Cream Cheese-Filled Zucchini Muffins
Sweet and moist zucchini muffins with a cream cheese filling. These cream cheese-filled zucchini muffins are perfect for breakfast or dessert!
As a kid, I was a very picky eater. No matter how hard my mother tried to get me to eat vegetables, I absolutely refused for them to be anywhere near my plate. Fast forward over twenty years later and I’ve grown to really love certain vegetables.
The first vegetable I found out I really loved? Zucchini.
If I’m being honest the first time I tried it was in zucchini bread, but you have to start somewhere.. Right?
I actually do eat zucchini in healthier ways now and I love to cook some to serve alongside dinner. But, I absolutely love baking with it too. Not only does it make some seriously delicious muffins or bread, it adds so much moisture too!
So when I had the idea to make some zucchini muffins, I decided to do things a little different and add a cream cheese filling to it too. I have to say, it was a really great decision because these muffins turn out amazing!
These muffins are perfectly sweet and easy to whip up too. The cream cheese filling consists of cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, and a little vanilla extract. It’s almost like a cheesecake filling inside of the muffin and it is soooooo good.
Once you make your batter, just spoon half of it into the muffin pan, top with the filling, then spoon the other half of the batter on top.
Easy enough, right?
These muffins bake up in about 20-25 minutes, mine were perfect right at 22 minutes. I baked two batches of these a couple weekends ago and sent some with Josh’s friends. Everyone loved them and I guarantee you will too! Enjoy!
Cream Cheese-Filled Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
Zucchini Muffins:
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray 10 cavities in a muffin pan well with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
To make the cream cheese filling:
- Add the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla to a small bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and set aside.
To make the muffins:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and shredded zucchini.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Scoop half of the batter into 10 of the muffin cavities, evenly distribute the cream cheese filling on top of the batter, then add the remaining half of the batter on top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the muffin pan and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
These will freeze well for up to 2 months, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Adapted from All Recipes
I have made these muffins before and just decided to try this cream cheese filling in a pumpkin muffin. They were so good!!
So glad you enjoyed them, Katie! The cream cheese filling is definitely perfect in pumpkin muffins too 🙂
Brilliant idea adding cream cheese to zucchini muffins, Danielle — these look so good! I definitely need to give these a try — we love zucchini anything in my house!
I am with you…zucchini bread is a favorite of mine, too, which means I will love these muffins! The addition of the cream cheese filling sounds delicious!
Oh em gee, these look SO amazing!! I love the cream cheese in the middle. And zucchini bread is definitely one of my favorites in the summer. We didn’t get a TON of zucchini in the garden this year, but I still managed to make one batch. I need to make some more before summer is over!
I can’t wait to have our own garden and grow some zucchini, I love it! Thanks, Jess!
It’s funny cause I’m pretty sure I hated zucchini as kid, but for some reason I loved zucchini bread! Someone must have invented it to get kids to eat zucchini! I love that you stuffed these muffins with cream cheese! Yum 🙂
Haha, I agree! Someone definitely wanted their kids to eat veggies, but it works 🙂
Even as a kid, I loved zucchini breads and muffins. It was like the grand exception to my no-veggie rule. And you’ve filled your muffins with cream cheese, which makes them 150% better. Delicious!
Haha same here, Mir. Carrot cake was also my exception 😉
Gorgeous zucchini muffins.. Love the cream cheese filling.. 😀
Oh my goodness, these look so good! I love cream cheese stuffed anything!
These look amazing Danielle! Love cream cheese filled breads and I must try these muffins! Perfect! Pinned!
As a child, I was a picky eater too, Danniel! But now I LOVE veggies! And I so love zucchini! These muffins look so delish and inviting! YUMMYLICIOUS!
I was a picky eater when I was younger too and didn’t like many veggies until I was older but now I love them all 🙂 These zucchini muffins look amazing! Love the cream cheese in here, they sound perfect for breakfast!
I never used to like zucchini until I got older. It always amazes me at how versatile it is! These muffins look fantastic, Danielle! I love the touch of cream cheese in here. Sounds like it makes them even more delicious!
I agree, I love that you can make savory or sweet food with it! The cream cheese is definitely a great addition, thanks Gayle 😉
I love zucchini muffins…but this cream cheese filling takes it to a whole new level! Yummmm!!!
Yum! Loving the zucchini goodness here 🙂 Delicious!
Are we on the same zucchini muffin wavelength or WHAT?! Um, love it. 🙂 And I love pretty much every little thing about these pretty muffins! Swooning over that luscious cheesecake filling!
Zucchini wavelengths are a good thing, right?! Thanks, Sarah 🙂
the cream cheese filling is also good in zucchini bread and banana bread and muffins too
Definitely need to try it with banana bread next time! Thanks, Marcy 🙂