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Apple Crisp Cheesecake Muffins

Apple crisp cheesecake muffins with a creamy cream cheese center and a crunchy oat crumble top. Baked until golden, they blend diced apples into a tender muffin with a cheesecake-like swirl.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
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

Method
 

Prep and chill components
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F, then line a 12-cup muffin tin. Set up so the batter can be mixed right after chilling steps.
  2. Beat cream cheese filling ingredients together until smooth, then refrigerate. Chill until firm enough to spoon, about 10-15 minutes.
  3. Make the oat crumble by combining the dry ingredients and cutting in cold butter until crumbly, then refrigerate. You want small clumps that will melt into a crisp top.
Mix the muffin batter
  1. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until the color is evenly speckled with cinnamon.
  2. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth. The mixture should look glossy and fully combined.
  3. Fold in the flour mixture, then fold in diced apples. Stop mixing when no dry streaks remain so the muffins stay tender.
Fill, top, and bake
  1. Fill muffin cups halfway with batter, then add a teaspoon of cream cheese filling to the center. Leave a little space around the filling so it stays pooled.
  2. Cover the cream cheese with more batter, then top each muffin with oat crumble. Press lightly so the crumble adheres.
  3. Bake for 22-25 minutes at 375F until the tops are golden. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out mostly clean with moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the cream cheese filling and oat crumble cold so they hold their shape and create a distinct swirl and crunch. Refrigerate leftover muffins in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm 10-15 minutes at 300F for best texture. Freezing is yes—freeze up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Dietary swap: use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a slightly tangier, lighter muffin.