Christmas Carrot Cake Muffins with Cheesecake Filling 🥕🧁🍰

This holiday season, treat your loved ones to the delightful flavors of Carrot Cake Muffins with a creamy cheesecake filling. Perfect for festive brunches or as a sweet addition to your holiday dessert table, these muffins blend the warmth of spices with the richness of cream cheese, making them a true seasonal delight!

Ingredients:

For Carrot Cake Muffins:

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup water
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup grated carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)

For Cream Cheese Filling:

  • 10 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For Streusel Topping:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Glaze:

  • 1 teaspoon milk
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners, ready for the festive baking.
  2. Make the Streusel Topping: In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add ½ cup melted unsalted butter and mix with a fork until crumbly. Set aside to create a delicious topping.
  3. Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Set this aside to infuse your muffins with a rich filling.
  4. Make the Muffin Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients listed for the muffins. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, and vegetable oil. Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients, then fold in the grated carrots until well combined.
  5. Assemble the Muffins: Drop about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of the muffin batter into each cup, spreading it to cover the bottom. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese filling on top, then cover with additional carrot batter until the cups are filled about ¾ full. Top each muffin with the streusel topping.
  6. Bake: Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin (not the cream cheese filling) comes out clean. The delightful aroma will fill your kitchen, adding to the holiday spirit.
  7. Cool: Once baked, remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon milk with ¼ cup powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle this festive glaze over the muffins before serving for an extra touch of sweetness.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 18

Enjoy these scrumptious Carrot Cake Muffins with Cheesecake Filling, a delightful way to celebrate the flavors of the season and bring joy to your holiday gatherings!

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