Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (you can substitute half with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (or use coconut oil for a subtle tropical twist)
- 1 cup milk (dairy or almond milk work beautifully)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen can be used if fresh aren’t available—just don’t thaw them)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for the cream cheese filling)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, but it brightens the flavor wonderfully)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it. This always reminds me of how Mama Lou would carefully butter her pans—she said it was the secret to perfect crusts.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined. I love how the mixture looks so smooth and inviting—almost like the promise of something delicious to come.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, folding gently with a spatula. Be careful not to overmix; Mama Lou always said, “A tender muffin is a happy muffin.” The batter should be just combined with a few lumps.
- Fold in the blueberries gently, trying not to break them up too much so the batter stays beautifully speckled with purple.
- In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and lemon zest until creamy and smooth. This little step feels like adding a secret love note inside each muffin.
- Spoon about a tablespoon of muffin batter into each cup, then add about a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center. Top with more batter until each cup is about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the muffin (away from the cream cheese) comes out clean. I always peek at the oven window with Ouma, counting down the minutes—it’s part of the fun.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you can wait, they’re even better the next day, but I won’t blame you if you sneak one fresh from the oven!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
