I love blueberry muffins and these might just be one of my favorite ones. Anything is better with a little cream cheese. The cream cheese is not swirled in, not dolloped on the top, it is mixed right into the batter. The cream cheese gives a creamy flavor to the muffins and it also gives the blueberry muffins a little more dense and deliciously soft texture that is incredible.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups blueberries; freeze-dried, fresh or frozen
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper/parchment liners. Set aside.
With an electric handheld mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), cream together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Add the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk, and mix again until well-combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the muffin batter and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula once or twice. There will be a lot of dry steaks remaining. Add the blueberries. Mix until JUST combined. Don’t overmix. It’s ok if it’s slightly lumpy.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 14-17 minutes until the tops spring back lightly to the touch. Don’t overbake (the exact time will depend on the variance of temperature in your oven so if you have to add time, that’s ok).
Remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a covered container at room temp or in the refrigerator for several days. The tops of the muffin will soften as they are stored; they reheat beautifully for 10-15 seconds in the microwave and taste fresh as can be even days later.
