In these early months of blogging, it’s crystal clear that y’all LOVE muffins! Both the Blueberry Cream Cheese and Cranberry Orange Buttermilk Muffins posts are among the top viewed since I launched HIH. I wanted to create an anti-average brunchy muffin that had all of the best “extras” a muffin can feature. And, boy, did I with these brown sugar buttermilk muffins! Super tender buttermilk batter, a sweet and tangy cream cheese filling, and a crunchy streusel topping with just the right hint of salt for balance make for one seriously delightful muffin!
Easter is right around the corner, and if you’re like me you’re already excited for the Easter Sunday food festivities. While holiday traditions are held near and dear, you won’t be disappointed if you add the HIH Ultimate Brown Sugar Buttermilk Muffins to your spread! This muffins are so amazing. It took extreme self control not to eat all of them before I as able to get photos taken. I also knew I had to make these while my husband wasn’t home. I wouldn’t even have the chance to get the camera ready before he’d have them snatched up and devoured!
Recipe Evolution
When I first tested this recipe, I was afraid it would be WAY too sweet. I was pleasantly surprised that the tang from the cream cheese and the salt in the streusel balanced the brown sugar perfectly! I’ve never hit a homerun the first time I’ve tested a recipe, but I did on this one! It was VERY exciting to pull these muffins out of the oven with toasty streusel and beautifully domed tops! It was even more exciting to take the first bite! Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket…
Of course, as I type this post, I think to myself…”you should have incorporated bacon!” For better or worse, I just can’t resist trying to work bacon into as many recipes as possible. If I ever make that happen for these muffins, you know there will be a blog post.
Keys to Success
- Resist the urge to over mix. Leave the whisk and the hand mixer alone and reach for the rubber spatula. Folding the wet and dry ingredients together with the rubber spatula until JUST combined will make for fluffy tender muffins.
- Cold butter makes the best streusel. You definitely want to make sure you start with cold butter and then re-chill your streusel topping for the best results.
- Buy the cookie/ice cream scoop. Using a spoon will work, but using a scoop, will ensure your muffins are uniform and makes working with sticky batter extra easy. I found a super affordable and well-made set on Amazon, linked here. Of course, I use them for muffins and ice cream, but they really come in handy for cookies and meatballs.
- Enjoy warm! These muffins are fantastic, but they are extra fantastic when served warm. Fresh out of the oven or reheated in the toaster oven or microwave so the cream cheese gets all warm and gooey puts these muffins on another level.
Ultimate Brown Sugar Buttermilk Muffins
Equipment
- 3 mixing bowls
- 1 Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons 1 heat proof
- 1 fork or pastry cutter
- 12 well standard muffin tin
- muffin liners optional
- 1 small spring loaded cookie scoop
- 1 Rubber spatula
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, cold
- pinch salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
Muffins
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 5½ tablespoons butter, cut into large chunks
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Combine the streusel ingredients and cut together using a pastry cutter or similar tool. Cut the cold butter into the other ingredients until there the butter pieces are about the size of a pea. Place in the fridge to chill.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese filling ingredients and mix together until homogenous. I find a fork works well, but you could use a mixer if you prefer.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease or line your muffin tin for 12 muffins.
- Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder into a medium sized mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine.
- In a microwave safe measuring cup, melt the butter in the microwave using 15-30 second intervals, just until melted. Combine the melted butter with the buttermilk, followed by the beaten egg and vanilla.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients and the went ingredients until just combined.
- Using a small cookie/ice cream scoop (a little less than a tablespoon) scoop one level scoop of muffin batter into each muffin cup, use the back of the scoop to press the batter down into the bottom of the cup. Using the same scoop, repeat with the cream cheese mixture, then top with the last 1/2 of the muffin batter.
- Top each muffin with about 2 teaspoons of streusel topping.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes until the tops are domed. The toothpick trick will not work due to the cream cheese filling.
- Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from the muffin tin. Best enjoyed warm from the oven. Store leftovers in the fridge.
Nutrition
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[…] muffin mania here at HIH! Y’all LOVED last month’s Ultimate Brown Sugar Buttermilk Muffin post…and for good reason, they are freaking delicious. If it’s muffins you want, today […]