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Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Strawberry cream cheese muffins with tender, fluffy crumb and bursts of chopped strawberries in every bite. Each muffin gets a creamy cream cheese cube in the center so a filling peeks through as they bake.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Rest 10 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup butter, softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Fruit and filling
  • 1.5 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prepare the dry mix
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a muffin tin with liners if desired. This ensures the batter bakes right away for tender crumb.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl until evenly combined. The mixture should look uniform with no baking powder streaks.
Make the batter
  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This step helps the muffins rise and hold a soft texture.
  2. Beat eggs in one at a time, then stir in sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix only until smooth so the batter stays tender.
  3. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stop as soon as you don’t see dry flour for the best crumb.
  4. Fold in chopped fresh strawberries. Distribute the berries evenly without crushing them.
Fill, add cream cheese, and bake
  1. Fill each muffin cup half full with batter. Leave room for the cream cheese cube and remaining batter.
  2. Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each muffin cup, then top with the remaining batter. The cream cheese should be enclosed but may still peek slightly during baking.
  3. Bake for 20-22 minutes at 375°F until a toothpick inserted in a muffin (not through the cream cheese) comes out clean. The tops should look set and lightly golden.
Cool and serve
  1. Cool the muffins in the pan for 10 minutes before serving. This resting time helps the center set so you get clean bites with visible strawberry and cream cheese layers.

Notes

For the cleanest cream cheese center, insert the toothpick away from the cube—don’t poke through it. Store muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm briefly at 300°F until just warmed. Freezing is yes: freeze cooled muffins up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream.