Red Velvet Muffins

Cream cheese is the secret ingredient that makes these Red Velvet Muffins extra moist and tender. This is the perfect breakfast for red velvet lovers!

Give me all the muffins for breakfast! Serve up an array, with these red velvet muffins, cinnamon muffins, and banana muffins for the perfect assortment!

Red Velvet Muffins

If you’ve been around here for awhile, you’ll remember that years ago I wrote a cookbook all about red velvet. And for years, I had a red velvet week here on Taste and Tell. I have a small red velvet addiction over here.

If I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that red velvet is not just for dessert. I’ve done Red Velvet Pancakes. I’ve done Red Velvet Waffles. I’ve done Red Velvet Crepes.

And since we all know I have a muffin addiction, red velvet muffins are a given.

They definitely have a muffin texture (vs. a cupcake texture). They aren’t too sweet, but are perfect for a breakfast splurge. We always enjoy snacking on them for breakfast for several days.

These Red Velvet Muffins have been a favorite around here since I first published the recipe in 2013. So loved that this recipe also appeared in my cookbook. I did make a few minor changes to the recipe, but they are still just as good.

Ingredients

• Flour: I use all-purpose flour in both the muffins and the topping.
• Sugar: You will need granulated sugar. Again, this goes in both the muffins and the topping.
• Baking Powder: The baking powder gives the muffins their rise and keeps them from being dense.
• Salt: Salt will balance the flavors.
• Oil: I like using oil over butter to keep the muffins really moist. I usually use vegetable oil, but any neutral cooking oil should work.
• Buttermilk: In my opinion, one of the flavors that makes red velvet what it is is the buttermilk. It just doesn’t taste like red velvet if you don’t have that tang. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make a buttermilk substitute.
• Cocoa Powder: This is just regular unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Eggs: Make sure to lightly beat the eggs before adding them so you don’t have to overmix the batter.
• Food Coloring: I use liquid food coloring because that is what I keep on hand, but you can also use gel food coloring. If you use gel, you will need a lot less. I would start with several drops and add until you have the color that you want.
• Cream Cheese: The cream cheese gets mixed into the batter, giving these muffins a unique texture. It’s moist and soft and absolutely delicious.
• Butter: The butter is for the streusel topping. You want to use cold butter when you are cutting it into the sugar and flour.

How to Make Red Velvet Muffins

Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients (reserving 1/2 cup of the sugar) together.

Step 2: Whisk all of the wet ingredients except for the cream cheese together. I just use a hand held whisk for this.

Step 3: Mix the wet and dry ingredients together just until they are moistened. You don’t want to over mix the batter.

Step 4: Beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. You want it to be smooth.

Step 5: Add the cream cheese mixture to the batter.

Step 6: Fold the cream cheese mixture in until no white remains. Just make sure you don’t over mix!

Step 7: Divide the batter between the muffin tins.

Step 8: Make the streusel topping by mixing sugar and flour, then cutting in butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the tops of the muffins.

Step 9: Bake the muffins until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Tips and Tricks

Try not to overmix the batter. I know there is a lot of mixing, but try to keep a gentle hand.

This recipe makes 18 muffins, so you can use 2 12-cup muffin tins, or I use a 12- cup tin and a 6- cup tin.

These muffins are actually really good for several days after you make them. I store them at room temperature in an airtight container.

More Red Velvet Recipes

Red Velvet Tres Leches Cake
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Oreo Cream Cheese Stuffed Red Velvet Brownies
Red Velvet Ice Cream with Marshmallow Swirl
Red Velvet Quick Bread with Cream Cheese Filling

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Red Velvet Muffins

4 from 4 votes

Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 18 muffins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

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Cream cheese is the secret ingredient that makes these Red Velvet Muffins extra moist and tender. This is the perfect breakfast for red velvet lovers!

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Ingredients

Muffins:

• ▢ 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar divided
• ▢ 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup vegetable oil or another neutral cooking oil
• ▢ 2/3 cup buttermilk
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 eggs slightly beaten
• ▢ 1 tablespoon red food coloring*
• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese softened

Topping:

• ▢ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter cut into cubes

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF.  Line 18 muffin tins with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, and the salt.
• In another bowl, mix together the oil, buttermilk, cocoa, eggs, and food coloring.
• Combine the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients together just until moistened.
• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar together. Fold the cream cheese mixture into the muffin batter, being careful to not overmix.
• Divide the batter between the prepared muffin tins.
• In another bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup of sugar and the 1/4 cup of flour. Add the butter and cut in using a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the muffins.
• Bake the muffins in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17-20 minutes.

Recipe Notes:

*I use liquid food coloring because that is what I keep on hand, but you can also use gel food coloring. If you use gel, you will need a lot less. I would start with several drops and add until you have the color that you want.

This is slightly adapted from the recipe that I originally published here in 2013 (and in my cookbook). The only changes are that I made 18 muffins instead of 24 and cut the streusel topping in half.

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 337kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 40g (13%), Protein: 4g (8%), Fat: 19g (29%), Saturated Fat: 5g (31%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 37mg (12%), Sodium: 305mg (13%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 23g (26%)

Keywords: red velvet muffins