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Moist Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

Moist strawberry cheesecake muffins filled with a rich cream cheese center, fresh strawberries, and topped with a crunchy white sugar streusel. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, brunches, and holiday gatherings. An easy Southern-inspired recipe your family will love!”

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From Aletia's Southern kitchen

From Aletia's kitchen

The story, tips, serving ideas, and step-by-step photographs behind this Southern favorite.

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Moist strawberry cheesecake muffins filled with a rich cream cheese center, fresh strawberries, and topped with a crunchy white sugar streusel. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, brunches, and holiday gatherings. An easy Southern-inspired recipe your family will love!”

There’s something about strawberries that just feels like sunshine and sweetness wrapped into one. These Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins are bursting with juicy, ripe strawberries, swirled with a luscious cheesecake filling, and topped with a crunchy white sugar streusel that melts in your mouth. Perfectly Southern and perfectly irresistible, these muffins are a dream come true for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. I have tweaked and perfected this recipe, making these strawberry cheesecake muffins more than a few times, and let me tell you, they are out of this world delicious! Every bite is pure bliss. These muffins are ultra-moist thanks to the rich sour cream in the batter, giving them that soft, bakery-style texture.

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But what truly makes them next level is the luscious cheesecake filling nestled inside, smooth, creamy, and just the right amount of sweetness. Let’s not forget the strawberries, we’ve got them in every layer! A touch of strawberry jam or preserves swirled right into the batter, plus juicy bits of fresh strawberries in every bite. And as if that wasn’t enough, they’re finished with a crunchy white sugar streusel topping that adds the perfect texture to balance out all that soft, creamy goodness. I’ve been enjoying these muffins with my morning coffee, and let me just say, they’re dangerously good. I can’t wait for you to try them! Whether you’re planning a Mother’s Day brunch, Valentine’s Day treat or just need a pick-me-up with your morning coffee, these muffins are sure to steal the show.

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Why You’ll Love These Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

  • Moist and Tender: Thanks to sour cream in the batter, every bite is soft, moist, and buttery.
  • Creamy Cheesecake Filling: A layer of smooth cheesecake filling adds richness and a delightful surprise in every muffin. Plus the added addition of strawberry preserves just takes these muffins to the highest level. So delicious!!
  • Fresh Strawberry Flavor: Juicy strawberries bring a burst of freshness that pairs beautifully with the cream cheese and sweet streusel topping.
  • Perfect for Any Occasion: From Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day to Fourth of July celebrations with added blueberries for a patriotic twist, these muffins are a versatile favorite.
  • Bakery-Style Muffin Tops: With a quick blast of high heat, these muffins rise tall and proud, just like your favorite bakery treats.
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What You’ll Need to Make These Muffins

  • All-purpose flour for a tender crumb
  • Baking powder and baking soda for that perfect rise
  • Ground cinnamon for a hint of warmth
  • Granulated white sugar for sweetness in both the muffins and streusel topping
  • Eggs for structure and richness
  • Vegetable oil and melted butter for moisture and flavor
  • Sour cream for an ultra-tender texture
  • Vanilla extract for that classic aroma
  • Fresh strawberries for bursts of juicy goodness
  • Cream cheese, powdered sugar, and an egg for the creamy cheesecake filling.
  • Strawberry jam or strawberry preserves

How to make Moist Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
  • Make the cheesecake filling: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and egg yolk until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.
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  • Prepare the muffin batter: In one bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat sugar, eggs, oil, butter, sour cream, and vanilla. Gently fold in the wet ingredients.
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  • Then fold in the chopped strawberries.
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  • Layer the muffins: Spoon a tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup, add a heaping teaspoon of cheesecake filling, then add a teaspoon of strawberry jam top of the cheesecake mixture. Swirl the jam in circular motion in the cheesecake mixture. Top with more batter. Repeat another time with the muffin batter on top.
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  • Make the streusel: Combine flour, sugar, and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over each muffin, pressing gently into the batter.
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  • Bake: Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 15-18 minutes.
  • Cool and serve: Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Optional: Heat about 3 tablespoons of strawberry jam in the microwave. Spoon warmed jam in a plastic sandwich bag and using scissors cut a tiny hole and drizzle jam over the muffins.
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When to Serve These Muffins

  • Valentine’s Day: Sweet, pretty, and romantic – the perfect treat for your Valentine.
  • Mother’s Day Brunch: Show Mom some love with these elegant muffins.
  • Spring and Summer Brunches: Light, fresh, and bursting with flavor – ideal for warm-weather gatherings.
  • Fourth of July: Add some fresh blueberries to the batter for a festive red, white, and blue dessert.
  • Christmas Morning: A sweet start to your holiday festivities.
  • Anytime You Need a Little Southern Comfort: Because who needs an excuse for a good muffin?

Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

  • Bake at a High Temperature First: Start baking at 425°F for the first 5 minutes, then reduce to 350°F. This gives you that bakery-style high muffin top.
  • Fill Muffin Cups to the Top: Don’t stop at three-quarters full – go all the way to the top for tall, beautiful muffins.
  • Layer the Cheesecake Filling: Add a spoonful of batter, then a spoonful of cream cheese filling, then add about a teaspoon of strawberry preserves. Next gently swirl the preserves into the cheesecake mixture and spoon more batter on top for the perfect creamy center.
  • Use Fresh Strawberries: Chop them in medium chunks (not too fine) for even distribution in the batter.
  • Streusel Topping Tip: Gently press the streusel into the top of each muffin so it stays put during baking.
  • Serve with Extras: These muffins pair wonderfully with strawberry jam and a generous pat of butter.

Florida Strawberries – A Southern Favorite

There’s nothing quite like fresh Florida strawberries when they’re in season. Sweet, juicy, and vibrant, they bring a taste of Southern sunshine to any recipe. In the South, strawberries are more than just fruit – they’re a tradition, whether served fresh, in jams, or baked into treats like these muffins.

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Serving Suggestions:

Serve these muffins warm with a pat of butter and a dollop of strawberry jam for an unforgettable breakfast. Pair them with coffee for a cozy morning treat or add them to your brunch spread for a sweet highlight.

Storage & Freezing Tips

Because these muffins have a rich cream cheese filling, they should be stored properly to maintain freshness and safety.

  • Room Temperature: If you plan to enjoy them within one day, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. However, due to the cream cheese, it’s best to refrigerate them after that.
  • Refrigeration: To keep them fresh for up to 5 days, store the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
  • Freezing: These muffins freeze beautifully! Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature or warm them slightly in the microwave for that fresh-baked taste.

This way, you can always have a delicious muffin ready to enjoy with your morning coffee! ☕🍓

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Thank you for stopping by. I’ll be back soon with more delicious Southern recipes. Enjoy! Aletia More recipes that you will enjoy! Best Chocolate Chip Muffins Best Moist Blueberry Muffins Caramel Pecan Pie Muffins Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread Blueberry Lemon Bread with Lemon Icing Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions about the recipe. I would love to hear from you and if you make it, be sure to use #deliciouslysouthern and let me know how you like it. Lastly, please follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Click here to purchase an autographed copy of my cookbook “Deliciously Southern “. It features over 370 delicious Southern recipes!Deliciously Southern (Autographed Edition)

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Aletia DuPree's recipe

Moist Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

Prep20 minutesCook20 to 25 minutesYield12 to 14 muffins

Gather

Ingredients

Ingredients

Make

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Make the cheesecake filling: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and egg yolk until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.
  3. Prepare the muffin batter: In one bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat sugar, eggs, oil, butter, sour cream, and vanilla. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then fold in the chopped strawberries.
  4. Layer the muffins: Spoon a tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup, add about 2 teaspoons of cheesecake filling, then top with 1 teaspoon of strawberry jam preserves. Add more batter and repeat 1 more time until the muffin liner is filled to the top.
  5. Make the streusel: Combine flour, sugar, and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over each muffin, pressing gently into the batter.
  6. Bake: Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 15-18 minutes.
  7. Cool and serve: Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Keep in mind

Recipe notes

Recipe notes

Storage & Freezing Tips Because these muffins have a rich cream cheese filling, they should be stored properly to maintain freshness and safety. Room Temperature: If you plan to enjoy them within one day, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. However, due to the cream cheese, it’s best to refrigerate them after that. Refrigeration: To keep them fresh for up to 5 days, store the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor. Freezing: These muffins freeze beautifully! Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature or warm them slightly in the microwave for that fresh-baked taste. This way, you can always have a delicious muffin ready to enjoy with your morning coffee! ☕🍓

Nutrition information
Serving size
1 Muffin
Calories
304
Sugar
21.25g
Fat
18.5g
Carbohydrates
30.42g
Protein
4.08g

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