Enjoy the delightful harmony of fresh, tangy blueberries & cheesecakey goodness in these moist, irresistible Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins!
Blueberries.
Muffins.
Cheesecake.
Put them together and what do you get? Dessert for breakfast, let’s go!
This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Where Nana often made breakfast treats like this Blueberry Bisquick Coffee Cake, I’m more of a blueberry cheesecake muffin kind of girl nowadays. Even the name makes you want to wake up early to enjoy them with a cup of coffee, doesn’t it?
These little bundles of yumminess are an absolute treat, but they didn’t come to life without trial and tribulation.
There’s nothing like messing up a muffin, and I can’t tell you how many times I have in my baking life. They can’t all come out perfect on the first go, right?
Picture this: you’re craving a soft, moist muffin studded with juicy blueberries, swirled with ribbons of creamy, tangy cream cheese. A match made in muffin heaven! The combination of flavors and textures is simply divine!
Except…they sink in the middle once they’re cool. And they’re dense and clearly they didn’t quite become the picture perfect treat you expected. Still delicious – amazing even – but just so sad looking.
But we learn. We adjust. And we do it again until they look like what you see in this post.
Here’s how you can make them – and with no hardships!
Ingredients
- Fresh blueberries – nothing fake in these muffins! I love to use fresh berries in my baking because of the way they burst with every bite. If you use frozen berries, do not thaw them, unless you don’t mind purple muffin batter (I don’t)!
- All-purpose flour – as always, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour here for GF muffins.
- Baking powder & baking soda – check expiration dates!
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs – you’ll need three: two for the muffins, and one yolk for the cheesecake filling.
- Vanilla extract – almond or lemon extract would also be delicious in these!
- Salt
- Unsalted butter – I always use unsalted butter so I can control the salt levels, but use what you have, being sure to cut back on the salt added if needed.
- Cream cheese – how else do you make cheesecake? You can try neufchatel or ricotta here as well, but it may alter the texture slightly – let me know how they work!
- Greek yogurt – unflavored or vanilla, or try using sour cream.
- Buttermilk – this, combined with the yogurt, add a nice tang and tender crumb to these muffins. See the chart below if you’re out of buttermilk; you can also simply add more yogurt/sour cream in its place.
Out of Buttermilk?
Go ahead and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar, or 2 1/2 teaspoons of cream of tartar to the milk in this recipe. Stir it up and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before proceeding with mixing the batter. The acid will curdle the milk and act as a buttermilk substitute! It works like a charm, even though it looks a little gross when you add it to the batter.
Other buttermilk substitutes include:
- Buttermilk powder & milk (or water)
- A 3:1 ratio of sour cream & milk (or water)
- A 3:1 ratio of plain yogurt & milk (or water)
- Kefir
- Plant milks + acid of your choice
- Lactose-free milk + acid of your choice
Of course, you can always make this recipe with regular milk as well!
How to make blueberry cream cheese muffins
- Make the streusel. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix with a fork until small pebbles form. Alternatively, you can cut in softened butter with two forks or a pastry cutter to yield similar results. Refrigerate it covered while you make the muffin batter.
- Make the cheesecake filling. In a clean mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese, sugar, and an egg yolk until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Refrigerate it covered while you make the muffin batter.Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 16-18 muffin cups with cupcake liners and set them aside.
- Make the blueberry muffins. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a second bowl, use your mixer to cream together the butter and sugars together until fluffy.
- Add the eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
- Slowly add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the sugar mixer, alternating between the two.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in the blueberries, being sure not to overmix.
- Place about one heaping tablespoon of the muffin batter into the bottom of each liner. Top with a tablespoon of cheesecake filling, then fill the cups almost to the brim with the remaining batter. You can press additional blueberries to the top if you’d like.
- Sprinkle the tops of each muffin evenly with the streusel.
- Place the muffin tins in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for another 12-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Be sure to bake the muffins completely (they will be a bit dark) otherwise they will sink as they cool. (Believe me – my first batch of these did.)
- Remove the pans from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
FAQ
Why did my muffins sink in the middle?
Ah, the sinking muffin mystery! The cream cheese filling is rather heavy, which weighs down the otherwise fluffy muffins. Make sure you bake them long enough so that the structure is sound.
Other reasons for deflating muffins are over-mixing, expired leaveners, opening the oven door to peek, too much batter in the cups, and (in the case of this recipe) forgetting to turn the temperature down after that initial 5 minutes. Also, note your location – higher altitudes than my own (Georgia) required adjusted baking times and temperatures, so get to know your own oven’s quirks!
Why are my muffins dry? Dense?
Dry or dense muffins are such a disappointment! Make sure you’re not overmixing the batter, as this can lead to the development of excess gluten. Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined, with a few lumps remaining, ensures a tender texture.
Another thing that can lead to dry muffins is a lack of moisture. Using both buttermilk AND yogurt or sour cream (both moisture-retaining ingredients) help keep these muffins moist and delicious for days.
Under- and overbaking your muffins also results in a dense or dry outcome, respectively. Keep an eye on baking times and the color of the muffins, as different ovens may vary. Start checking for doneness a few minutes before the suggested baking time and remove the muffins when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
How should I store cream cheese muffins?
Once cooled, store cream cheese muffins in an airtight container or plastic zipper bag at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them for up to 7 days, or freeze them for 2-3 months.
More blueberry recipes to love!
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Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
Streusel
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
Cheesecake Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
Blueberry Muffins
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 heaping cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
Streusel
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix with a fork until small pebbles form. Alternatively, you can cut in softened butter with two forks or a pastry cutter to yield similar results. Set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
- In a clean mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese until it is creamy. Add the sugar and blend until smooth.
- Add egg yolk and beat until fully incorporated. Do not over mix.
Blueberry Muffins
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 16-18 muffin cups with cupcake liners; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a second bowl, use your mixer to cream together the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add the eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
- Slowly add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the sugar mixer, alternating between the two.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in the blueberries, being sure not to overmix.
- Place about a tablespoon of the muffin batter into the bottom of each liner. Top with a heaping tablespoon of cheesecake filling, then fill the cups almost to the brim with the remaining batter.
- Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with the streusel.
- Place the muffin tins in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for another 12-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Be sure to bake the muffins completely (they will be a bit dark) otherwise they will sink as they cool.
- Remove the pans from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Sharon says
Blueberry cheesecake in muffin form! These were irresistible. 🙂 The streusel topping was the best. I will be making these again with more summer blueberries. Yum!
Lisa says
Not only did these blueberry muffins with cream cheese taste incredible but they looked so beautiful too.
Jennifer says
These are my new fav muffin! They’re so moist and blueberry-y and the cream cheese was a great addition!
Rose says
The cream cheese filling was everything in these fluffy blueberry muffins! I’ll make this recipe again.
Jan says
Oh my goodness, these blueberry cheesecake muffins were absolutely yum! 😍 The streusel topping added the perfect touch of sweetness and texture. I can’t wait to make them again
Ksenia says
Fantastic! These had a perfect crumb and the bursts of blueberries were yummy and well dispersed.
Anne says
I made these this weekend and boy, did they turn out fantastic! That cream cheese gives a little bit of tang that goes perfectly with the blueberries.
Sue says
Blueberry muffins are my favorite, and the cream cheese filling takes these to a whole new level. Delightful!