These Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins take the best of summer produce and turn them into a moreish, decadent muffin. Get the recipe below.
Seasonal bakes
As a cook there's nothing more satisfying than using seasonal ingredients. At every season there's something growing in abundance which tastes just right for that moment in time. In summer one of my favourite seasonal ingredients is the humble strawberry. Grown in the summer sun, they taste like sunshine!
Each summer we spend weekends and weekends picking fruit at our local "pick your own" farm. Our local farm (Parkside Farm) is a wonderful 50-acre farm that lets members of the public pick a whole host of fruits and vegetables starting in June each year with strawberries, gooseberries, broad beans, spinach and raspberries then blackcurrants, blackberries, plums, courgettes, onions, beetroot, sweetcorn and squashes as we move into the autumn. In total they offer 20 different crops for picking. It’s no surprise that they’ve won awards 3 years running for being the best ‘Pick Your Own’ farm.
We’re very lucky to have a place like this on our doorstep with an abundance of seasonal fruit and vegetables available.
Baking out of season
Of course it's not always possible to cook seasonally. Or perhaps the strawberry crop just didn't do particularly well this year.
Well the good news is you can use frozen strawberries in this mix. Strawberries are one of those fruits that actually freeze particularly well and I think it’s better freezing local berries at their prime, to enjoy all year round, rather than relying on importing tasteless crops from the other side of the world. Think of the food miles!!!
How to make Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins
Call me crazy but I think these fruit filled muffins are perfect for breakfast. Can you think of anything better than waking up to sun streaming through the windows on a lazy Sunday morning, then tucking into a Strawberry Cheesecake Muffin with a hot cup of tea. Just heavenly.
The concept of these muffins is quite simple. They are a pretty normal vanilla muffin mix studded with big chunks of fresh strawberry and filled with pockets of moist cheesecake. These muffins are also topped with a crisp and crunchy brown sugar crumble topping. The contrast in texture with the soft goeey cheesecake muffin is oh-so-satisfying!
Making them is also pretty simple, even though there are three main components.
First we need to make the crumble top. In a small bowl we mix together the brown sugar and flour before running in the butter. This will form a breadcrumb-like crumble texture. Once you've done that just place it to one side for later.
Next we need to make the muffin batter. We use the creaming method - i.e. beating the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. We then add the eggs making sure they've been incorporated well. Next comes the yogurt and vanilla which should all be beaten well into the mix. All that's left to do then is to fold in the flour and the strawberries. The mix is now complete.
Last of all is to make the cheesecake mix. This is created by mixing together cream cheese, an egg yolk, orange zest and icing sugar.
Once that's been made we can combine all three elements together. First layering the batter and cheesecake mix before topping with the crumble mix.
All that's left to do then is bake!
The recipe
Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins with Crumble Topping
Ingredients
For the crumble top
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 65 g plain flour
- 60 g butter
For the muffin batter
- 115 g butter
- 100 g caster sugar
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 2 eggs eggs
- 120 g yogurt low fat is fine
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 220 g self raising flour
- Pinch salt
- 250 g strawberries roughly cut into quarters or halves for smaller berries
For the cheesecake filling
- 170 g cream cheese
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 orange zest only
- 3 tablespoon icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220C / gas mark 8.
- Using squares of grease proof paper, line your muffin tins (14 muffins total) and place to one side.
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and flour for the crumble top. Add the butter small pieces and rub together until you've formed breadcrumbs.
- In a larger bowl, cream together the butter and golden caster sugar for the muffin mix.
- Beat well until pale and creamy.
- Add in the brown sugar and continue to beat.
- Once the brown sugar is incorporated add the eggs and beat until the mix gets even paler and more creamy. It should also increase in volume.
- Next add the yogurt and vanilla and beat for another minute.
- Pour the flour into the wet muffin mix and fold gently until just about incorporated - be careful not to over mix, some dry patches of flour is fine.
- Add in the strawberries and fold again until evenly distributed then place the bowl to one side.
- In a separate small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, egg yolk, orange zest and icing sugar for the cheesecake filling.
- Mix well to ensure its smooth and creamy.
- Begin spooning the muffin mix into each muffin case, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Next spoon over a tablespoon of the cheesecake mix and repeat until the muffin cases are full to the top.
- Once all of the cases are filled press the crumble top into the surface of each muffin.
- Bake in the hot oven for five minutes before turning the temperate down 180C / gas mark 4 and bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden and springy.
- Allow the muffins to cool on a cooling rack.
- Enjoy while still warm.
Notes
They should be kept in the fridge and eaten within 5 days.
They also freeze well.
Make sure you thaw well before eating (and why not zap them in the microwave or pop in the oven and warm them up again before eating.)
Nutrition
More muffin recipes
More cakes and bakes
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Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
I love those raised strawberry beds - so easy to pick from. Lovely recipe, I do like a pudding in a muffin.
Emma Walton says
Thanks Helen! More muffins should be stuffed with puddings shouldn't they 😛
Sara | Belly Rumbles says
Firstly I have to say how beautiful your muffin tin is, really is quite gorgeous. Pick your own, I love picking your own, it's just so rewarding and makes the produce just that little more special. Your strawberry cheesecake muffins look sensational.
Emma Walton says
Thanks Sara! It's from Antropologie. I believe it's still on the site...
Natalie Tamara @TheTofuDiaries says
Pick-your-own is the best way to get the most flavourful strawberries! It's been far too long since I've done it actually. These look delish - I love your muffin tray too!
Emma Walton says
Sounds like you need to get yourself down to your local pick your own farm Natalie! They definitely taste ten times better!!! The muffin tray is from Anthropologie and I think you can still get it!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
Farm fresh strawberries baked up in a muffin, what could be better? I love the way you lined the muffin cups!
Emma Walton says
Hi Sue! Glad you like the muffin cases. A clever little trick of mine which comes in handy when I've run out of proper cases! There's so much you can do with baking parchment!
Ali from Home and Plate says
There is nothing like the taste of fruit picked fresh from the farm. I love strawberries in just about anything and these cheesecake muffins look heavenly to me.
Emma Walton says
Hey Ali, thanks for stopping by. I couldn't agree more!!!
April J Harris says
I'm always a bit sad when it's the end of the weekend too - but one of these muffins on a Monday morning would definitely cheer me up! Love the idea of a muffin studded with cheesecake and I've got some fabulous strawberries in the fridge just perfect for this recipe.
Emma Walton says
Clearly it was meant to be then April! We all know what you'll be making this afternoon 😉 enjoy!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
We went strawberry picking last year and it was so much fun - I can't wait to go back this year. I then need to make these muffins, as they look delicious.
Emma Walton says
Thanks Dannii. Picking your own is the way forward!!! Do you have a big pick your own farm near you? I always think they are well kept secrets! Took us ages to find ours!
Kavey says
I loooove Parkside, not least because of the table-height strawberry picking - soooo much easier on the back and knees! Love your crumble-topped muffins!
Emma Walton says
We are going back again this weekend 😀 I love that the do veggies too!!!
Suchi @elegantmeraki says
I love Strawberry cheesecake this is just perfect, made into little muffin and so much easier than making whole cheesecake.
Emma Walton says
They're definitely a fun alternative to a bigger cake Suchi!
Kathi @ Laughing Spatula says
Love the flavor combination of strawberries and cream cheese and the topping looks delicious!
Emma Walton says
Thanks Kathi 😀
lisa @garlicandzest.com says
Oh-Ma-Gawd! These sound insanely good! It's so hot here in South Florida that we have no choice but to get our strawberries from somewhere else. (our peak season is in February). Definitely going to make this when I get some good berries!
Emma Walton says
In February?! Gosh! You better pin this recipe for then 😉 in the meantime store bought will do 😛
Kushi says
I love strawberries in any form. This recipe sounds so flavorful and looks so delicious!
Emma Walton says
Thanks Kushi! Enjoy!
J@BlessHerHeartYall says
Strawberries strawberries strawberries! I think these muffins will be a hit in our house!
Emma Walton says
Enjoy J!
Cindy's Recipes and Writings says
Wow Emma these look so good! Love that you used fresh picked fruit!
Emma Walton says
Thanks Cindy 🙂 I'm glad you like them! It makes them all the more satisfying when you've picked the strawberries yourself!
Jane says
YUM! These look just perfect Emma & the perfect way to use up a glut 🙂
Jane x
Emma Walton says
Thanks Jane. Glad you like them 😀 I just wish I had a glut this year to make them!!!