Description
Lemon cream cheese muffins are soft, moist, and packed with bright lemon flavor. The cream cheese makes them extra fluffy, while the crumb topping adds a delightful crunch. Drizzled with a tangy lemon glaze, these muffins are perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup (142 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (159 g) granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 large lemons, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (see note)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1-2 large lemons
- 3/4 cup (107 g) all-purpose flour (for crumb topping)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for crumb topping)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (for crumb topping)
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) salted butter, melted (for crumb topping)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for glaze)
- 1/2 cup (57 g) powdered sugar (for glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest and beat until fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and lemon juice to the wet ingredients, and mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
- For the crumb topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter. Mix until a crumbly texture forms. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the muffin batter.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool slightly in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the lemon glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled muffins.
Notes
- Buttermilk can be substituted with regular milk or a milk-lemon juice mixture (1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1/4 cup milk).
- If you prefer a less sweet muffin, you can reduce the sugar slightly in the batter.
- The muffins are best enjoyed the same day, but they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg