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Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins are the perfect way to elevate your breakfast routine or satisfy a sweet afternoon craving. These delightful muffins combine fluffy, buttery batter with pockets of sweet, juicy strawberries and a decadent cream cheese swirl.
They’re surprisingly easy to make, requiring no fancy equipment or complicated techniques. In fact, with just a few bowls and a whisk, you can whip up a batch of these muffins in under an hour, filling your kitchen with the heavenly aroma of fresh strawberries and baking goodness.
These muffins are not only delicious but also versatile. Feel free to experiment with different types of berries or add a streusel topping for an extra textural element.
So, preheat your oven, grab your ingredients, and get ready to bake a batch of these delightful Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins!
Ingredients (Gather Your Delicious Supplies)
Here’s a breakdown of everything you’ll need to create these delightful muffins:
For the Muffin Batter:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 2 cups |
| Baking powder | 2 teaspoons |
| Baking soda | ½ teaspoon |
| Salt | ½ teaspoon |
| Granulated sugar | ½ cup |
| Light brown sugar (packed) | ¼ cup |
| Unsalted butter, softened | ½ cup |
| Large eggs | 2 |
| Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon |
| Milk | 1 cup |
| Fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced | 1 ½ cups |
For the Cream Cheese Swirl:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Cream cheese, softened | 4 ounces |
| Granulated sugar | ¼ cup |
| Vanilla extract | ½ teaspoon |
Instructions (Simple Steps to Muffin Magic)
Now that you have all your ingredients assembled, let’s get started on baking these irresistible muffins!
1. Preheat and Prepare (Getting the Oven and Muffin Tin Ready)
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups well. This will help with easy removal of the muffins after baking.
2. Dry Ingredients First (Mixing the Flour Mixture)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures these dry ingredients are evenly distributed and properly aerated for a light and fluffy muffin.
3. Cream Together the Sugars and Butter (Creating a Light and Fluffy Base)
- In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer with cream cheese attachments (or a hand mixer with beaters), cream together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and softened butter until light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the batter, contributing to the muffins’ rise.
4. Wet Ingredients Join the Party (Adding Eggs and Vanilla)
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well incorporated.
5. Unite the Wet and Dry Mixtures (Combining for the Muffin Batter)
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins.
6. Gently Fold in the Strawberries (Adding Bursts of Sweetness)
- Gently fold in the sliced strawberries using a rubber spatula. Avoid overmixing, as this can result in tough muffins and can cause the strawberries to bleed into the batter.
7. Make the Cream Cheese Swirl (Creating a Decadent Twist)
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, cream together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. This will be the decadent swirl that adds a delightful surprise in every bite.
8. Assemble and Bake! (Filling the Molds and Baking to Perfection)
- Fill each prepared muffin cup with batter about ¾ full.
- Dollop a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on top of the batter in each muffin cup.
- Use a butter knife to swirl the cream cheese mixture gently into the muffin batter, creating a marbled effect.
Pro-Tip: Don’t overfill the muffin cups, or the muffins might overflow during baking.
- Bake the muffins for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Cool and Enjoy! (Letting the Muffins Rest and Enjoying the Reward)
- Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, and enjoy
