This Apple Cheesecake Muffins recipe is divine! These little beauties are filled with apples as well as a layer of cheesecake.
I really look forward to the fall weather every year. Not because I don’t like summer, but because I love comfort food and I love to bake with fall flavors. Apples are on the top of that list.
While browsing my favorite food blog, Cooking Classy I came across her recipe for Caramel Apple Mini Cheesecakes. This inspired me and knew I had to do something with similar flavors!
Why This Recipe Works
- Cream cheese in the batter brings out the cheesecake flavor.
- Cinnamon streusel topping adds flavor and texture to these delightful muffins.
- The brown sugar added to the apples gives a caramel flavor that can’t be beat.
These muffins look complicated, but they really didn’t take me very long at all and really are worth the extra effort. I also have other amazing apple recipes you might like to try like my Caramel Apple Cake. Embrace the fall flavors!
What apples For Apple Cheesecake Muffins?
I like to use Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples as they tend to hold up best when cooked. Use granny smith if you like a tart flavor and Golden delicious if you prefer a sweeter choice.
How to Make Apple Cheesecake Muffins
- Cook the apples.
- Make the cheesecake filling.
- Prepare the streusel crumb topping.
- Layer the ingredients in the. muffin cases.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Cool, serve, and enjoy!
Step by Step Instructions
Chop the apples and add to the pan along with the sugar, cinnamon and cornflour.
I started with the apple mixture so it wasn’t too hot when I added it to the batter.
Melt the butter and cook the apple mixture for around 5 minutes.
Allow to cool.
Make sure you let the apple mixture cool completely before adding to the cheesecake layer. You don’t want them to combine and turn into a custard.
Make cheesecake filling and the crumb topping.
Add a small amount of batter to the muffin cases.
Add the cheesecake mixture and apples.
Add more batter, then the crumb topping.
Bake and cool completely.
This step is important. I tried these warm (who can blame me) and the filling tasted like custard. I thought they didn’t work and was ready to scrap them, but that night, my husband tried them cold and said they were fantastic. He was right! You have to give the fillings time to set. So chill them or let them cool at room temperature for a couple of hours. It really did make all the difference!
Serve and enjoy!
Other Recipes you’ll love
- Blueberry Muffins
- Crumb Cake
- Award Winning Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
- Cornbread Muffins
- Apple Brown Betty
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Let’s Make Apple Cheesecake Muffins
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose/plain flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
For the cheesecake mixture:
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the apple mixture:
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 medium sized cooking apples
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
For the topping:
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose/plain flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375f/190C
- Line 12 muffin cups in a muffin pan with paper liners.
- Beat together the sugars, butter, cream cheese and egg until well blended and pale.
- Stir in the milk and then add the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- Fill prepared muffin cups about a 1/4 of the way full. Set Aside.
For filling:
- Peel, core and chop the apples, add them to a small bowl and coat with 1 tablespoon of the juice to keep them from going brown.
- Add the cornstarch and coat the apples evenly.
- In a small saucepan on med heat, melt the butter.
- Add the remaining juice, sugar, salt and cinnamon
- Add the apples to the melted butter and stir well and cook for 3-5 minutes to soften. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a bit more juice.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla, sugar and egg yolk until smooth.
- Drop a rounded tablespoonful into the center of each muffin. Followed by a tablespoon of the apples and then top each one with the remaining batter.
- Mix together the streusel crumb ingredients and top each muffin evenly.
- Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving.
Tips + Notes
- You can start by cooking the apple mixture so it isn’t too hot when added to the batter.
- Make sure you let the apple mixture cool completely before adding it to the cheesecake layer. You don’t it to combine and turn into a custard.
- Allow the muffins to cool before eating, they taste so much better when set (when hot the center tastes more custard-like than cheesecake)
Anna says
Hi,
I have no idea what went wrong, but the batter was like dough and very “doughie” after baking. I think I followed the recipe to a “t”, but it was very difficult to follow. I probably won’t make these again. Are they suppose to be “doughie”.
Erren says
Hi Anna, because of the cream cheese they are definitely a dense muffin, but I’ve never had them end up doughie. I’m sorry they didn’t work for you.
Glenda Funk says
I must be misreading this recipe somehow. It only mentions 4 oz of cream cheese in the filling but none in the batter. Is the other 4 oz incorporated into the batter, then? Maybe it’s too early in the morning to be reading recipes 🙂
Erren says
Hi Glenda,
The batter takes 2oz of cream cheese and the filling takes 4oz. Sorry if the recipe wasn’t clear.
Glenda says
No worries, I just wanted to make sure I made them with the right ingredients. They look soooo yummy! Thanks, Erren 🙂
Erren says
I made them again yesterday. They are a fall favorite around here! 🙂
elliejc says
these look so delicious! how well do you think they would travel? would they be good for 3 days, unrefrigerated, do you think? so glad i found your blog! thanks, erren!
Erren says
Hi there, sorry for the late reply. I don’t know how long they would keep for. They go in my house so quickly. I’d guess no more than a couple of days though. Let me know how it goes for you!
Bethany Danielson says
How much cream cheese is in the batter?
Erren says
Hi Bethany, the batter takes 2oz of cream cheese and the filling takes 4oz. Sorry if the recipe wasn’t clear. I’ve updated it.
Lottie says
Hi Erren, I’ve made these as well as your raspberry jam muffins. They are unbelievably good! I make them all the time and they are a family favorite for breakfast! Thanks so much!
Cindy says
Hello Erren, I made these for a brunch over the weekend. They came out beautiful and so yummy! I agree that they should cool completely. I made them a day a head and they were perfect! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Erren says
Thanks so much, Cindy! I am so glad to hear they came out so well for you!
Rose says
Hi Erren, I made these yesterday and they came out beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing!
Frederica says
Dear Erren,
Would it be possible to make the muffins without the topping? I’m trying to find something to satisfy my sweets cravings but the toppings JUST add those extra calories that makes me go: na-ah too much. It looks absolutely delicious!
Erren says
Hi Federica, Sure you can make them without the topping if you prefer. Hope you like them!
Kathi Cirringione says
They came out just fine (although I haven’t tasted them yet)! The ingredients list a tsp. of vanilla extract for the cream cheese and a pinch of salt for the apples, but it’s not mentioned in the instructions. Not a problem for me; I’m a seasoned baker and know how to adjust recipes. I thought it would be helpful to those that don’t bake so much. I did think that 4 apples was a bit too much, and I would have liked to have more batter to top off the muffins with. IF I make them again (a bit labor intensive), I would only use 3 apples and double the batter.
Erren says
Thank you for letting me know. The apple mixture was meant to be smaller. I copied the wrong thing into the recipe card. It was meant to be halved. I have made the adjustments. So sorry about the error!
Kathi Cirringione says
Thanks you. That was going to be my guess! Making them now. I’ll let you know how they turn out.
Kathi Cirringione says
The instructions need to be edited to add the pinch of salt in the apples and the vanilla extract in the cream cheese.
Patty Haxton Anderson says
These muffins look so delicious and I am sad I don’t have one.
Erren says
Thanks so much PattY! 🙂