Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins (Printable version)

Moist banana muffins with rich caramel cream cheese swirls, perfect for snacking any time of day.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease with nonstick spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, oil, and sugar until combined. Add mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix until smooth.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined; do not overmix.
05 - In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Swirl in caramel sauce, leaving streaks for a marbled effect.
06 - Spoon batter into each muffin cup, filling about two-thirds full. Dollop 1 tablespoon of caramel cream cheese mixture onto each muffin, then use a toothpick to gently swirl it into the batter.
07 - Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, avoiding the cream cheese swirl when testing.
08 - Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The caramel cream cheese swirl stays luscious and pockets of flavor throughout, not dried out like some muffins can get.
  • One batch fills your kitchen with such an inviting smell that people will actually follow their noses to find you.
  • They're substantial enough to feel like a real snack or light dessert, not just an excuse to eat sugar.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling in the tin for those five minutes—I learned this by burning my fingers on a muffin that crumbled the moment I tried to move it.
  • The cream cheese swirl will cook but stay softer than the muffin itself, so it's okay if a toothpick inserted into the filling comes out moist when the banana cake is done.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs blend more evenly into the batter and create a more uniform crumb, so pull them out of the fridge while you're doing other prep work.
  • Don't rush the cooling process—letting them sit on a wire rack instead of in the tin prevents steam from making the bottoms soggy and actually improves the texture overall.
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