Chai-Spiced Cheesecake Muffins With Cream Cheese Swirl

These muffins bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes and make 16. A spiced applesauce batter goes into the pan first, then a spoon of sweetened cream cheese lands in the middle of each cup and gets swirled through with a toothpick.

The batter carries cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg, which is what gives it that chai taste. Applesauce and oil keep the crumb soft, and brown sugar brings a little molasses depth. No butter, no mixer, and nothing you have to cream together.

The one thing to get right is temperature. Cold cream cheese stays lumpy no matter how long you beat it, so leave the block on the counter for about an hour before you start. Everything else is forgiving.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the oven and grease the pan

Set the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray, getting the corners of each cup. You will bake in two rounds, so keep the tin handy.

2. Whisk the dry ingredients

In a large bowl, stir the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, baking soda and salt with a fork until the spices are spread evenly through the flour. A fork is enough here and saves washing a whisk.

3. Mix the wet ingredients

In a second large bowl, stir the applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and oil with a fork until the sugar has mostly dissolved. It should look glossy and even, with no streaks of egg.

4. Bring the batter together

Add the dry mix to the wet in three additions, stirring after each one. Stop as soon as the last dry patch disappears. The batter is thick, closer to a stiff cake batter than a pourable one.

5. Beat the cheesecake filling

In a medium bowl, mash the cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla with a fork until smooth and a little fluffy. Press out any lumps against the side of the bowl.

6. Fill the cups

Spoon about 1/4 cup (30 g) of batter into each greased cup. Drop a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each one, then drag a toothpick through it in a loose loop to swirl.

7. Bake for 18 minutes

Bake for 18 minutes, until the tops spring back when you touch them lightly and the edges are golden. Rotate the pan halfway through if your oven browns unevenly.

8. Cool, then repeat

Let the muffins sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift them out onto a rack. Wipe the tin, grease it again and bake the second batch with the remaining batter and filling.

Variations

Pumpkin swap

use 1 cup pumpkin purée and 1 cup applesauce in place of the full 2 cups of applesauce. The spice blend already suits pumpkin.

Mini muffins

bake in a greased mini tin at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Use a half teaspoon of filling per cup.

Loaf version

bake the batter and filling in a greased 9 by 5 inch loaf pan at 375 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes, until a skewer in the center comes out clean.

How to Store Chai-Spiced Cheesecake Muffins

Frequently Asked Questions

Chai-Spiced Cheesecake Muffins With Cream Cheese Swirl

Warm chai spices meet a creamy cream cheese swirl in these tender applesauce muffins. One bowl of batter, one quick filling, 18 minutes in the oven.

15 minPrep time18 minCook time38 minTotal16Servings

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Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups applesauce
• 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• nonstick cooking spray (for greasing)

Instructions

1. 1Heat the oven and grease the pan — Set the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray, getting the corners of each cup. You will bake in two rounds, so keep the tin handy.
2. 2Whisk the dry ingredients — In a large bowl, stir the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, baking soda and salt with a fork until the spices are spread evenly through the flour. A fork is enough here and saves washing a whisk.
3. 3Mix the wet ingredients — In a second large bowl, stir the applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and oil with a fork until the sugar has mostly dissolved. It should look glossy and even, with no streaks of egg.
4. 4Bring the batter together — Add the dry mix to the wet in three additions, stirring after each one. Stop as soon as the last dry patch disappears. The batter is thick, closer to a stiff cake batter than a pourable one.
5. 5Beat the cheesecake filling — In a medium bowl, mash the cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla with a fork until smooth and a little fluffy. Press out any lumps against the side of the bowl.
6. 6Fill the cups — Spoon about 1/4 cup (30 g) of batter into each greased cup. Drop a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each one, then drag a toothpick through it in a loose loop to swirl.
7. 7Bake for 18 minutes — Bake for 18 minutes, until the tops spring back when you touch them lightly and the edges are golden. Rotate the pan halfway through if your oven browns unevenly.
8. 8Cool, then repeat — Let the muffins sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift them out onto a rack. Wipe the tin, grease it again and bake the second batch with the remaining batter and filling.

Cook's note: Room-temperature cream cheese is the one step worth planning around. Set the block out about an hour before you bake, and the filling comes together in under a minute.

Servings: 16

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

RecipesCooker15 minutes18 minutes38 minutes