Cream Cheese-Filled Chocolate Chip Muffins
Classic bakery-style muffins with a surprise pocket of tangy cream cheese filling and miniature chocolate chips throughout. The filling stays soft while the muffin stays tender and moist. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. These deliver bakery quality without the markup, with the hidden cream cheese center setting them apart from standard chocolate chip versions.
Ingredients
- 3 ounce cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon sugar, for filling
- 1 tablespoon low-fat milk, for fillingwhole milk1:1taste
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- 1 cup low-fat milkwhole milk1:1taste
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- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 2 cup all-purpose flourwhole wheat flour1:1texture/nutrition
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease bottoms of 12 regular muffin cups or line with paper cups.
- 2
Mix cream cheese, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon milk in small bowl until smooth.
- 3
Beat 1 cup milk, oil, and egg in large bowl with fork or whisk.
- 4
Stir in flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips until flour is barely moistened.
- 5
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about one-third full.
- 6
Place about 1 rounded teaspoon filling on batter in each cup.
- 7
Top with remaining batter to nearly fill cups.
- 8
Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
- 9
Run knife around sides to loosen if needed and turn out onto cooling rack.
- 10
Cool 5 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.
Tips
Do not overmix batter after adding flour or muffins will be tough. Stir just until flour streaks disappear.
Ensure filling stays mounded on batter center before topping to prevent it from sinking to pan bottom.
Good to Know
Room temperature in airtight container up to 2 days. Refrigerate up to 5 days.
Mix filling and cover separately. Prepare dry ingredients ahead. Batter best made fresh same day.
Serve warm with coffee or milk for breakfast. Room temperature for lunch box or snacking.
Common Mistakes
Overmix batter to avoid dense, tough muffins
Underfill muffin cups to avoid overflow and uneven baking
Use straight cream cheese without softening first to avoid lumpy filling
Substitutions
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FAQ
Can I make these muffins ahead and freeze them?
Yes, cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap or foil, then freeze in airtight container up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave briefly to rewarm.
What if I do not have miniature chocolate chips?
Chop regular chocolate chips or use a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate. You can also substitute chopped nuts, fresh berries, or leave chips out entirely.
How can I prevent cream cheese filling from sinking?
Mound the filling on batter and ensure it does not touch the pan bottom. Fill each cup only one-third, then add filling, then add remaining batter. Allow batter to set around filling before baking.