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Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Cheesecake Muffins

Hello from Upstate New York, where I’m currently up to my ears in chocolate eggs, chocolate candy, and chocolate bunnies (never a bad situation in which to find oneself). With a very large and very Italian extended family, food is always plentiful when we get together.

On Saturday morning, figuring it’d be a good idea to make something light before the onslaught of homemade Easter pies upon out kitchen table, I came up with these simple strawberry cream cheese muffins:

Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

I made a triple batch, and not a single muffin is left. 🙂

Then again, there are a lot of us…

Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Adapted from Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

  • 2 loosely-packed cups diced strawberries (240g)
  • 1/4 cup milk of choice (60g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (6g)
  • 1 tbsp white or apple cider vinegar (15g)
  • 3 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil (30g)
  • 2 cups spelt flour (250g)
  • 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar of choice or xylitol (95g)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • pinch pure stevia, or 2 extra tbsp sugar of choice
  • 1 more loosely-packed cup diced strawberries (120g)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F, and line a muffin tin with 12 liners. Blend first 5 ingredients in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients. except the extra cup of strawberries, and stir very well. Pour the contents of the blender into the dry ingredients and stir until evenly mixed (don’t over-beat). Finally, add the last cup of strawberries and stir them in gently so that they remain mostly intact. Pour into the 12 cupcake liners and put in the oven. Immediately change the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake 22 minutes, or until muffins have domed and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes before removing from the muffin tin. Using a spoon, hollow out a piece from the center of each muffin, and fill with about a tbsp of Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting  or filling of your choice.

Click for: Cream Cheese Muffins Nutrition Facts

Strawberry Muffins Cheesecake Muffins

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Published on April 21, 2014

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101 Comments

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  1. Lauren says

    Yum yum I LOVE strawberries and the combo with cream cheese?!? SO GOOD. I am impatiently waiting for our strawberry plants to bear fruit 🙂

  2. Shonalika says

    These look delightful! Your other strawberry muffin recipe was eagerly demolished by everyone I offered them too, so I have high expectations for these ^^

  3. AnnaBananaBelle says

    Is there anyway I could do a soy-free version of this? I want to try but I don’t eat soy. Thanks in advance!

  4. lara says

    wow, this is a great reminder to NEVER stop running, and to STEP AWAY from the peanut butter! LOL! somebody ballooned… O_O

    • Terri Cole says

      I cannot believe that you could be so unspeakably rude! I guess it’s easy when no one knows who you are.

    • Kayla says

      This is so ridiculous. Actually saw the picture and thought “DAYUM! Katie looks good!” I don’t know how you could ever say she looks bad. I hope you learn to heal your relationship with food, exercise, and body image. In the mean time, try not to make other people feel badly in an attempt to lift yourself up. Katie has said time and time again that she feels healthier and happier than she has before and that’s WAY more important than being ridiculously skinny.

      • samantha says

        Well said. Not only that she actually looks better now. Radiant and beautiful and completely thin! That’s what’s so ridiculous about it. There again some people can’t help but attaxk those that are doing well, as they feel so down on themselves. Sorry for typos I’m on a new phone…

    • Inge says

      Hahaha WOW if you think she’s ‘ballooned’ you have serious body perception issues or a visual impairment! It might be good for you to work on that, I can imagine you’d be REALLY harsh on yourself if you think this is ‘ballooning’..! And some more advice; it’s never okay to comment on someones appearance in a bitchy manner, no matter how shitty a life you yourself have. This comment really showed you lack proper manners, lol.

    • Melinda says

      I cannot imagine how anyone could be so rude as to post such negative comments about any photo, but I’m especially shocked in this case. The very first thing I noticed about that picture was that Katie looks gorgeous!! I really don’t know where this criticism came from or what the point was. Anyway, Katie, I love reading your blog and look forward to every new post. You are both beautiful and talented.

      • EVA says

        PEOPLE PEOPLE PEOPLE do not give this lara the time of day, you are just feeding into the response she wanted to get. There’s always one.

        We ALL know that Katie looks like a princess. And I mean a real one because I don’t think Kate Middleton is all that pretty. Katie actually looks unique and her smile is so radiant it. Anybody else think it makes her glow like I do?!

        P.S. Katie: I will shortly be sending you a direct email concerning your radiancy. This is no joke.

        • keenblogreader says

          EVA, your comment would have been great if you hadn’t ruined it by saying that about Kate Middleton. The whole point is that we shouldn’t be commenting negatively on appearance. There is no need to drag other women down in order to lift ourselves up.

          • EVA says

            You’re right, I didn’t realize how hypocritical I was right then just there.

            Forgive me, friends!

    • Danielle says

      Wow, you’re such a dick! I think katie has never looked healthier or more stunning. As a recovered chick with an eating disorder all I can say to you is open your eyes and realize that you’re negativity and screwed perception is miserable for more than just you and that you may need to be reprogrammed. I have no idea why you ended up this way but snap out of it and learn to censor! You may also need to eat something more substantial than a carrot to grasp this comment.

    • OatmealMyLife says

      This is a very rude comment. CCK reads all of her comments, and you should be ashamed to write something so mean. She is still healthy and thin in a beautiful way. She looks angelic and you should focus on healing yourself, I hope you are able to see yourself and others in a better, healthier light.

    • Tiffany says

      Lara, that is such a rude thing to say! You have no right to bully others whether it is in person or the internet. There is no good in spreading hate. Women come in all shapes and sizes and each person is beautiful in their own right. I hope no women reads your comment and takes it seriously. Its comments like yours that break the bonds between women. we should support one another and remind each other that we are strong and beautiful.

      Katie, you look gorgeous!! I was going to comment on your beautiful glow and smile!! You look so happy! Hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend! Thank you for the recipes!! Please don’t let rude comments like Lara’s stop you from posting pictures of yourself and your family. As your fans we love to see you smiling!!

  5. Marie says

    I love your blog and regularly use recepies from here. I’m also skinny and thinking to give up my high-impact exercise routine and gain a little weight. You’ve been an inspiration to me when I read your article about giving up running. I think it’s a very important message – that there isn’t a universal health rule and that you CAN stay healthy, slim and beautiful without working out rigirously. Thank you and Happy Easter! By the way you look great in this pic – absolutely stunning – like a movie star!

  6. Mia (Mia in Germany) says

    Great idea to puree the strawberries! Not a big strawberry fan here, but the picture of these muffins is very tempting 😉
    Also your family photo is lovely – what a beautiful family. Your grandma sure must be happy 🙂

  7. Jamie says

    Omg. I never comment but after reading Lara’s comment I need to. How incredibly immature and rude. Katie looks like a model!!! And seeing before pictures – this is such a great place to be. I am repulsed by people who have nothing better to do than put beautiful people down just because they do not look like sticks. Which is totally unflattering IMHO. Get a life!

  8. Jules @ WolfItDown says

    That’s clever how you made a little well in these for the frosting! They look and sound delicious, I can imagine they went down the treat! Was it the invisible dog who ate the out-scoop of the cupcakes, I wonder? 😉 x

  9. connie says

    These taste sooooooo good! The perfect treat! Thanks for sharing

    P.S your grandma is sooooo dang adorable! She must have been thrilled to be surround by all the generations she helped create.

  10. EVA says

    Oh man….if only you saw my grandpa’s herd of grand and great-grandkids! There’s over THIRTY of us! The Italians are supposed to have a ton of family members, not the Polish!

    Anybody got any cool dairy-free ideas to use in place of the cream cheese for the middle? Never was a cream cheese fan….

      • EVA says

        Oh duh, why didn’t I think of nut butter?! I’ve been so pumped to crack open my new jar of almond butter that I completely forgot of all it’s possible uses!

        I need to find a lower-saturated fat dairy-free Nutella. I can’t digest those darn sat fats so almond butter it is! Not sad about that.

          • EVA says

            Indeed she does! I’d probably have to quarter the recipe since I cook for myself and I wouldn’t be able to use it more than once a week due to my severe digestive disorder. I wouldn’t want to waste it!

          • Lacey says

            You could also fill it with homemade whipped cream or coconut whipped cream! (I eat keto so I want to try using almond/coconut flour in these recipes) but I make whipped cream with just heavy whipping cream in my ninja!! OMG. No words for how delicious it is. I’ve been wanting to try with coconut cream! I think they’d both be divine in this recipe.

          • EVA says

            I wish I could digest/liked coconut….how I miss the fluffy wonders whipped cream would create!

    • Jackie says

      I never thought of my family as that big but I guess it is.. my grandparents have forty-one grandkids. On the other side my grandma has 30 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Having so many cousins is awesome!

    • Chocolate Covered Katie says

      I haven’t tried this particular recipe gf, but I have had great success with Bob’s gf all purpose mix in other recipes and would think if you added 1/2 tsp xantham gum it *should* work.

      Be sure to report back if you do try!

    • Inge says

      SWEET LORD where did all these screwed up people come from.. I’m disgusted..!
      Katie, love, you and your family look gorgeous and these mean idiots can go F themselves. You are so brave for sharing pictures when you know these kinds of comments are coming. Don’t let jerks like this one stop you from sharing what you want to share or being who you want to be girl! Live your life the way you want and be happy, even if that means making some choices internet STRANGERS may not understand! I hope you understand what I mean by this. Carve your own path. X

  11. Rbee says

    Katie, I rarely comment but want to thank you for a great website I visit daily. My mom loves it too. I made the lava cakes (with raspberry filling) for Easter dessert yesterday and my family raved about them. My dad is a vegan so he especially loved them. We ate them with coconut cream on top. 🙂 Also, you look great but then I’m sure you hear that plenty. Better buy yourself a baseball bat. 😉

  12. Rebecca says

    I never comment, but am a regular reader. I just had to leave a comment to say how wonderful and healthy you look. What an amazing transformation!

  13. samantha says

    Yum! These look great! I think I have a use for my frozen strawberries!;
    ;). You look beautiful by the way, lovely skin!

  14. Lucy Lincoln says

    Unfortunately when you look as beautiful as you do and are as successful as you are, your going to recieve jealous sniping comments, and it is unfortunate that these people don’t realise that putting others down makes them even lower than you, silly girls

  15. Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says

    These muffins look fantastic and it just so happens I just came back from the grocery store with 1 kilo of strawberries 😀 You and your family are just too gorgeous! Glad you had a great Easter with lots of chocolate!

  16. Sarah says

    These muffins look like the perfect Spring treat!

    I have to say, Katie, I’ve been reading your blog for several years now, and in this picture you look the happiest/healthiest I’ve ever seen you look! Your skin, hair, smile, all point to signs of a healthy woman. Keep it up, girlfriend!

  17. Lacey says

    Katy, this recipe looks delicious, and I mean this so respectfully but – dang! You’re definitely getting the curves you’ve been wanting! Looking great.

  18. Claire says

    Katie, I think you look absolutely movie star beautiful…. You have the body everyone dreams of… Perfectly proportioned and smokin hot. Any idiot can see that…. I’m so happy for you!

  19. Claire says

    Katie, you look fabulous. First thing I noticed when I saw this post. You look healthy and happy and, as a nice perk, you have the proportions of a movie star and a beautiful smile
    To go with it. I’m so happy for you!

  20. Christine says

    Beautiful pictures! So sorry that people make terrible comments like they do. It’s hard enough keeping up with a blog that puts so much of your business out in the open and all some people can do is keep their own disordered lives to themselves while saying rude things to you. I think you know deep down how much the majority of your readers love your blog and you. Keep it up and don’t let the negative folk bring you down!

  21. Jen says

    Hi Katie! I was wondering if you are still vegan? Just from your comment about pies and chocolate bunnies, it made me wonder. If yes, that’s super awesome that you’ve found mainstream VEGAN chocolate bunnies, and that your family makes vegan pies to support you during the holidays 🙂

    Oh, and I just have to say in that photo it looks like you are glowing!

    • Chocolate Covered Katie says

      Aside from the recipes I’ve posted in the past for vegan chocolate bunnies and eggs, it’s actually also extremely easy to find vegan chocolate in stores… bars, bunnies, eggs, even vegan candy and peeps. And much of what my family makes is already vegan or can easily be made vegan. 🙂

      • Britney says

        While it may be easy to find vegan chocolate and candy in stores in your area, it is not always readily available for others. It really depends on location. Of course purchasing online is another option.
        I am also curious as to whether or not you are still vegan. You kind of tip-toed around the issue by stating that it was extremely easy for you to get vegan candy and veganize any family recipes that are not already vegan, but you failed to answer Jen’s question above asking if you are still vegan. Maybe it was a simple oversight because you feel that you clearly are, but if the question was asked I’m sure there are others wondering the same thing.
        I know that you are working on a cookbook that will be coming out soon, so I’m sure that is taking up a lot of your time, but the tone of your blog just seems quite different recently. Maybe you are just in a much happier place than you were previously, and that is starting to come through your writing.
        Please feel free not to respond if you don’t want to or don’t feel that you need to answer this question.

        • Emily says

          Why do you need to interrogate Katie?? So what if she is strictly vegan or not. I’m not saying she isn’t, but truly it isn’t your business. Please, have a little respect. If you like the recipes that Katie posts then appreciate what she has to offer. If you don’t like them or don’t think they are vegan, then don’t read the blog. But please leave Katie alone! Clearly she is trying to make healthy choices for herself. If you don’t have anything positive or uplifting to say, then please just keep it to yourself.

          • Emily says

            Sorry if that came across harshly. I understand your curiosity but I feel protective of Katie. I want her to feel safe and able to make whatever choices she wants, even if readers do not approve.

          • Britney says

            Emily,
            I apologize if it appeared that I was interrogating Katie, as that was not my intention. I wanted to remind her that things are not always as easily accessible to some people as they are to others. I’m sorry if that seemed impolite.
            I don’t believe that I said anything negative about her recipes or that I didn’t approve if she was no longer vegan. I was just genuinely curious and since Jen had the same question above, I wanted to let Katie know that other readers may be wondering the same thing.
            Katie has readily shared a lot of recent changes in her life. She writes a vegan recipe blog and is working on a vegan dessert book so it is a legitimate question, and I tried to phrase it as respectfully as possible.
            It is natural for a reader to question a blogger’s personal connection to what he/she is writing about. Even if the “About” page describes it as a “healthy dessert blog”, there are quite a few breakfast recipes and some “healthy meal ideas” as well, but all of the recipes are vegan.
            I did not mean to make Katie feel unsafe or unable to make whatever choices she wants. Again, I’m sorry if it came across that way. It is her blog and she has the right to divulge or keep private whatever information she wants.
            Looking back at my comment I see that maybe I was projecting my own feelings and experiences onto her and just speculating what may be going on. I will work on trying to be more positive and uplifting and hopefully it will come through in my writing! 🙂

          • Katy says

            I think that your question was legitimate, as I am curious myself as well. And I will agree about the ‘tip-toeing,’ although, I likewise acknowledge that that could be unintentional. I also sometimes wonder about these people commenting, especially those on behalf of Katie… I must outwardly wonder if some of them are…not…real. I don’t know, but there does not seem to be so much drama on other blogs I follow. And that anyone would be protective over a blogger he or she does not even know seems very strange. In fact a lot of people commenting are very defensive of Katie, before she evens has a chance to reply herself….

          • catta92 says

            I agree with everything you said. Asking a vegan food blogger if he/she is vegan is not rude in my opinion. Katie mentioned a couple of posts ago that she wanted to have a more personal blog – maybe she is planing to do a post on this topic? 🙂

          • Amanda says

            I totally agree. I am disappointed in the blog since Katie stopped running. I felt a huge connection and now the tone has completely changed. It is like she is a different person with a different personality. I will have to read the archives from now on 🙂

          • Anne says

            Wow what a bitch. And blatantly passive aggressive right down to the fake smiley face. You’re disappointed Katie’s blog is now more upbeat and she is glowing and happy? Sounds more like jealousy than disappointment to me.

          • Anne says

            You probably don’t see that level of devotion on other blogs because the other bloggers you follow don’t have as many readers. I am a former anorexic, and Katie’s blog single handedly saved my life by getting me interested in food again. I will defend her to the death.
            And yes I am a real person.

        • Sarah says

          My best guess is that Katie is still vegan but steering her blog away from that aspect and focusing more on being healthy versus on a particular diet. After the whole “Guiness brownie” debacle, and people getting bent out of shape over the use of honey for “strict” vegans, she’s probably trying to focus on healthy living versus what people believe to be “correct” forms of veganism.

          • catta92 says

            That would be my guess too. It’s not a big deal. I love this blog and Katie’s recipes. 🙂
            The comments are the problem. Asking a question in a polite way is fine IMO, but some comments are so rude. Not only against Katie but also against each other…

          • April says

            That and with a cookbook coming out, it opens her up to a much wider audience by marketing the recipes as “healthy” instead of blatantly categorizing them as vegan.

  22. Sunnie says

    Katie, these look so good!! At my workplace, we’ve been selling “Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins” . . . let’s just say, they’re 1) not vegan, 2) filled with garbage ingredients, and 3) look fake, so I have no desire to try them. YOUR strawberry cream cheese muffin, on the other hand, looks FANTASTIC!!! 😀 I must make these . . .

    I must say, thank you so much for catering to a variety of diets/sensitivities. I’ve realized lately that wheat products seem to be what cause me to have severe stomach pain (I haven’t gotten tested for Celiac/gluten intolerance because I haven’t had time yet, but I’m pretty sure that I have one of those things – it’s probably not normal to feel like you’ve eaten knives after having a bite of bread!!).

    On a final note: You look like a knockout – your shape is to die for, and you look positively beautiful. 🙂

  23. Verena says

    It really makes me sad to think of all those girls and women who starve themselves to death this very moment. Every eighth person suffering from an eating disorders dies and leaves behind extremely sad family members and friends (besides their own grief they must have suffered before). Clearly, this is no issue which should be reinforced by unreflecting comments some anonymous blog-reader wrote without considering their potential impact.

    Always being slender but never skinny, I lost some weight due to physical health issues some years ago. People were bitching about me being underweight. When I finally put on weight again until having normal weight, they where still bitching. Although never having had body image or eating disorders, it was still hard to stand all these comments and looks. Well, let them go ahead.
    The love, respect and appreciation I have for my friends, family members and all other people who accompany and enrich my life is independent of their size. Ironically, these are things a low weight will never safeguard you.

  24. Elizabeth says

    Wow, Katie, you look gorgeous! You’ve always been stunningly beautiful, but now you also look like a sexy woman!

  25. Claire says

    Hello Gorgeous!

    These muffins look soooo yummy!!! I have a couple questions though…can I use a liquid sweetener as my sugar of choice? Also, would this recipe work with frozen strawberries?? Would the bake time need to be adjusted if so?

    Thank You <3

  26. Sally says

    Great looking family! You are beautiful! Enjoy your time in New York! These cupcakes look fabulous, thanks for sharing.

  27. Bing says

    Just made this after strawberry picking with my family. This muffin is loaded with strawberry flavor and so delicious even without the cream cheese filling. I just topped it with sour cream because I do not have the ingredients for the cream cheese frosting.

  28. Michelle says

    Katie, I’m not sure if your newer recipes have the prep and cook time, I realize some are more experienced and can cook and prep faster than others, but however long it took you it would be great to know, as a student sometimes I need to find quick recipes depending on how much time I have I can make something more complicated or something a bit easier. It would really help to know the minutes! :$

  29. Noelle says

    Hi Katie! Just found your blog when craving donuts and trying to figure out a healthy alternative to make at home. And I am SO excited that YOURS is the blog that came up when googling! I made these last night and they are INCREDIBLE. I didn’t use muffin liners, which made the bottom of my muffins a bit too moist – but honestly, it sort of makes them MORE delicious! I used canola oil (all I had) and whole wheat flour – and honey instead of stevia/sugar in the cream cheese frosting – all to great results! This will be in regular rotation over here for sure!

  30. Gail says

    I love your website and it makes me very happy to see these healthy recipes. I on a muffin baking kick and was wondering if I could use white whole wheat flour in your muffin recipes.

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