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Skip the expensive coffee shop muffins and make a batch of these easy lemon muffins instead! They are made with sour cream and fresh lemon juice so they are bursting with flavor and so moist and tender. This easy muffin recipe is perfect for breakfast and brunch or whenever you want a sweet snack.
BEST Lemon Muffins with Crumble
When you’re craving bakery style muffins you need to try these lemon muffins with a sweet streusel topping and lemon glaze. They taste perfectly lemony and the texture can’t be beat – they’re perfectly moist and springy like a muffin should be.
Lemon sour cream muffins with crumble topping, to be specific. These easy muffins are bright, fresh, and so tender and moist. Basically, the perfect recipe – they’re not just a favorite breakfast, but one of my favorite desserts too (like my lemon cake)!
Ingredients Needed
- Sour Cream – I’m using this in place of milk. The acid in the sour cream helps activate the baking soda for a moist and fluffy muffin. You can swap greek yogurt if you want.
- Lemons – Use fresh lemons and you’ll need both lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Oil – I prefer vegetable oil for the fat in my muffin recipes. I like the moisture it lends to the crumb.
- Butter – I use melted butter in my crumble topping because it makes it easier to mix.
How to Make Lemon Muffins
- I like to make the topping first, that way it’s ready to go when the batter is done. Just combine flour, granulated sugar, salt and melted unsalted butter in a bowl and set it aside.
- Using an electric mixer, mix the eggs in a large bowl until they are thick and frothy. This is a very important step – the fluffy eggs help keep the muffins light.
- Add the sugar and oil and mix again until the mixture is creamy.
- Mix in the zest, lemon juice, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Add the sour cream and mix again.
- Switch to a wooden spoon and stir in the flour. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated – the batter may be slightly lumpy.
- Line muffin tins with muffin liners and fill each ¾ full with batter. Sprinkle the crumb topping over each. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the muffins are baking make the glaze by combining powdered sugar with lemon juice in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the muffins.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- Be sure to beat the eggs long enough – they should be thick and yellow and frothy.
- Be sure your sour cream is room temperature to avoid lumps.
- The glaze is optional but adds tons of flavor!
- Do not skip the lemon zest – it adds all the flavor to the muffins.
- Muffins are done baking when a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- This recipe make a big batch – 24 muffins! So, they’re perfect for potlucks or when you’re serving a crowd for brunch or breakfast.
- Want lemon blueberry muffins? Add a cup or two of fresh blueberries.
- If you don’t want to make a large batch you can easily cut the recipe in half.
FAQs
Using a combination of sour cream, baking soda, and oil keeps these muffins nice and moist with a tender crumb. Be sure to not over bake muffins either or they’ll be dry.
Add about 1 tablespoon poppy seeds before putting the batter in the muffin pans.
Freeze these muffins without the glaze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Lemon Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
Topping:
- 1 ¼ cups (155g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter melted
Muffins:
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (237ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (454g) sour cream
- 4 cups (492g) all purpose flour
Glaze (optional):
- ¾ cup (85g) powdered sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin pans with paper baking cups. (This recipe makes 24-28 muffins. Half the recipe for a smaller batch!)
- Make the topping by stirring together all topping ingredients with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer, mix eggs with electric mixer about 1-2 minutes until thick and frothy. Mix in sugar and oil, beat until creamy. Mix in lemon zest, juice, vanilla, baking soda, salt. Mix in sour cream then stir in flour using a wooden spoon. (Batter may be slightly lumpy.)
- Fill muffin cups ¾ full. Sprinkle the tops with the crumble mixture. (I filled mine just a teeny bit too much. They got scary close to overflowing, so stick with 3/4 full!)
- Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of a muffin. Cool 5 minutes in pan then remove to a rack to cool completely.
- (The glaze is optional but adds another punch of lemon flavor.)
- Make the glaze: whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over muffins.
- Muffins should be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to one month. (If freezing, omit glaze and make it before serving.)
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Be sure to beat the eggs long enough – they should be thick and yellow and frothy.
- Be sure your sour cream is room temperature to avoid lumps.
- The glaze is optional but adds tons of flavor!
- Do not skip the lemon zest – it adds all the flavor to the muffins.
- Muffins are done baking when a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Recipe Nutrition
Click here to see the complete list of Lemon Recipes!
Delicious! Instead of sour cream I used plain yogurt. The delivery man from our local hardware store also got a fresh one to take away after bringing us a load of drywall. He seemed pretty excited about it too 🙂 These should keep the husband going for today’s reno project!
Great substitute Liz! Thanks for letting me know!
Seriously can’t wait to make these! To die for! :0)
They look so tart and refreshing. Never thought to use creamer, great idea.
I concur. Having it all is about as attainable as perfection. It’s such an illusion. Smoke & mirrors right.
These muffins are fabulous. I love lemon, it makes me happy. Great photos.
Thank you Kim! I know, balance and having it all. BOO!
Oh why, oh why don’t I have these muffins in my kitchen! They look scrumptious!!! And a little iced coffee would go nicely with your lemon delights on this warm morning!!!
Thanks Liz!
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