Red Velvet Muffins Filled with Cream Cheese Swirl

These muffins are impossibly tender and buttery, with the smooth vanilla and cocoa notes and a subtle tang that define classic red velvet. Each one hides a creamy cream cheese center and is finished with a buttery crumb topping that melts into a delicate crunch.

After baking multiple batches, I had to freeze the muffins from these photos to save them from disappearing—fresh from the oven, when the cream cheese is still soft and slightly gooey, they’re very hard to resist.

My husband summed it up succinctly: “These muffins are dangerous as fuck.”

Yes — dangerously good, and absolutely worth it.

These muffins are related to my favorite red velvet cake, but the buttery crumb topping and the custardy cream cheese filling make them feel like a breakfast pastry. They’re a delicious way to start the day.

Ingredients needed to prepare this recipe

• Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Use either; vanilla bean paste has a more assertive flavor. Avoid imitation vanilla for the best taste.
• Red velvet emulsion. Optional but helps boost both color and that classic red velvet flavor.
• Vegetable or canola oil and butter. This recipe uses both: butter for flavor and crumbs, oil to keep the muffins moist and tender.
• Cake flour. Cake flour produces an exceptionally soft, delicate crumb. See the substitution note below if you don’t have cake flour.
• Buttermilk. Essential for texture and the slight tang that defines red velvet; it reacts with baking soda to help the muffins rise.
• Cream cheese. For the custardy filling that gives these muffins their danish-like center.
• Heavy cream. Whipped and folded into the batter, it adds air and fat for a silkier, lighter texture.
• Brown sugar, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar. Three sugars each serve a purpose: brown sugar adds moisture and depth, granulated sugar gives texture to the crumbs, and powdered sugar sweetens the cream cheese filling without making it grainy.
• Eggs. Use one yolk for the cream cheese filling and three egg whites for the muffin batter; using only whites in the batter helps create a light, springy texture.
• Cocoa powder. Just enough to give the classic red velvet note without turning the muffins into chocolate muffins.
• Baking powder, baking soda, and salt. For leavening and balanced flavor.

Step-by-step photos and instructions

Beat cream cheese with an egg yolk, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

Spoon 12 tablespoon-sized dollops of the filling onto a plate and freeze while you prepare the crumb topping and batter.

Combine the crumb topping ingredients in a small bowl, using your fingers to ensure the flour is fully coated with butter. Cover and set aside.

Beat butter, oil, and brown sugar until light and creamy.

Add the egg whites in three additions, beating until incorporated after each addition. Then beat in the vanilla and red velvet emulsion.

Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder together in a separate bowl.

Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the batter in alternating additions on low speed, mixing just until mostly combined between additions.

Whip the heavy cream until it holds a soft peak—when you lift the beater it should form a peak that gently folds over.

Gently fold the whipped cream into the batter with a rubber spatula until just incorporated; a few streaks are fine.

Grease the top of a muffin pan and line cups with paper liners. Fill each cup halfway with batter, place one frozen dollop of cream cheese filling in the center, then top with remaining batter so it reaches nearly the top of the liner.

Press the crumb topping onto each muffin with your fingers, creating some larger crumbs. Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 6 minutes, then reduce to 350°F (176°C) and bake 18–22 more minutes without opening the oven. A toothpick should come out without raw batter—some crumbs are expected.

Muffin baking tips and tricks

#1. Help the muffins rise above the tin.

Baking at a higher temperature for the first 5–6 minutes gives the muffins an initial burst of heat that encourages a tall rise and the familiar muffin top. Note that the buttery crumb topping will limit how domed the tops appear.

#2. Fill liners to the top.

Fill each liner nearly to the top. If you’ve greased the top of the muffin pan, the batter can rise up and over the pan without sticking and will create a platform for the crumb topping.

#3. How to know when the muffins are done.

Use a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin: if there is no raw batter on it—only moist crumbs—the muffins are done.

#4. Let muffins cool in the pan.

These muffins are very tender when warm. Leave them in the pan for 10–15 minutes to firm up enough to remove without tearing.

Useful equipment

An inexpensive immersion hand blender with a whisk attachment is one of my favorite, most frequently used tools. I used a stand mixer for the batter, then the hand mixer to whip the cream without transferring bowls—simple and efficient.

More decadent morning treats

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or share a photo and tag it #ofbatteranddough on Instagram. Happy baking!

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