside the muffins.
- Layer Batter and Filling: Spoon about a tablespoon of muffin batter into the bottom of each muffin cup, then place a small scoop of the cream cheese filling directly in the center.
- Top with Batter: Cover the cream cheese filling with another tablespoon of muffin batter, ensuring the filling is sealed inside for a melty center.
- Add Topping (Optional): If desired, sprinkle leftover chopped strawberries on top of each muffin to enhance the fruity aroma and appearance.
- Bake: Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until the tops turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean, indicating they are cooked through.
- Cool: Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, preserving their texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use fresh strawberries for the best flavor and texture; frozen can add too much moisture and affect baking.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep muffins tender and light.
- Ensure cream cheese is softened to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Buttermilk can be substituted with milk plus a teaspoon of vinegar if unavailable.
- For a more pronounced cream cheese flavor, increase powdered sugar in the filling to 3 tablespoons if desired.
