Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

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The coziest baked good of all: Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins! Tender, flavorful, buttery, perfectly sweet. Filled with cream cheese, studded with strawberries, swirled with strawberry jam and topped with the most delicious lemon crumble. They’re easy to make and are perfect for breakfast, brunch, a snack, or dessert!

Golden brown muffins topped with streusel and strawberries on a wooden board.

ABOUT THESE STRAWBERRY MUFFINS

Muffins are my favorite coffee shop treat. The only thing I love more is making muffins at home because they are amazing when fresh and warm from the oven! I used my Lemon Blueberry Muffin recipe as the basis for this recipe.

I thought I nailed this Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffin recipe on the first try. They were really good, but my husband (and main taste tester) and I decided they needed a little something extra. This final version is incredible!

WHAT MAKES THEM SPECIAL?

These muffins are delicious from top to bottom. They feature a delicious strawberry batter, a creamy cheesecake filling and the most delicious lemon crumble on top!

DELICIOUS STRAWBERRY BATTER

The egg, melted butter and buttermilk give these muffins their soft texture. The batter is flavored with lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon. As for the strawberry flavor? We stir in both chopped strawberries and strawberry jam!

I can’t talk about strawberry desserts without mention these Strawberry Filled Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream. Each cupcake has a whole strawberry baked inside! These Roasted Strawberry Crumb Bars are also a delicious treat for anyone who loves strawberries and lemon together!

Big golden brown strawberry muffins on a black cooling rack.

CREAMY CHEESECAKE FILLING

Each muffin is baked with a heaping spoonful of cheesecake filling inside. It’s made with cream cheese, an egg yolk and vanilla and adds so much creaminess the these muffins! For another treat with a delicious cheesecake filling, you’ll love these Red Velvet Oreo Brownies. My Butterscotch Cream Cheese Cupcakes are topped with a similar rich, cream cheese mixture!

CRISPY LEMON CRUMBLE

These strawberry cheesecake muffins are baked at 400 which gives them a perfect rise and perfect muffin tops! Each muffin to is coated with a delicious, buttery lemon streusel. The tops have the perfect crunch and are amazing in contrast with the softness of the muffins.

Strawberry muffins in a muffin tin with a lemon half and strawberries in the tin.

INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTES

Writing this recipe during social distancing days, I want to offer some substitutes and variations so that you wouldn’t need to make a trip to the store for something. I’ve made several variations of these muffins and each batch was delicious! Below are some options. Feel free to use what you have/like:

SUGAR: Use white or light or brown sugar or a combination.
STRAWBERRIES: This recipe calls for one cup of fresh chopped strawberries. You can also use frozen blueberries. Don’t thaw them beforehand and keep in mind you might need to bake the muffins for a few extra minutes if using frozen strawberries.
BUTTERMILK: Buttermilk adds a delicious, slightly tangy flavor, and a moist, tender texture to muffins. No need to make a trip to the store for buttermilk! Just substitute the buttermilk for the same amount of plain, full fat yogurt or whole milk and the muffins will still turn out great!
BUTTER: I prefer unsalted but salted can be used.
MUFFIN LINERS: If you’re like me and are out of paper cupcake liners, just grease the muffin tin really well.

A delicious raspberry muffin filled with cream cheese and strawberries and topped with crumble.

Muffins with strawberries and crumble on top on a serving board with a zested lemon behind it.

HOW TO MAKE THE CRUMBLE TOPPING

It’s a good idea to mix the topping up first and put it in the fridge while you make the batter. To make it, just mix together the flour, melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Use a spoon or your hands to mix it all up. I like to leave some bits smaller and some a little chunkier as in the picture above.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

IF I FILL THE MUFFINS TO THE TOP OF THE TIN, WON’T THEY SPILL OVER WHILE THEY BAKE?

No, they will form the most delicious muffin tops! Fill the liners with the batter.

HOW DO I ADD THE CRUMBLE TOPPING TO THE MUFFINS IF THERE ISN’T MUCH ROOM AND THE CUPCAKE TIN IS ALREADY FULL OF BATTER?

You’ll most likely need to use your hands to “stick” it on or make sure you get the crumble evenly distributed to all sides of the muffins.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY’RE DONE?

One way to check is to stick a toothpick into the center of one. If it comes out clean (i.e. without any wet crumbs), then they’re done.

Another way to check is to press a muffin lightly with your finger. If it springs back, they’re done.

Delicious muffins in a tin with lemon and strawberries in the tin.

MORE DELICIOUS MUFFINS TO TRY

There are so many other delicious strawberry cheesecake muffin recipes out there I can’t way to try! I can’t wait to try the brown sugar streusel on these Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins by Sally’s Baking Blog! These Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins from Savory Experiments are also on my must bake list!

A close up of a delicious muffin top studded with berries and crumble with a strawberry next to it.

A muffin sliced in half on a muffin liner with a knife and sliced strawberry nearby.

Two stacked muffins in a muffin liner studded with gooey berries baked inside.

Hope these Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins add some warmth and love to your homes and your day! Enjoy them warm, at room temperature and at any time of the day or year!