Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins (Printable)

Moist banana muffins marbled with sweet caramel cream cheese for a decadent breakfast or dessert treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Banana Muffin Batter

01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
10 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed (approximately 1 cup)
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl

12 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 large egg yolk
15 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
16 - ¼ cup caramel sauce, plus additional for drizzling

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract until well combined.
04 - Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined, avoiding overmixing to maintain moist texture.
05 - In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Gently fold in caramel sauce.
06 - Fill each muffin cup approximately two-thirds full with banana batter. Top each with a heaping tablespoon of caramel cream cheese mixture.
07 - Using a toothpick or knife, gently swirl caramel mixture into banana batter to create marbled pattern.
08 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
09 - Cool muffins in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste indulgent enough to feel like a treat, but banana keeps it honest enough for breakfast without guilt.
  • The swirl is dramatic and Instagram-worthy, yet somehow easier to execute than it looks.
  • One muffin disappears fast, so you'll probably want to double the batch next time.
02 -
  • Don't use hot melted butter or the eggs will scramble before you can fold in the flour, turning your muffins grainy instead of tender.
  • If your cream cheese isn't soft enough, it won't fold in smoothly and you'll end up with tiny chunks instead of a silky swirl.
  • The caramel layer will be darker and slightly sunken when done, which means it's cooked and set, not underbaked.
03 -
  • Invest in a small ice cream scoop for filling muffin cups evenly, and use a second spoon to push the batter out so you're not fighting gravity every time.
  • Don't skip letting the muffins cool in the tin for those five minutes, because they firm up enough to transfer without tearing, and the residual heat helps them cook through completely.
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