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Apple Crisp Cheesecake Muffins

Apple crisp cheesecake muffins with a cream cheese center and a crunchy oat crumble crown. Baked until golden, each muffin combines diced apples with a swirl-like cream cheese filling.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For muffins
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1.5 cup apples, finely diced
For cream cheese filling
  • 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla
For oat crumble
  • 0.333 cup oats
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp cold butter

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and line a 12-cup muffin tin. Set it aside so it’s ready for filling.
Make filling and crumble
  1. Beat the cream cheese filling ingredients until smooth, then refrigerate. Chill until firm enough to hold a spoon shape.
  2. Make the oat crumble by combining the oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then cut in the cold butter until crumbly. Refrigerate until the topping is cool and holds together.
Make batter and assemble
  1. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined. Stop mixing when there are no dry streaks.
  2. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth and glossy. Make sure the eggs are fully incorporated.
  3. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix so the muffins stay tender.
  4. Fold in the diced apples until distributed throughout the batter. Leave a few small apple pieces visible for texture.
  5. Fill each muffin cup halfway, then add about a teaspoon of cream cheese filling to the center. Press lightly so it sits in the middle.
  6. Cover each with more batter until the centers are hidden. Tap the tin gently to level the tops.
  7. Top each muffin with oat crumble, packing it lightly so it doesn’t fall off. Aim for a crunchy crown across the surface.
Bake
  1. Bake at 375F for 22-25 minutes until the muffins are golden on top. A toothpick should come out mostly clean with no wet cream cheese.

Notes

Chill times for the cream cheese filling and oat crumble help them stay centered and crisp; if your kitchen is warm, refrigerate a bit longer. Store muffins in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days and rewarm at 300F for 5-8 minutes. Freezing is yes: freeze cooled muffins up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and swap half the butter for an equal amount of neutral oil.