Muffin batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Provides structure. This amount is typical for 12 standard muffins and matches other blueberry muffin bases. - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Sweetens the muffins without making them cake-level sweet so the cream cheese filling can shine. - 1 tablespoon baking powder
Gives the muffins lift and a nicely domed top; many basic muffin formulas use about 1 tablespoon for 2 cups flour. - 1/2 teaspoon salt
Balances sweetness and enhances flavor. - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Adds richness and moisture while keeping the crumb slightly denser and more muffin-like than cake; melted fat is common in stir-and-bake muffin recipes. - 1 egg
Binds the batter and contributes structure and tenderness. - 1/2 cup milk
Provides moisture and helps create a smooth batter; many muffin recipes use milk, buttermilk, or yogurt as the main liquid. - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Adds warm, sweet aroma and rounds out the blueberry flavor. - 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
The star of the muffin. This quantity matches many classic blueberry muffin recipes for berry-packed but still stable muffins.
Cream cheese filling
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
Forms the creamy center; softened brick-style cream cheese blends smoothly and keeps its body when baked, just as in other cream cheese–filled muffin recipes. - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Sweetens the filling to a cheesecake-like level without overpowering the tang of the cream cheese. - 1 egg yolk
Helps set the cream cheese mixture in the oven so it bakes up creamy, not runny; yolks are commonly used to enrich cheesecake-style fillings.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the cups. Many blueberry cream cheese muffin recipes use 350–375°F depending on size; 375°F works well for a standard 12-cup pan.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined. This step ensures the leavening and salt are evenly dispersed, a standard technique in muffin mixing.
Set aside.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully blended. This simple wet mixture mirrors many basic blueberry muffin recipes that combine melted fat, egg, and dairy before adding to the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Combine the batter and add blueberries
Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined and no big pockets of dry flour remain. Muffin recipes consistently warn against overmixing to avoid tough, dense muffins.
Gently fold in the 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries. Folding rather than vigorous stirring helps prevent breaking the berries and keeps the batter from turning purple, a tip echoed across blueberry muffin guides.
Step 5: Make the cream cheese filling
In a small bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and egg yolk until completely smooth and creamy. Cream cheese muffin recipes typically mix the filling until lump-free for the best texture in the center.
Set aside.
Step 6: Assemble the muffins
Spoon a layer of muffin batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling each about halfway full. This bottom layer method is used in many blueberry cream cheese muffin recipes to keep the filling centered.
Drop a heaping teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the batter in each cup. Try to keep it in the center.
Top with more muffin batter to cover the filling, bringing each cup to about 3/4 full. Some recipes swirl the cream cheese slightly; you can leave it as a center pocket or gently nudge it with a toothpick to swirl if you like.
Step 7: Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the muffin portion (avoiding the cream cheese center) comes out clean. Cream cheese–filled muffin recipes often note that testing in the batter rather than the center is key because the filling stays softer.
If your oven tends to brown quickly, you can tent lightly with foil near the end to prevent over-browning while the centers finish baking.
Step 8: Cool and serve
Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Many cream cheese muffin recipes recommend a brief pan rest followed by cooling on a rack so the centers set and liners don’t get soggy.
Enjoy warm or at room temperature. The cream cheese centers will be very hot when fresh from the oven, so allow a few minutes before biting in.
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