Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins (Printable Version)
Moist lemon muffins with a sweet cream cheese filling. Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
07 - ½ cup whole milk
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Cream Cheese Filling
12 - 6 oz cream cheese, softened
13 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 egg yolk
15 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
→ Topping
16 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, milk, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Gently fold wet ingredients into dry mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing to ensure tender muffins.
05 - In a small bowl, blend cream cheese with sugar, egg yolk, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy.
06 - Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into each muffin cup. Place 1 heaping teaspoon cream cheese filling in center, then cover with remaining batter, filling cups ¾ full.
07 - Sprinkle coarse sugar evenly over muffin tops, if desired.
08 - Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown. Test doneness by inserting toothpick into edge (avoiding cream cheese center) until it comes out clean.
09 - Allow muffins to cool in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cream cheese center creates this surprise creamy filling that makes every bite feel like a special treat
- They stay incredibly moist for days, unlike most muffins that dry out by afternoon
- The lemon flavor hits that perfect balance between sweet and tangy, never too much of either
02 -
- Always test the muffin at the edge when checking for doneness, since the cream cheese center will stay soft and give a false reading
- Room temperature ingredients make a noticeable difference in how smoothly everything combines, so plan accordingly
- These are actually better the second day as the lemon flavor deepens and permeates the whole muffin
03 -
- Zest your lemons before juicing them, it's much easier to handle the whole fruit when it still has all its juice inside
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter, it creates perfectly uniform muffins and keeps your hands cleaner