Ok, real talk for a sec.
You ever eat something and immediately think, “Wait…why is this so good? And do I have to share it?” Yeah. That’s what happened when I made these Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins for the first time.
And I’m not even the muffin type. Like, if I walk into a coffee shop and there’s a warm banana bread slice and a muffin sitting next to each other, the muffin loses every time. No contest.
But these? These are different. These muffins have a creamy surprise in the middle (hi, cheesecake filling), juicy bursts of blueberry in every bite, and a sweet crumb topping that makes them feel way more indulgent than they actually are. You basically get breakfast and dessert in one little wrapper.
So whether you’re looking for something cute to bring to brunch, a make-ahead breakfast, or just something you can hoard in your fridge and eat in peace without telling anyone else you made them… this is your recipe.
Let’s get into it.
What You’ll Need
No weird ingredients here. Just normal things you probably already have sitting in your pantry or fridge. But if you don’t have cream cheese… pause here and add that to your grocery list right now.
Muffin Batter
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened is best)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream (don’t skip this)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Cream Cheese Center
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup melted butter
Optional Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
This glaze is totally optional. But also totally worth it. Just saying.
Tools You’ll Need (You Already Own Most of These)
- Muffin tin (12-count)
- Muffin liners or nonstick spray
- Mixing bowls (at least 3)
- Whisk or fork
- Rubber spatula
- Electric mixer (for the filling, unless your arms are feeling ambitious)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack (or a random clean surface, no judgment)
Before You Start: 5 Tips From Someone Who’s Messed This Up So You Don’t Have To
- Room temperature cream cheese is your best friend. Cold cream cheese = lumpy filling. Which = sad muffins. Let it sit out for 30 minutes before you use it.
- Toss your blueberries in a spoonful of flour. If you skip this, all your blueberries will sink to the bottom. This trick keeps them evenly spread throughout the muffins like little juicy landmines of joy.
- Don’t overmix. Seriously. The second your dry and wet ingredients come together, put the whisk down. Overmixing gives you rubbery muffins. And rubbery muffins don’t deserve to exist.
- Use an ice cream scoop to portion your batter. Not mandatory, but it keeps everything uniform and avoids the dreaded “overflow muffin volcano” situation.
- Let them cool before glazing. Unless you like your glaze sliding right off the muffin and onto the counter. Which, hey, maybe that’s your thing?
Substitutions and Swaps (Because Life Happens)
No sour cream? Use Greek yogurt. Just make sure it’s full-fat so you still get that same richness.
No blueberries? Try raspberries, chopped strawberries, or even chocolate chips. Wild, I know.
Need gluten-free? A 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend should work here. Just double-check that your other ingredients (like baking powder) are gluten-free too.
Need dairy-free? This one’s a little trickier because of the cream cheese, but if you’ve got a good dairy-free cream cheese and vegan butter, give it a go. Just know it might not be exactly the same—but close enough to still make your kitchen smell amazing.
Can I Make These Ahead?
Yes! A few ways to do this:
- The night before: Prep the crumb topping and the cream cheese filling, store them covered in the fridge, and assemble everything in the morning.
- Freeze them fully baked: Once they’re cooled, wrap individually and store in a freezer bag. When you want one, defrost in the fridge or microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Boom. Instant bakery moment.
- Skip the glaze and add it later. That way it stays fresh and doesn’t soak into the muffins.
Ok, Let’s Bake These Beauties
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. You know the drill. Preheat first. Always.
- Line your muffin tin. Use liners if you have them. If not, just spray generously with nonstick spray.
- Make the crumb topping. Mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until it looks like chunky sand. Set aside.
- Make the cream cheese filling. Use a hand mixer to beat together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. This is your creamy middle.
- Make the muffin batter. Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, butter, and vanilla. Pour the wet into the dry and gently fold together until just combined. Toss blueberries in a little flour, then gently stir them into the batter.
- Assemble like a muffin master. Scoop a tablespoon of batter into each muffin liner. Add a teaspoon of the cream cheese filling right on top. Cover with another spoonful of batter so the liners are about ¾ full. Sprinkle a generous amount of crumb topping over each one.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes. Check with a toothpick around 20 minutes. It should come out with just a few crumbs (not wet batter). If you’re using frozen blueberries, they might need a few extra minutes.
- Cool and optionally glaze. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack. If you’re adding glaze, wait until they’re completely cool. Mix powdered sugar and milk, drizzle on top, and try not to eat all of them in one sitting.
Nutrition Notes, Just in Case You’re Curious
Here’s a rough estimate per muffin (based on 12 muffins and not including glaze):
- Calories: ~290
- Protein: ~4g
- Carbs: ~35g
- Sugar: ~18g
- Fat: ~15g
It’s a treat. But it’s also not a triple chocolate lava cake, so you’re doing fine. Balance, remember?
Storing Leftovers (If You Somehow Have Any Left)
- Room temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: They’ll stay fresh for 4–5 days. Let them sit out for a bit or microwave for 15 seconds before eating.
- Freezer: Wrap individually in plastic or foil, then store in a freezer bag. Good for up to 3 months.
They freeze beautifully, btw.
Common Questions (That I Definitely Had Too)
Can I use frozen blueberries? Yes. Just don’t thaw them. Toss them straight from the freezer into the flour and then the batter. Thawing makes them too wet.
What if I don’t have muffin liners? No stress. Just grease the muffin tin really well. Use a butter wrapper or cooking spray.
Do I really need the crumb topping? You don’t need it, but also… yes, you do. It’s kind of the best part.
Can I double this recipe? Totally. Just mix the batter in two batches to avoid overmixing.
Can I make mini muffins instead? Yep! Just cut the bake time to about 12–15 minutes and keep an eye on them.
Wrap Up
If you’ve made it this far, first of all—hi, we should probably be friends. Second, I really hope you make these muffins.
They’re one of those recipes that feels fancier than it is, tastes better than store-bought, and makes your kitchen smell like you actually know what you’re doing.
Whether you eat them for breakfast, dessert, or standing barefoot in your kitchen at midnight, they’re gonna deliver. Every. Time.
And when you try them, let me know how it went! Did you switch up the fruit? Make a mess? Use the glaze? I’m nosy, so tell me everything in the comments.
Now go preheat that oven. You’ve got muffins to make.