Can you think of a better way to start your day than with a decadent chocolate muffin with ribbons of cream cheese running through it? These chocolate cream cheese muffins make for happy, happy mornings!
I have friends (lots of them!) writing cookbooks and it’s just the coolest thing ever. The amount of work that goes into a cookbook is insane (or so I’ve heard!) and I’m incredibly honored to be surrounded by so many motivated, hard-working, entrepreneurial women. It’s truly inspiring to see so many women chasing living their dreams.
My dear friend Jocelyn is no exception. Jocelyn wrote a cookbook while simultaneously running her blog (Inside BruCrew Life), taking care of her children, and moving across the country. Amongst many other things, I’m absolutely sure. Jocelyn is one of the best people I’ve ever met and I’m so happy for her and her beautiful work of art, Cheesecake Love.
It’s an amazing cookbook full of CHEESECAKE. Basically, what dreams are made of. The book is divided into 8 sections:
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- Full-Size Cheesecakes
- Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Cheesecake Bars and Bites
- No-Bake Cheesecakes
- Cheesecake Brownies
- Cheesecake Pies
- Breakfast Cheesecakes
- Out-of-the-Box Cheesecake Desserts
What section would you start in? I flipped through the book and landed on these chocolate cream cheese muffins, but here are some other recipes that are on my list:
- Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cake Roll
- Mini Orange Cream Cheesecake Pies
- Apple Crumb Cheesecake Pie
- No-Bake Salted Caramel Cheesecake Tarts
- Turtle Cheesecake Cookie Bars
- Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake
Okay, I have a very hard time not including every single recipe on that list, but you get the idea. So much good stuff in this book – it should be your go-to resource for all things cheesecake!
I did make a couple very small changes to Jocelyn’s recipe. In the text of the recipe, you’ll see her original recipe and in the Notes section, the small changes I make.
I substitute 1 cup of whole wheat flour to make these muffins 50% whole wheat. Our family is very accustomed to eating 100% whole wheat baked goods and with the 50/50 combination, the muffins have great texture and better nutrition.
I also use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, because I always have Greek yogurt on hand. While Greek yogurt is lower in fat than sour cream, either would work fine in this recipe. I use whatever I happen to have in the house. Other good substitutes are buttermilk, regular milk, or even applesauce.
Tip: Sift your cocoa powder through a fine mesh strainer or sifter to get a lump-free texture!
In regards to the nutritional information on this recipe – it’s calculated with my substitutions, including using reduced-fat cream cheese and 2% milk. Remember that my nutrition information is always just a guideline and you are responsible for calculating it exactly if you desire or need to. It can vary wildly based on what type of ingredients you buy, and even the brand that you buy!
Buy Jocelyn’s book here to get this recipe for chocolate cream cheese muffins and MORE!
More muffin recipes and breakfast cheesecake:
- Breakfast Cheesecake – Cinnamon Swirl
- Triple Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
- Blueberry Pancake Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
- Pumpkin Bran Muffins
- Banana Oatmeal Muffins from Well Plated – my kids love these!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (see note)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- ⅔ cup milk (2% works fine)
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
For the filling:
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature (reduced fat cream cheese works well)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
Topping:
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-well cupcake pan with paper liners. Line 8 wells of a second cupcake pan with liners (20 total).
- To make muffin batter: In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the egg, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until smooth.½ cup unsalted butter, softened, ⅔ cup packed brown sugar, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ⅔ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using) in another bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture and the milk to the butter mixture, alternating between the two.2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional, ⅔ cup milk
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips by hand. Set the batter aside.1 cup mini chocolate chips
- To make cream cheese filling: Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until smooth. Add the egg and beat until fully incorporated.1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg
- Place one spoonful of the muffin batter in the bottom of each cupcake liner. Spoon the filling evenly over the top of the batter in the liners. Top each muffin with the rest of the muffin batter.
- Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with mini chocolate chips. If you prefer, this step can be omitted.¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- Bake the muffins for 16 to 18 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Flour: I usually make these muffins with 1 cup whole wheat flour replacing 1 cup all-purpose flour (2 cups total). You could replace all of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat but it would change the texture of the muffins. White whole wheat flour works well, too.
- Nutrition: The information was calculated using all-purpose flour, nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 2% milk, and reduced fat cream cheese.
- Serving: The muffins can be served for breakfast but since they are really more like cupcakes, I prefer to serve them as a snack or dessert. They are nice for brunches and special occasions, too.
- Storage: Because the muffins have a cream cheese filling, they should be stored in the refrigerator. After they have been completely cooled, transfer them to a covered container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The muffins freeze well for up to 3 months.
- Based on a recipe from Cheesecake Love, ©2017, by Jocelyn Brubaker.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!Verdict: Let’s just say that I’m really glad Whole30 is over.
Husband’s take: Ben loved these muffins and the kids were O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D with them. These are definitely closer to a cupcake than a muffin, so they were on cloud nine.
Changes I would make: None are necessary!
Difficulty: There are two components to these muffins, so there are slightly more time consuming than a typical muffin. It’s worth it, but it takes a little extra time. Put some good music on and enjoy some baking therapy!
The batter was way too thick I would not make this again
How were they after you baked them?
Just a suggestion, but try adding a bit more milk. I try to follow a recipe and if it seems a bit thick, I add liquid, of course depending on the recipe.
sounds delicious
Woo hoo! Love the healthy substitutions you made to these muffins! And thank you so much for sharing my book and the recipe. You are the best!!!
You’re the best! :)