Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

When I woke up on this late March morning to SNOW, I felt like adding a little Spring flavor to our breakfast table. I had seen Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins on the So Tasty, So Yummy blog recently and knew I had to make them. They didn't disappoint! My recipe features less sugar, whole wheat flour and more strawberries. It does take a few extra minutes to dice all those strawberries, but the result is so worth it and the yield is great (24 muffins) leaving plenty to enjoy now and freeze for a quick breakfast or snack later in the week. Look for these to appear again this summer with blueberries and lemon zest or maybe blackberries... the possibilities are endless!

1 cup All Purpose flour

1 cup Whole Wheat flour (I like King Arthur White Wheat flour best)
1 cup sugar
1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer cream together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar.  Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and mix until just combined.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Then add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix until just combined.  Be careful not to over mix.

The batter will be thick, almost like cookie dough.  Stir in the strawberries.

Spoon batter into a paper lined muffin pan.  Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 of the way full and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes,until the tops are golden.  Cool on a rack, but not too long - they are delicious warm! 

Makes 24 muffins.