Raspberry Cheesecake Muffins: You Deserve These For Breakfast
When I was a kid, muffins were always a treat in our house. Not something we had every day, but every now and then, my mom would bake a batch on a weekend morning, and the whole kitchen would smell like butter and sugar. There’s just something about pulling warm muffins out of the oven that makes the day feel a little better, a little slower.
These raspberry cheesecake muffins are the grown-up version of those weekends. They’re still soft and sweet and totally comforting, but there’s this extra layer that makes them special, a swirl of cheesecake right in the middle. It’s the best surprise. You take a bite thinking you’re getting a regular muffin, and then, hello, there’s this creamy filling that tastes like a slice of cheesecake snuck into breakfast.
The raspberries keep them bright and just a little tart, which I love. They cut through the richness and make every bite taste fresh. If you have fresh berries, amazing. If not, frozen works too, and honestly, I’ve made them both ways and been just as happy.
What I really love about these muffins is how easy they are to share. I made a batch last weekend and brought half to a friend who just moved into a new apartment. She texted me later saying they didn’t even make it to the next morning. That’s the thing about muffins—they disappear fast. Especially when they taste like cheesecake.
If you bake these, do yourself a favor and eat one warm, maybe with a cup of coffee. The cheesecake swirl is extra good when it’s still a little soft and melty. They feel like the kind of thing you’d pick up at a cute little bakery, but even better because you made them at home. And if you have a few left over (which is a big “if”), they freeze really well, so you can have a sweet little treat ready whenever you need it.
Raspberry Cheesecake Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffin batter:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
For the cheesecake filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the crumble topping:
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter cold and cubed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened 8 oz cream cheese until smooth using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.8 oz cream cheese
- Add the 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg yolk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Beat until well combined and smooth. Set aside.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt
- In another bowl, whisk together the melted 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1 large egg, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until well combined.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick.
- Gently fold in the 1 cup frozen raspberries.1 cup frozen raspberries
- In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup all purpose flour and 2 tbsp granulated sugar. Add the cold 2 tbsp unsalted butter cubes and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.1/4 cup all purpose flour, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of muffin batter into each muffin cup, spreading it to cover the bottom. Add about 1 tablespoon of the cheesecake filling over the muffin batter in each cup.
- Top with another tablespoon of muffin batter to cover the cheesecake filling. Top with equal amounts of the crumble topping
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
