Description
These Cream Cheese Muffins are tender, moist, and bursting with rich cream cheese flavor. Perfectly sweetened and customizable with your favorite mix-ins like chocolate chips or blueberries, this easy-to-follow recipe guarantees bakery-quality muffins in just over half an hour. Whether for breakfast, brunch, or a delightful snack, these muffins deliver fluffy texture and delicious taste every time.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk
Optional Mix-ins
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, blueberries, or other mix-ins
Instructions
- Prepare Cream Cheese Mixture: In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese and butter. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl sides as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Add Sugar: Gradually add granulated sugar to the cream cheese mixture and continue to beat on medium speed until fully incorporated and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary to mix thoroughly.
- Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure they are fully mixed in. Then stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Mix Dry Ingredients Separately: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and seasoning.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the cream cheese mix, alternating with the milk. Start by adding about one-third of the dry ingredients, then half the milk, mixing on low speed until just combined. Repeat this sequence until all ingredients are incorporated, ending with the dry ingredients.
- Avoid Overmixing: Mix only until the dry ingredients are just moistened. A few flour streaks are fine, as overmixing can develop gluten and make the muffins tough.
- Fold in Mix-ins: If using chocolate chips, blueberries, or other mix-ins, gently fold them into the batter to avoid breaking them up or overworking the batter.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the muffins evenly.
- Prepare Muffin Tin: Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups well to prevent sticking.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling them about two-thirds full to allow space for rising.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center of a muffin; it should come out clean. The tops should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
- Cool Muffins: Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, preventing sogginess and maintaining texture.
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep muffins tender and light.
- You can substitute half-and-half or whole milk for regular milk if desired.
- Mix-ins like fresh or frozen blueberries, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts add variety but should be folded in gently.
- Ensure cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature for smooth mixing.
- Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
