If you’re a fan of cheesecake, you’re going to love these tender strawberry muffins with their sweet cheesecake swirl. If you’re not a fan of cheesecake? You’re still going to love these muffins since they remain light and fluffy rather than overly rich and dense. And the best part is that they look all fancy while being super easy to make. Or maybe the best part is that they allow you to satisfy your cheesecake cravings while sticking to your healthy diet.
Ingredients
For the Muffins
- 2 cups (161 g) rolled oats (quick or old-fashioned)
- 2 tbsp (14 g) ground flaxseed
- 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 0.33 cup (78 ml) unsweetened almond milk
- 6 tbsp (96 g) almond butter
- 6 tbsp (128 g) honey
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (151 g) diced strawberries, fresh or frozen
For the Cream Cheese Topping
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup (48 g) cane or granulated sugar
How to Make It
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare a muffin pan by lining the cavities with parchment paper liners. Set aside.
- Add the oats, ground flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a high-speed blender, and process on high for about 10 seconds or until the oats have broken down into the consistency of a fine flour.
- Add all of the remaining muffin ingredients except for the strawberries, and process on high for about 30 seconds or until the batter becomes smooth and creamy. Periodically stop and scrape down the sides of your blender, if necessary.
- Transfer the batter to a medium-sized mixing bowl (this makes it easier to prevent the berries from bleeding), and gently fold the strawberries into the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about ¾ of the way full. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese until it becomes smooth. Add the egg yolk and sugar, and continue beating until all the ingredients are combined. Top each muffin with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the cream cheese mixture, and use a toothpick to gently swirl it into the batter.
- Bake for 22–24 minutes, until the tops of your muffins begin to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. As soon as they’ve cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
