Who says you can't eat cheesecake for breakfast? These muffins are the perfect way to start your day on a sweet note! These cheesecake muffins with blueberry and lemon are droolworthy! Pillowy soft cheesecake filling tucked inside a sweet muffin with blueberries and lemon... what's not to love?
A FEW QUICK TIPS
Before you dive in and make your own batch of cheesecake muffins with blueberries and lemon, and yes, that is a quite a lengthy recipe name, here are a few quick tips to make it easier.
I designed this recipe to make twenty-four muffins, not only because it is so good you’ll wish you had a extras in the freezer, but because it made the best use of the required ingredients. I certainly don’t need a random four ounces of cream cheese or half of a stick of butter in my fridge! I’d rather have a bag of frozen muffins in my freezer, ready to grab and go!
Bake once, eat twice, am I right?
CAN FROZEN BLUEBERRIES BE SUBSTITUTED?
The next tip I have is to use frozen blueberries if you don’t have fresh available. Fresh blueberries are delicious, but if you are making this recipe out of season, frozen will work just fine. It might slow down your cooking time by several minutes, so make sure to use a thermometer to test for the perfect quick bread temperature of 205 degrees. When I use frozen berries, I bake my loaf for an additional fifteen minutes.
CAN THIS RECIPE BE MADE GLUTEN FREE?
Short answer, yes. I recommend trying alternative flours if you don't eat gluten. The first time I made this recipe, I used traditional white flour. Since then, I have experimented with gluten free options. I found that the Bobs 1:1 gluten free flour mix created a loaf that was more dense and moist, almost like an ultra-moist cheesecake. My family thought it was really good, but the texture was definitely heavier.
CAN THIS RECIPE BE MADE WITHOUT LEMON JUICE?
Well, like the name says, these are cheesecake muffins with blueberry and lemon, sooo... Leaving the juice out completely will cause the muffins to be dry. Instead, remember that sweet, juicy blueberries are delicious with any juice! Pomegranate, cranberry, orange, grapefruit... there are definitely new cheesecake combinations I would love to try! While I haven't personally tried substituting other fruit juices, I do believe a substitution would be just fine.
CAN CHEESECAKE MUFFINS WITH BLUEBERRY AND LEMON BE FROZEN?
Because of the cream cheese filling, these blueberry muffins are best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated up to three days. For muffins that will be eaten within a few days, store them in the refrigerator. You can also freeze muffins for up to three months in a freezer bag.
CAN THESE CHEESECAKE MUFFINS WITH BLUEBERRY AND LEMON BE MADE AS A QUICK BREAD?
100% YES YES YES! This recipe can make two loaves of quick bread. As a matter of fact, check out my recent YouTube video where I show you how! I like to make one loaf of quick bread and twelve muffins, just to keep things exciting. To see the detailed recipe for a cheesecake quick bread, check out my Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Quick Bread.
INGREDIENTS FOR CHEESECAKE MUFFINS WITH BLUEBERRIES AND LEMON
- ½ C butter room temperature
- 2 C organic sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 C plain greek yogurt
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice or two lemons plus zest, divided
- 3 C all purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder aluminum free
- 2 C fresh or frozen blueberries, divided
INGREDIENTS FOR CREAM CHEESE FILLING
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ½ C sugar
- 2 egg whites
HOW TO MAKE CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin by lining 24 cups or spraying the cupcake cups with cooking spray. If the butter, eggs, yogurt and cream cheese have been refrigerated, set them out about thirty minutes before baking.
- Prepare the lemons by zesting and juicing. Strain the seeds and divide the juice in two equal portions.
- In a stand mixer, combine sugar and butter and mix until fluffy and incorporated, about two minutes. Add the eggs, half of the lemon juice, yogurt and vanilla and continue beating on a medium setting for two minutes more.
- Mix in flour and baking powder until just combined. Fold in ⅔ of the blueberries. Pour batter into the muffin tins.
- Using the same mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, remaining lemon juice and egg whites for several minutes until fluffy and smooth.
- Drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the muffins. Using a knife, swirl the dollops through the batter to create a beautiful marbled design. Top the muffins with the reserved blueberries.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the internal temperature measures 205 degrees or a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool and serve immediately. Refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
HELPFUL TOOLS FOR MAKING MUFFINS
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Recipe
Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Quick Bread
Ingredients
- ½ C butter room temperature
- 2 C organic sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 C plain greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 tablespoon lemon juice or two lemons plus zest
- 3 C all purpose flour
- 4 teaspoon baking powder aluminum free
- 2 C fresh or frozen blueberries
cream cheese filling
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ½ C sugar
- 2 egg whites
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two loaf pans with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. If the butter, eggs, yogurt and cream cheese have been refrigerated, set them out about twenty minutes before you start baking. If using whole lemons, zest and juice.
- In a stand mixer, combine sugar and butter and mix until fluffy and incorporated, about a minute. Add the eggs, yogurt and vanilla and continue beating on a medium setting for another minute.
- Mix in flour and baking powder until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pans.
- Using the same mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and egg whites for several minutes until fluffy.
- Drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the loaves. Using a knife, swirl the dollops through the batter to create a beautiful marbled design.
- Bake at 350 degrees for sixty-five to seventy-five minutes until the internal temperature of the loaf measures 205 degrees or a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool and serve immediately. Refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to six months.
Notes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin by lining 24 cups or spraying the cupcake cups with cooking spray. If the butter, eggs, yogurt and cream cheese have been refrigerated, set them out about thirty minutes before baking.
- Prepare the lemons by zesting and juicing. Strain the seeds and divide the juice in two equal portions.
- In a stand mixer, combine sugar and butter and mix until fluffy and incorporated, about two minutes. Add the eggs, half of the lemon juice, yogurt and vanilla and continue beating on a medium setting for two minutes more.
- Mix in flour and baking powder until just combined. Fold in ⅔ of the blueberries. Pour batter into the muffin tins.
- Using the same mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, remaining lemon juice and egg whites for several minutes until fluffy and smooth.
- Drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the muffins. Using a knife, swirl the dollops through the batter to create a beautiful marbled design. Top the muffins with the reserved blueberries.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the internal temperature measures 205 degrees or a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool and serve immediately. Refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
Laura
I love these little chihuahuas - I mean muffins!! These look delicious!
Meg
I love hearing them called chihuahuas! My friend and her children call them this, too, and it is such a pretty way to say it!
Alicia
These look so delicious! Can't wait to try your recipe!
Meggie Farmer
Omg trying these this weekend! Yum!!
Allie
You are so speaking my language. Cream cheese with blueberry and lemon muffins- the perfect combination of flavors. These are so yummy.
Sadie
I can't wait to try this- you had me at cheesecake... 🙂