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Apple Crisp Cheesecake Muffins

Apple crisp cheesecake muffins with a tangy cream cheese center and a crunchy oat crumble crown. Baked until golden, these breakfast muffins are tender from sour cream and packed with finely diced apples in every bite.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
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
  • 0.33 cup oats
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp butter cold

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 muffin tin

Method
 

Prep the oven and tins
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and line a 12-cup muffin tin so the muffins bake evenly from the start.
Make the cream cheese filling
  1. Beat cream cheese filling ingredients (cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla) until smooth, then refrigerate while you prepare the rest.
Make the oat crumble
  1. Combine oat crumble dry ingredients (oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon) and cut in cold butter until crumbly, then refrigerate.
Mix the muffin batter
  1. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together until evenly combined.
  2. Whisk melted butter and brown sugar, then whisk in eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until glossy and smooth.
  3. Fold in the flour mixture, then fold in diced apples until no dry streaks remain.
Fill and bake
  1. Fill muffin cups halfway with batter, then add about 1 teaspoon cream cheese filling to the center.
  2. Cover each with more batter so the filling is enclosed, then top with oat crumble for a crunchy crown.
  3. Bake at 375F for 22-25 minutes, until the tops are golden and the muffin centers look set.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the cream cheese and crumble cold for cleaner centers and bigger, crunchier oat clumps. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat 10-15 seconds per muffin in the microwave. Freeze up to 2 months (wrap individually). For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat milk—texture will stay muffin-soft, though the center will be slightly less rich.