Lemon Muffins

5 from 3 votes

Posted: 03/24/22 Updated: 10/14/23

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Light and fluffy Lemon Muffins that are topped with a lemon powdered sugar glaze. They make the perfect burst of flavor in the morning for breakfast or brunch!

I love muffins pretty much any time of day and these have the perfect amount of lemon flavor! They’re so easy to make and better than any bakery – especially with that drizzle of lemon glaze. Trust me, you’ll want one or a few of these lemony muffins with your morning latte!

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Why You Will Love These Fresh Lemon Muffins!

So much lemon flavor! These muffins are flavored with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for the best flavor. Plus, you can amp up the lemon taste even more with some lemon extract.
They’re topped with a simple two-ingredient glaze for the finishing touch of sweetness.
I’m sharing tips for the best light, fluffy and moist muffins!
These lemon muffins keep well at room temperature so you can make them ahead. Or, pop them in the freezer for an easy grab-and-go breakfast treat.

I just love the bright flavor in these muffins – you will, too, once you try them!

Ingredients

Olive oil OR melted butter – the oil will make your muffins moist and soft. Butter will make them a little richer with a buttery flavor. You can choose which you’d like!
Granulated sugar
All-purpose flour – for the best lemon muffins, lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off. This is the best way to measure it.
Large eggs – room temperature eggs are easier to mix, so leave them out for 20 minutes before you make the batter.
Milk – you can use whole milk or 2% milk.
Lemons – You’ll need the lemon juice and zest for that delicious lemon flavor!
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Vanilla extract
Lemon extract – this is optional, but adds a boost of concentrated lemon flavor!
Powdered sugar and lemon juice – these are combined to make the glaze.

Products Needed

Overhead image of wet ingredients for muffins

Overhead image of dry ingredients for muffins

Recipe Steps

Wet Ingredients: Mix the sugar, oil (or butter), and eggs until smooth. Stir in the milk, vanilla extract, lemon extract (if using) and lemon juice.

Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Once combined, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Mix in the zest.

Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and bake the muffins until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool: Allow the lemon muffins to cool before drizzling the glaze over the top of the muffins.

Storage Tip: Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to five days at room temperature. Or you can freeze them for several months!

How do you make moist muffins?

Ingredients: Use room temperature ingredients – they are easier to mix without having to overmix the batter.
Measuring: Use dry measuring cups for dry ingredients and liquid measuring cups for liquids. Also, use the spoon and level method when you measure the flour.
Mixing: Use two bowls to mix the dry and wet ingredients. When you combine them mix at low speed just until combined. If you overmix, your muffins won’t be as light and fluffy.
Baking: Every oven is different, so check on your muffins early! When a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs they are done. If you overbake them, your muffins will be dry.

What is Lemon Zest

The zest of a lemon is the colorful, yellow outer layer of the lemon. You can zest a lemon by scraping it with a lemon zester, microplane or box grater It is easiest to use a lemon zest or microplane.

Lemon zest gives your food a burst of lemon flavor and is extremely flavorful.

How to Zest a Lemon

To zest a lemon with a microplane you simple move the lemon back and forth over the grates of the microplane. Rotate the lemon as you go.

If you are using a zester you place the fine, sharp-edged holes on one end of the citrus. Then push slightly into the fruit and pull the zester down across the fruit to the other end.

The other option is to use a box grater, sometimes called a cheese grater. Use the smallest holes it has. Then run your lemon down across the holes.

What can you add to lemon muffins?

If you like lemon poppy seed muffins, you can add poppy seeds to the batter. Or mix in some blueberries to make lemon blueberry muffins. Other fruit would work, too, like raspberries or chopped strawberries.

Glazed Lemon Muffin sitting on muffin liner

Bright and fresh with the best tender crumb! This lemon muffins recipe needs to be on your baking list for your next breakfast or brunch. I know you’re going to love them!

More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes

Chocolate Chip Muffins are another favorite recipe for the morning! Or try my Banana Muffins with Crumb Topping – they are so good, too.
Streusel Apple Bread is an easy recipe that tastes amazing and will fill your house with the scent of homemade bread.

Your family will love waking up to a stack of homemade Buttermilk Pancakes!
Make my Sour Cream Coffee Cake and you’ll get rave reviews from your family and friends!
Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is a quick & easy Lemon Bread with Poppy Seeds! Topped off with a Delicious Lemon Glaze!
Honey Cranberry Bread is a delicious bread is perfect for breakfast, brunch or afternoon snack.
Light and fluffy Lemon Muffins that are topped with a lemon powdered sugar glaze.
This Lemon Blueberry Muffin bread is so easy to make whenever you are craving a slice.

Meet Julie Evink

I'm here to help you win in the kitchen again! Life is Busy, Life is Crazy, but that doesn't mean you can't make your family dinner! Julie's goal is to provide you with easy, family, friendly recipes that use pantry staples. Dinnertime will be stress free again!