Sweet and tender cranberry muffins with streusel topping are the perfect breakfast or snack during the holidays!

Cream cheese cranberry muffins are moist, velvety soft, and chock full of bursting berries. Best of all, they’re easy to make!

three cream cheese cranberry muffins served on a white plate.

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Cranberries are one of those underrated fruits that don’t get enough attention this time of year, in my opinion.

Yes, they have their classic place on the Thanksgiving table with whole berry cranberry sauce, but there’s so much more you can do with these sweet and tart morsels!

I’ve long been a fan of cranberry desserts, because they bring so much flavor to baked goods.

From cranberry streusel pie to Nantucket cranberry pie to cranberry pistachio bread and cranberry banana bread, they’re a delicious addition to the holiday season.

One of my absolute favorite treats is cream cheese cranberry bread, which is the perfect loaf of sweet quickbread dotted with fresh cranberries.

But I’ve received several questions about making a similar recipe in muffin form, so that’s how these cream cheese cranberry muffins were born.

It’s the same velvety soft, pound cake-like texture, but to take things up a notch, I added a sugar streusel on top that pairs perfectly with the slight tartness of the berries, and makes them feel a little more festive.

They make a delightful breakfast on Thanksgiving or Christmas morning, or as a sweet afternoon snack alongside a cup of tea or coffee.

freshly baked cranberry cream cheese muffins still in the muffin pan.

Baking Cranberry Muffins with Cream Cheese

If you haven’t baked with cream cheese before, you’re in for a treat!

Cream cheese helps provide a moist and tender texture in these muffins, but without giving it a prominent cream cheese flavor.

I also use cream cheese in my cream cheese cookies, cream cheese pound cake from a mix, and chocolate cream cheese pound cake–all with fantastic results.

Whether you’re enjoying them yourself or baking them as a handmade gift for a loved one, these muffins are a delicious and lovely sweet treat for the holiday season.

Need a recipe without cream cheese? Try my cranberry orange pecan muffins instead!

overhead view of cranberry streusel muffins on a white plate, with the muffin tin of remaining muffins in the background.

How to Make Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

It’s really easy to make these simple muffins!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Unsalted butter
Cream cheese
Granulated sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract or orange extract
Almond extract
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt
Whole fresh cranberries
Vegetable oil

close-up view of a cream cheese cranberry muffin, showing the juicy cranberries studded throughout, as well as the crunchy streusel topping.

How to Make It:

(Full printable recipe card is available below)

Cream butter and cream cheese. First, you’ll beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

Add in the granulated sugar and beat to combine.

two photos; one shows butter and cream cheese beaten together in a glass mixing bowl; the other shows sugar added to the mixture.

Make the batter. Next, you’ll beat in the eggs and extracts.

With the mixer on low speed, add in the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing just until incorporated.

two photos; one shows eggs and extracts added to the butter and sugar mixture; the other shows the dry ingredients added to the bowl.

Add berries. Then, you’ll add in the fresh cranberries, mixing on low speed just until the cranberries are combined into the batter.

two photos; one shows fresh cranberries added to the muffin batter; the other shows the berries mixed in.

Prepare streusel. Next, in a small bowl, combine sugar and flour, mixing together.

Add in the vegetable oil, mixing until the streusel is the consistency of wet sand.

two photos; one shows sugar and flour in a small bowl; the other shows vegetable oil mixed in to make the streusel.

Bake. Next, scoop the batter into the wells of a prepared muffin pan, sprinkling streusel over the tops.

two photos; one shows muffin batter divided between the wells of a muffin pan; the other shows streusel topping added over the batter.

Bake for about 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Let cool slightly before removing from the pan, and enjoy!

overhead view of a muffin pan of freshly baked cranberry streusel muffins made with cream cheese.

Notes and Adaptations:

The streusel topping is technically optional, but I love the added sweetness and hint of crunch that it provides.
Muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Three cranberry cream cheese muffins on a white plate, one of which has a bite taken out of it.

Recommended Equipment:

Yield: 12 Muffins

Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

Name: Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 4-oz cream cheese, softened; 3/4 cups granulated sugar; 2 eggs; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon orange extract; 1/4 teaspoon almond extract; 1 cups all-purpose flour; 3/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup whole fresh cranberries; 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Bright and festive cranberry muffins are velvety soft and topped with a sweet streusel. They're the perfect holiday breakfast idea!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the Muffins:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4-oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon orange extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole fresh cranberries

For the Streusel Topping:

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a muffin pan well.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer), beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth.
Add sugar, mixing until combined.
Add eggs and extracts, mixing until incorporated and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
With the mixer on low speed, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until incorporated.
Add fresh cranberries and mix until combined.
Divide batter between twelve wells of the prepared muffin pan.
Prepare streusel by combining sugar and flour in a small bowl, mixing well. Add in the vegetable oil, mixing until it reaches the consistency of wet sand (I use my fingers for this).
Sprinkle streusel topping over the muffin batter. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Notes

The streusel topping is optional, but I like the extra sweetness and hint of crunch it provides.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.