These Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins are loaded with fresh strawberries, creamy cheesecake filling, and a buttery crumb topping for a bakery-style treat that looks and tastes professional. They're impressive enough for a spring brunch or party, but simple enough as a cozy weekend treat.
Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes total baking time
- 🍴 Servings: 12 large bakery-style muffins.
- 🍓 Flavor Profile: Sweet, creamy, buttery, and fruity with rich cheesecake filling and crunchy cinnamon streusel topping.
- 🫖 Best Served With: Fresh coffee, hot tea, or a cold glass of milk for a bakery-style treat.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, store refrigerated up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months for easy prep ahead.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I'm obsessed with cheesecake and basically anything cheesecake-flavored, so these strawberry cream cheese muffins quickly became one of my favorite things to bake. I use sour cream instead of yogurt because it keeps the muffins extra tender and soft while helping them bake up tall and fluffy. The rich hidden cheesecake filling is such a lovely surprise in every bite.
If you're looking for more cream cheese-filled muffins, you'll enjoy pumpkin cream cheese muffins and banana cream cheese muffins.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You need just one bowl for the batter: The batter for these strawberry cheesecake muffins comes together in just one bowl, making cleanup quick and easy.
- It has three different textures: You get crispy topping, soft muffin, and creamy cheesecake filling that make each bite even better than the last.
- It's amazing for sharing and gifting: These muffins would make a thoughtful and impressive gift for a neighbor, a friend, or as a thank you like our no bake strawberry cheesecake.
Ingredients
Below are items that are needed for the muffin, filling, and topping to come out perfectly. This recipe consists entirely of kitchen staples!
- Sour cream: This is an important ingredient for this strawberry cheesecake muffin recipe. It works together with the baking soda to create a soft and tender crumb, so they won't turn out dry, just like in this sour cream blueberry coffee cake. Full-fat sour cream is ideal here!
- Cream cheese: Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature for about 30 minutes or so. This will make it easier to work with and keep the filling smooth.
- Strawberries: Make sure they are ripe, but not mushy. Cut them into uniform pieces, no bigger than half an inch.
- Brown sugar: I add this to the streusel for deeper caramel notes and to keep the topping crispy instead of soggy. This works better than granulated sugar would.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Strawberry lemon: Add a teaspoon of fresh lemon zest to the filling to give it some citrus zing.
- Blueberry: Swap the strawberries for blueberries for a different fruit flavor.
- Mini muffins: Use a mini muffin tin and make smaller versions. Just skip the 425°F first bake, and bake them at 350°F for 12-15 minutes.
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins
Start by preheating the oven to 425°F and lining your muffin tin with paper liners. Then, make the cheesecake filling so it's ready when you've finished making the batter and streusel topping.
Step 1: Prepare the topping. Combine the ingredients for the crumble topping in a small bowl and mix them until the mixture is thick and crumbly.
Step 2: Make the muffin batter. Mix the dry and wet ingredients for the batter separately before combining them.
Step 3: Add strawberries. Add the fruit to the batter and gently fold it into the mixture.
Step 4: Scoop the batter. Scoop 2 tablespoons of muffin batter into each liner.
Step 5: Add the filling. Add 1 tablespoon of cheesecake filling and then top them with more batter until they're almost full.
Step 6: Sprinkle the crumble on top. Add the streusel on top of each muffin.
Step 7: Bake the muffins. Place the pan into the oven and bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F and then 15-20 minutes at 350°F. Be sure to only turn down the temperature without opening the door or removing the muffins.
Step 8: Cool and serve. Allow them to cool for about 10 minutes in the muffin tin before you transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Enjoy a strawberry cream cheese muffin with strawberry horchata for even more strawberry flavor.
Expert Tips
- Pat the strawberries dry: Ensure that the strawberries are dry, especially if they are juicy. The excess moisture can make the muffin batter loose and the bottoms of the muffins soggy. Pat them dry with paper towels if needed.
- The high-heat start is crucial: Don't skip the 425°F blast of heat at the beginning. That is what creates the dome on the tops of the strawberry cream cheese muffins. They will be flat if baked at 350°F the whole time.
- Use a toothpick to check doneness: Insert a toothpick into the side of the cheesecake center of one of the muffins to check if they are baked through. It should come out clean, with no wet batter.
- Storing the muffins: Keep the strawberry cheesecake muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. The cheesecake filling requires refrigeration. Allow them to come to room temperature before you serve them for the best texture.
- Freezer instructions: To freeze them, wrap each of them in plastic wrap before placing them into a freezer bag. Keep them frozen for up to 2 months and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before serving them.
Another fresh strawberry muffin recipe you should try is strawberry rhubarb muffins.
Serving Suggestions
- Ice cream pairings: Serve these cheesecake strawberry muffins as a tasty bakery dessert with a scoop of chocolate strawberry ice cream or your favorite vanilla ice cream.
- Savory breakfast items: Enjoy them as a sweet breakfast treat. Some savory pairings to try include a salmon omelet and air fryer frozen sausage patties.
- Drinks: You can serve all sorts of beverages with these strawberry cheesecake streusel muffins. I enjoy orange juice, coffee, and milk.
Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins Recipe FAQs
If the streusel is too warm or if there's too much butter, it will be wet instead of crumbly, which will make it melt into the tops of the muffins. If it's too soft, add a little flour and place it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes, and then it should work great.
Sure! Omit the cheesecake filling, and you get delicious strawberry streusel muffins.
Yes, you can. However, they must be thawed and dried before you use them. Pat them dry and gently squeeze out any excess moisture.
I don't recommend it because the moment you combine the baking powder and baking soda, they activate.
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More Strawberry Cheesecake Recipes
Do you like strawberry and cheesecake recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins
Ingredients
Muffin Batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh strawberries chopped
Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Streusel Crumb Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon optional
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Prepare a muffin pan by lining with paper liners or lightly greasing.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, stir together the crumb topping ingredients until a thick, crumbly mixture forms, then set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined.
- Fold in the chopped strawberries carefully.
- In another bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Spoon a heaping 2 tablespoons of muffin batter into each liner.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of cheesecake filling to the center of each muffin.
- Top with more batter until each cup is nearly full for tall bakery-style muffins.
- Generously sprinkle the crumb topping over each muffin, gently pressing it into the batter.
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F without opening the door.
- Continue baking for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and centers are set.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
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Notes
- Don't skip the initial 425°F bake. The burst of heat helps the strawberry cream cheese muffins rise tall with domed tops instead of turning out flat.
- Insert a toothpick beside the cheesecake center to check for doneness. If it comes out clean with no wet batter, the muffins are ready.
- If the streusel is too warm or has too much butter, it can turn wet instead of crumbly and melt into the muffin tops. Add a little flour and chill it for 5-10 minutes to help it firm up.
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