Lemon Blueberry Muffins
These delicious lemon blueberry muffins combine the tartness of zesty lemon flavor with the sweetness of juicy blueberries to create a great breakfast or snack option.
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 266kcal
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Muffin Batter
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, for the batter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, to toss with 1 cup of blueberries
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons lemon zest, plus more for optional garnish
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract, optional for increased lemon flavor
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1½ cups fresh blueberries (divided into 1 cup tossed in flour for the batter and ½ cup for topping the muffins once scooped and added to the prepared muffin pan)
Instructions
Streusel Topping
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a standard 12-count muffin pan with parchment paper muffin liners and set aside.
- Prepare the streusel topping by adding the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and lemon zest to a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter while combining with a fork to create a coarse crumble. Set aside while preparing the muffin batter.
Muffin Batter
- Whisk together in a small bowl the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt then set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together the granulated sugar and lemon zest by running the zest into the sugar using your fingers. This helps release the oils from the zest, enhancing the lemon flavor of the baked muffins.
- Add the melted butter, eggs, lemon extract (if using), and vanilla extract to the bowl. Using a handheld mixer on low speed, mix to combine until well combined.
- Add half the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until incorporated.
- Add the buttermilk and lemon juice, mixing just until incorporated, followed by the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until combined and no dry pockets of flour remain. You do not want to overmix the batter or the muffins can bake up tough instead of tender.
- Toss the remaining 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour with 1 cup of the fresh blueberries until all the berries are evenly coated.
- Gently fold the flour coated blueberries into the batter just until evenly distributed, being careful not to break any of the berries.
- Fill each prepared muffin cup ¾ full with batter. A large 3 to 4 tablespoon cookie scoop works great to divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.
- Top each muffin with 3-4 blueberries from the remaining ½ cup.
- Spoon 1 to 1½ tablespoons of the reserved streusel topping onto the top of each muffin, being sure to concentrate the majority of the streusel crumbs in the center so they do not slide to the sides too much as the muffins rise when baked.
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 350°F and continue to bake for an additional 15-17 minutes (for a total bake time of 20-22 minutes) or until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the lemon blueberry muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature. Garnish the tops of each muffin with a sprinkle of additional lemon zest if desired before serving.
Notes
- If rinsing your fresh blueberries prior to use, be sure they are patted dry completely with a paper towel to ensure they do not seep when mixed and baked from any additional moisture.
- Frozen blueberries can be used in this recipe; however, you will want to pat them dry with a paper towel before adding to the batter. Do not thaw prior to adding or the batter will be too wet and the berries will bleed too much excess moisture that can alter the final result of the muffins.
- If using the lemon extract in your muffins, be sure to choose a high quality brand for best results to ensure the flavor is bright with the most authentic citrus flavor. Oftentimes cheaper brands tend to yield too much of an artificial flavor that can have a bitter taste that can also tend to taste more chemical-like. Good quality lemon emulsions are a great choice as they can be used as a 1:1 for lemon extract in recipes. Their flavors are more authentic and do not bake off as much as some extracts do, yielding a more intense lemon flavor in your muffins.
- If you prefer not to use the lemon extract in the recipe, you will want to increase the lemon zest in the muffin batter to 2 tablespoons for a stronger flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 309IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
