Description
Bake moist lemon muffins featuring a rich cream cheese center and a sweet, crunchy brown sugar crumb topping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for filling)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for filling)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for topping)
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (for topping)
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
- Prepare the cream cheese filling: In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of flour until smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare the streusel topping: In another small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup flour, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of cold butter. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
- Prepare the muffin batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup softened butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.
- Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until just combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing only until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Fill the muffin cups about one-third full with batter. Drop a small spoonful (about 1 teaspoon) of the cream cheese filling into the center of the batter in each cup. Top with the remaining batter, filling cups about two-thirds full.
- Sprinkle the prepared streusel topping evenly over the tops of the muffins.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin (avoiding the cream cheese pocket) comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For a stronger lemon flavor, use only fresh lemon juice and zest.
- You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream if desired.
- Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 22 min
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 34
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 55