Fresh Strawberry Muffins Recipe With Cream Cheese
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure statement for details.
Take advantage of strawberry season, get some homegrown strawberries, and make this easy muffin recipe! These strawberry muffins are perfect for brunch or a snack, they are so easy, and the muffins are beautiful!
These fluffy muffins filled with fresh berries are made with simple ingredients found in your pantry, and are the perfect way to provide breakfast for the whole family on busy mornings.
Ingredient Notes + Variations
- The all purpose flour can be switched out with white whole wheat flour, oat flour, almond flour, or gluten-free flour.
- Any kind of sturdy fresh fruit can be substituted for the strawberries: good suggestions are blueberries, finely diced peaches, or finely diced apples.
- Healthier ingredients: refined coconut oil or applesauce can be substituted for the canola oil.
- Delicious additions: lemon zest, lemon juice, maple syrup, white chocolate chips.
How To Make
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- For the topping: combine first four ingredients with a fork. Set aside.
- For the muffin batter: In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl combine the egg, vegetable oil, milk and vanilla.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients in the well. Stir just until mixed. Fold in strawberries.
- For the cream cheese mixture: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cream cheese and sugar until fluffy (2 minutes.)
- Add the milk and vanilla extract until mixed well.
- Using a large scoop, divide muffin batter into the twelve vessels of a muffin tin filled with cupcake liners.
- Using a small scoop, add the cream cheese mixture to the batter. Swirl with a knife to combine.
- Top each muffin with streusel mixture.
- Bake muffins in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Lower oven temp. to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes more. Do NOT open the oven door! Muffins are done when they have golden tops, and an inserted knife comes out clean.
- When done, remove muffins from the pan. Cool on a wire rack.
Helpful Tips
- For best results, use cookie scoops to fill the liners with the muffin batter. Follow the instructions found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Make sure to dice the strawberries very small.
- Instead of using tulip liners, the muffin cups can be sprayed with Baker’s Joy or nonstick cooking spray. You can also use regular cupcake liners. Fill regular liners to just below the rim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Defrost the berries, dice them into small pieces, and place them in a bowl. After the flour is measured, remove 2 teaspoons and add it to the bowl of berries. Toss the berries gently in the flour before adding to the batter.
The trick for getting muffins or cupcakes to rise in the middle is to bake them at high heat for several minutes, followed by more baking time at a lower heat. It’s important NOT to open the oven door during the bake time.
Use a large scoop that measures 2 to 2.5 inches for the batter, and a small scoop that measures1 inch for the filling.
How To Use Tulip Wrappers
I love the tulip wrappers that are pictured in this recipe, and they make these strawberry muffins look extra special. They are also very easy to open after the muffins have been baked. When they are first set into the muffin pan, they don’t sink all the way to the bottom like normal paper liners. But after the batter is scooped in, they drop right down. Using a scoop for both the muffin batter and cream cheese makes filling the tulip wrappers super simple and quick.
SHOP + SOURCE
Click the links below to be taken directly to the product listing. Every effort has been made to provide sources for the items found in this post. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. If an item is out of stock but may be restocked, I left it on the list.
*Affiliate links included. See my disclosure statement. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
More Muffin Recipes
Strawberry Muffins Recipe With Cream Cheese
Ingredients
For The Streusel Topping
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter (very soft)
For The Muffin Batter
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 to 2 cups strawberries cleaned and diced
For The Filling
- 4 oz. cream cheese (softened)
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Combine the topping ingredients with a fork. Set aside.
- Make the muffin batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In a medium bowl, combine the egg, oil, milk and vanilla. Use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or large wooden spoon.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients in the well. Stir by hand just until mixed. Gently fold in strawberries.
- Make the cream cheese filling: in the bowl of a stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, 2 minutes.
- Add the milk and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Using a large scoop, divide muffin batter into the twelve vessels of a muffin pan filled with liners.
- Using a small scoop, add the cream cheese mixture to each vessel. Swirl with a knife to combine.
- Top each muffin with streusel mixture.
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 6 minutes. Lower oven temp. to 350 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes more or until a knife inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
If you make this recipe, and love it, please come back to leave a comment and a 5-star review. I would really appreciate it, and it would help me so much. Thank you!
A Collection Of
Strawberry Ideas
I have a Strawberry Bread recipe, but no muffin recipe. I definitely will be trying this, if it is half as good as my bread recipe, it certainly will be a winner. Thanks
Strawberries..you can’t go wrong in my book! Need to try these.
Good recipe. I had fresh strawberries to use so I decided to try these strawberry muffins. They were yummy. A friend stopped by just after they came out of the oven so I gave her some to take home. She texted later saying they were scrumptious and I should keep the recipe.
Just curious — if I don’t have tulip wrappers but use a “regular” liner, will the batter overflow? Your photo of the batter-filled cups looks as if the top of the batter is the same level as the pan, so the tulip liner would support it but a regular liner would overflow (using the 1″ and 2 – 2-1/2″ scoops) . ?? Thank you.
If you are using a regular liner, it’s a safer bet to fill the cups just below the rim. Enjoy the muffins!