These berry cream cheese muffins are moist, bursting with tangy cream and berry flavor! Plus, the unique swirl pattern makes them fun to eat.
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…I’ll be honest, I had some doubts with how my batter was looking (likely my error with the mixing). Once it was baked, WOW! Just like eating a berry cheesecake! So yummy 🙂 – Shay
If you’re a fan of classic blueberry muffins, you’ll love this unique twist. The cream cheese adds a delicious tangy flavor that complements the sweetness of the blueberries.
Love berry desserts? Then I highly recommend trying my homemade blueberry pie, blueberry coffee cake, and lemon blueberry poppy seed bread. They’re all bursting with the bright flavors of blueberries!
With thousands of muffin recipes available online, I’m constantly searching for unique ones! My aunt gave me this book full of special and adventurous recipes from the kitchens of Camp Denali and North Face Lodge, Alaska. I was attracted to this particular muffin recipe inside its pages, so we made them for breakfast.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Classic Flavors: This recipe combines the classic flavors of berry and cream cheese in a muffin, resulting in a time-tested, always-delicious combination.
- Unique Swirl: The swirl pattern makes them fun to eat, especially for kids who absolutely love them!
- Fresh or Frozen Berries: I love how you can use fresh or frozen berries for this recipe, which means you can enjoy it whenever you’d like.
- Great All Year Long: While these muffins are great for Valentine’s Day, thanks to their vibrant color, they’re also a hit year-round.
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Key Ingredients
- Cream Cheese: This will add a rich and creamy texture to the muffins, as well as a subtle tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet blueberries.
- Eggs: They will act as a binding agent in the recipe, helping to hold all the ingredients together.
- Granulated Sugar: This will sweeten the muffins, giving them a deliciously sweet flavor and a golden brown color when baked.
- Unrefined Coconut Oil: It will add moisture to the muffins and a hint of coconut flavor that complements the blueberries.
- Vanilla Extract: This will enhance the overall flavor of the muffins, giving them a warm and inviting aroma.
- All-Purpose Flour: It is the main dry ingredient in the recipe, providing structure to the muffins.
- Berries: In this recipe I used blackberries which will add a burst of juicy sweetness to the muffins, as well as a beautiful purple color.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These will be our leavening agents to get the perfect rise and texture for our berry cream cheese muffins.
Equipment
- Mixer – You’ll need a mixer to blend the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla extract, and to mix in the dry ingredients. It makes the batter smooth and creamy.
- Muffin Tin – This is essential for baking the muffins. You can use standard size paper muffin cups or grease the tin directly.
How to Make Berry Cream Cheese Muffins
Preparation
To start, preheat your oven to 375˚ F. This will make sure that it’s at the right temperature when you’re ready to bake your muffins.
Step 1 – Prepare the Cream Cheese Mixture
Using a mixer, combine the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla. This will form a smooth, creamy mixture that will give your muffins a delicious, rich flavor.
Step 2 – Add the Dry Ingredients
Next, you’ll need to add the dry ingredients. On low speed, mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Be careful not to overmix at this stage – you just want the ingredients to be combined.
Step 3 – Fold in the Blueberries
After your dry ingredients are mixed in, gently fold in one cup of crushed berries by hand. This will give your muffins a burst of sweet, juicy berry flavor in every bite.
Step 4 – Fill the Muffin Cups
Now it’s time to fill your muffin cups. You can use either standard size paper muffin cups in a tin or greased muffin tins. Scoop the batter into the cups, filling each one about two-thirds full.
Step 5 – Bake the Muffins
Place your muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Step 6 – Cool and Serve
Once your muffins are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes. After that, you can transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Your berry cream cheese muffins are now ready to serve.
Expert Tip
To make the best berry cream cheese muffins, be sure to not overmix the batter. Overmixing can result in tough muffins. When adding the dry ingredients, mix just until they are incorporated.
Recipe Variations
- Different Berries: This recipe calls for blueberries, but feel free to experiment with other berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. You can use fresh or frozen berries, just make sure to crush them slightly before folding them into the batter.
- Add a Streusel: For an extra bit of crunch and sweetness, sprinkle a simple streusel topping over the muffins before baking. Just mix together some flour, sugar, and melted butter until crumbly, then sprinkle it over the batter.
- Lemon Zest: For a bright, citrusy flavor, add the zest of a lemon to the batter. The lemon will complement the sweet berries and creamy cream cheese, adding a new dimension to the muffins.
What to Serve With
- These berry cream cheese muffins are a perfect addition to your breakfast or brunch spread. Serve them with a hot cup of coffee or a refreshing glass of orange juice for a delicious start to your day.
- Looking for a sweet afternoon treat? These muffins pair well with a cup of tea. The subtle cream cheese flavor and the burst of berry in every bite make for a satisfying snack.
- If you’re hosting a baby shower or a birthday party, these muffins are a great option. They are not too sweet, so they won’t overpower other desserts, but still, add a nice touch of color and flavor to the table.
- Need a quick grab-and-go breakfast option? These muffins are your answer. Bake a batch over the weekend and enjoy them throughout the week. Just warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds before eating.
Make Ahead Instructions
These freeze really well. Just follow the instructions and after baking let fully cool. Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room termperature.
Recipe FAQs
The cream cheese and coconut oil in this recipe add a richness that keeps the muffins moist and tender. The cream cheese also gives a subtle tangy flavor which complements the sweetness of the berries.
Yes, you can. This recipe is versatile, and you can use any type of berry you like. Blueberries work well, but you can also try raspberries, blackberries, or a mix of different berries.
The muffins are done when they are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This indicates that the muffins are fully baked and not doughy in the middle.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: After enjoying these delicious muffins, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Freezing: These muffins freeze really well. Let them cool completely and then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy the muffins, simply let them thaw at room temperature. This will take about 2-3 hours.
- Reheating: If you prefer your muffins warm, you can reheat them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
More Muffin Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Serving Size
- What to Expect: This berry cream cheese muffin recipe yields about 12 delicious muffins.
- How to Scale: If you’re planning to serve a larger crowd or just want to have some extra muffins on hand, you can easily double the recipe. Make sure to use a larger bowl to mix the batter and two muffin pans to accommodate the increased quantity. Follow the rest of the instructions as directed, and you’ll have twice the number of tasty berry cream cheese muffins.
Berry Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 Cup unrefined coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup berries crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚ F. Line or grease a muffin tin.
- Using a mixer, mix the softened cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix on medium speed for one minute. Add the sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla until combined.
- On low speed, stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Remove the mixing bowl and by hand, gently fold in one cup of crushed berries.
- Scoop the batter into the lined or greased muffin tin.
- Bake at 375˚ F for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean from the center. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2020. It has been updated with more details. The recipe remains the same.
Hello there, thank you for this beautiful and delicious recipe. How can I get rid of the seeds from the berries? Unfortunately, I don’t care much for tiny seeds. 😕☺😳
Thank you. 😊
Hi Beth!
After you purée the fruit, you can put it through a sieve and collect the seeds. A meshed colander will work for this. Then proceed with the recipe as normal. You may want to add extra berries since you’ll lose volume without the seeds. Hope this helps! 🙂
I ran out of eggs so I used chia seeds as a substitute. I’ll be honest, I had some doubts with how my batter was looking (likely my error with the mixing). Once it was baked, WOW! Just like eating a berry cheesecake! So yummy 🙂
Thanks for the comment, Shay! It IS such a great recipe… one of our favorites! 🙂
Made this with King Arthur gluten free measure for measure flour and it turned out well! Thank you for sharing
Hi Kyra!
So glad it worked well for you! Thanks for the feedback 🙂