Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins (Printable)

Moist banana muffins swirled with luscious caramel cream cheese filling, creating a perfect snack-size treat combining ripe banana sweetness with rich caramel marbling.

# Components:

→ Muffin Batter

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil
09 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1/4 cup whole milk

→ Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl

13 - 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
15 - 1 large egg yolk
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
17 - 1/4 cup thick caramel sauce

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or apply nonstick cooking spray to each cup.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter, vegetable oil, and sugar until combined. Add mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. Whisk until smooth.
04 - Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain muffin texture.
05 - In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in caramel sauce, creating a marbled effect with visible caramel streaks.
06 - Spoon muffin batter into each prepared cup, filling approximately two-thirds full. Dollop 1 tablespoon of caramel cream cheese mixture onto each muffin.
07 - Use a toothpick or wooden skewer to gently swirl the caramel cream cheese mixture into the batter. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the muffin center emerges clean, avoiding the cream cheese swirl.
08 - Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack until completely cooled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That creamy caramel swirl is like finding treasure inside every bite, and it never fails to make someone ask for the recipe.
  • They stay moist for days, which means you can actually enjoy them without stress instead of devouring them all at once.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, so you can impress people on a regular Tuesday without the fuss.
02 -
  • Don't test for doneness by sticking a toothpick through the cream cheese swirl, or you'll never know if the actual muffin is done baking.
  • Room temperature ingredients mix in smoother and faster than cold ones, so take a minute to let the bananas and eggs warm up before you start.
03 -
  • Mash your bananas until they're almost a puree because chunky pieces won't distribute evenly and you'll get inconsistent texture throughout the batch.
  • If your cream cheese mixture seems thin, refrigerate it for ten minutes before dolloping it onto the batter so it holds its shape better during swirling.
Return