🫐🧁 Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Ultra-moist, bakery-style muffins with a creamy heart
Introduction: why these muffins hit different
Blueberry muffins are already a classic. But when you add cream cheese into the equation, everything changes. Suddenly, you’re not just eating a muffin—you’re biting into something halfway between a cupcake and a cheesecake.
These muffins are tall, tender, and perfectly balanced: sweet but not cloying, rich but still light. The blueberries burst as they bake, releasing pockets of jammy fruit that contrast beautifully with the smooth cream cheese filling.
Perfect for breakfast, brunch, coffee breaks, or that “I deserve something good” moment.
🧾 Ingredients (makes 12 large muffins)
Cream cheese filling:
- 225 g (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Muffin batter:
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional but amazing)
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil or melted butter
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup (180 ml) milk or buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (225 g) fresh blueberries (or frozen, not thawed)
Optional topping:
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar (for crunch)
- Streusel crumbs (optional but bakery-level)
🧀 Step 1: prepare the cream cheese filling
In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Mix until completely smooth and creamy—no lumps allowed.
The texture should be thick but spreadable, like cheesecake batter.
Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the muffin batter. Chilling it slightly makes the filling easier to work with later and helps it stay centered during baking.
🫐 Step 2: prep your blueberries properly
If using fresh blueberries, rinse them gently and pat them completely dry. Moisture is the enemy of fluffy muffins.
Toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour from the recipe. This small trick prevents them from sinking to the bottom and distributes them evenly throughout the muffins.
If using frozen blueberries, keep them frozen and toss them in flour just before folding in—this avoids blue streaks in the batter.
🥣 Step 3: mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Lemon zest (if using)
Whisking evenly distributes the leavening agents, which is crucial for tall, evenly baked muffins.
🥛 Step 4: mix the wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together:
- Eggs
- Oil or melted butter
- Milk or buttermilk
- Vanilla extract
Mix until smooth and well combined. The oil gives extra moisture, while butter adds richness—both work beautifully.
🌀 Step 5: combine wet and dry (gently!)
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix just until combined.
The batter should look slightly lumpy. Overmixing will make your muffins dense and tough—resist the urge to “fix” it.
Gently fold in the floured blueberries.
🧁 Step 6: assemble the muffins
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease generously.
Now the fun part:
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup.
- Add 1 generous teaspoon of cream cheese filling in the center.
- Cover with more muffin batter until cups are about ¾ full.
- Add a tiny extra dot of cream cheese on top if you want that bakery look.
Sprinkle with coarse sugar or streusel if using.
🔥 Step 7: bake like a pro
Place the muffins in the oven and bake at 200°C / 400°F for 5 minutes.
Then—without opening the oven—reduce the temperature to 180°C / 350°F and bake for another 15–18 minutes.
This temperature shock helps the muffins rise high and proud before setting.
They’re done when:
- The tops are golden
- A toothpick inserted into the muffin (not the cream cheese) comes out mostly clean
⏳ Step 8: cooling (important!)
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
The cream cheese center will continue to set as they cool, becoming perfectly creamy—not runny.
They taste incredible warm, but also fantastic once fully cooled.
😍 Texture & flavor payoff
These muffins are:
- Soft and tender inside
- Juicy from the blueberries
- Creamy and slightly tangy in the center
- Crisp on top
Each bite gives you contrast—cake, fruit, and cheesecake—all working together in harmony.
💡 Pro tips for next-level muffins
- Use room-temperature ingredients for smoother batter.
- Fill muffin cups high for tall bakery-style tops.
- For extra richness, replace ¼ cup of milk with sour cream.
- Store leftovers in the fridge because of the cream cheese.
🔄 Variations you’ll love
- Lemon Blueberry: add extra lemon zest and a lemon glaze.
- Blueberry Swirl: mix some cream cheese directly into the batter.
- Mixed Berry: swap half the blueberries for raspberries.
- Healthier twist: use half whole-wheat flour and reduce sugar slightly.
🫐 Final words
These Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins are indulgent without being heavy, sweet without being overwhelming, and impressive without being complicated. They’re the kind of recipe people ask for after one bite.