Lemon Streusel Muffins

These lemon streusel muffins are slightly sweeter than your regular muffin, but more dense than a cupcake. They are the perfect coffee break snack.

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Lemon streusel muffins in a blue napkin lined basket and one on a plate with a cup of tea next to it.

Easy Lemon Muffins

Lemon streusel muffins are a delicious and easy-to-make breakfast or snack that is hard to resist. I can tell you that from personal experience because I live in a household of two and this recipe makes twelve muffins! These muffins are bursting with tangy lemon flavor, the crumbly streusel topping adds a sweet crunch and a tangy lemon drizzle finishes them off and takes them over the top. Lemon muffins are a breeze to make, and the ingredients are simple and easy to find. All that muffin-making really entails is combining the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and not mixing too much. Scoop the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds of the way full. Then add the streusel topping before baking.

Muffin batter in a bowl with an ice cream scoop, showing how to load the batter into the muffin cups.

Muffin Baking Tips

Before we dive into the streusel topping, let’s go over some muffin baking tips. First, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before you start mixing them together. This will ensure that everything combines evenly and the muffins will rise properly.

Second, don’t over-mix the batter. Over-mixing can lead to tough muffins with large air pockets, which is not what you want. Instead, mix the batter until the ingredients are just combined.

Third, be sure to fill each muffin cup about two-thirds of the way full. This will give your muffins room to rise without overflowing.

Finally, bake the muffins at a very high temperature for the first stage of baking and then lower the heat for the remainder of the time. This will help ensure you get the nice dome on top of the muffin, giving it that true bakery appearance.

A tray of unbaked muffins with streusel topping on top.

Streusel Topping for Lemon Muffins

Now, let’s talk about the streusel topping. To make the streusel, mix together flour, sugar, lemon zest and melted butter until the mixture is crumbly. Then, sprinkle the streusel over the top of each muffin, making sure to cover the entire surface.

A hand drizzling lemon glaze on lemon streusel muffins in a muffin pan.

Lemon Drizzle

But wait…there’s more! The final step – drizzling with the lemon glaze – really is optional, but it does add an extra tangy sweetness to your lemon streusel muffins. In a small bowl, mix together powdered sugar, more lemon zest and lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and pourable. Drizzle the glaze over the top of each muffin, using a spoon or a piping bag. And there you have it – delicious, tangy lemon streusel muffins with a sweet and crunchy topping and a tangy lemon drizzle. These muffins are perfect for a lazy Sunday morning breakfast or the perfect coffee break. Enjoy!

A hand breaking open a lemon streusel muffin over a white plate with lemon slices on it.

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Lemon Streusel Muffins

  • Prep Time: 20 m
  • Cook Time: 20 m
  • Total Time: 40 m
  • Servings:
    12
    muffins

Ingredients

Streusel Topping:
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • cup granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Muffins:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract optional
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • cup milk
  • Juice of 1 lemon
Lemon Glaze
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • Zest ½ lemon
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 425° F. Line the inside of a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin liners or grease well with butter or oil.
  2. Make the streusel topping by combing the flour, sugar, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and using a fork, stir into large crumbs. Chill the mixture in the fridge until ready to use.
  3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together to break up any lumps.
  4. In a separate bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for a minute or two. Add the sugar to the bowl and cream the butter and sugar together for 5 minutes until it is fluffy and light in color. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula one or two times as needed. Beat in the lemon zest, egg, egg yolks, lemon extract, and sour cream until everything is blended.
  5. Stir in the milk and lemon juice and then gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Press the crumbs down slightly into the batter.
  7. Bake at 425° F for 8 minutes. Then turn oven temperature down (do not open oven door at this point) to 350° F and bake for 12 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

  8. Transfer the muffin pan to a cooling rack and let it cool for 3 minutes. Then, remove the muffins from the muffin pan and place muffins directly on the cooking rack to cool completely.
  9. To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, lemon zest and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Add additional lemon juice or water as needed to make a drizzling consistency.
  10. Drizzle some lemon glaze on the cooled muffins. Store for 2 to 3 days in an air-tight container.
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Comments (5)Post a Reply

  1. i made morning scones very good i like the oatmeal in them .
    I made the lemon muffin very very good.
    Thankyou for your recipes.

  2. 5 stars
    Absolutely amazing. I didn’t have all purpose flour but I used cake flour. and even that was delicious!!!! Best recipe I’ve ever tried!!! And the glaze gives it a bit extra tart to sweet ration. 10/10! Absolutely recommend!

  3. 5 stars
    I am not a muffin junkie but these have converted me into a Lemon Streusel Muffin junkie. The moist , decadent muffin is perfectly scrumptious. The true lemon flavor plays well with the streusel crumb. Living in a house of two is the only problem with this recipe….12 isnt enough . Absolutely try this recipe…….LOVE is an understatement.

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