This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
Skip the expensive coffee shop muffins and make a batch of these easy lemon muffins instead! They are made with sour cream and fresh lemon juice so they are bursting with flavor and so moist and tender. This easy muffin recipe is perfect for breakfast and brunch or whenever you want a sweet snack.
BEST Lemon Muffins with Crumble
When you’re craving bakery style muffins you need to try these lemon muffins with a sweet streusel topping and lemon glaze. They taste perfectly lemony and the texture can’t be beat – they’re perfectly moist and springy like a muffin should be.
Lemon sour cream muffins with crumble topping, to be specific. These easy muffins are bright, fresh, and so tender and moist. Basically, the perfect recipe – they’re not just a favorite breakfast, but one of my favorite desserts too!
Ingredients Needed
- Sour Cream – I’m using this in place of milk. The acid in the sour cream helps activate the baking soda for a moist and fluffy muffin. You can swap greek yogurt if you want.
- Lemons – Use fresh lemons and you’ll need both lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Oil – I prefer vegetable oil for the fat in my muffin recipes. I like the moisture it lends to the crumb.
- Butter – I use melted butter in my crumble topping because it makes it easier to mix.
How to Make Lemon Muffins
- I like to make the topping first, that way it’s ready to go when the batter is done. Just combine flour, granulated sugar, salt and melted unsalted butter in a bowl and set it aside.
- Using an electric mixer, mix the eggs in a large bowl until they are thick and frothy. This is a very important step – the fluffy eggs help keep the muffins light.
- Add the sugar and oil and mix again until the mixture is creamy.
- Mix in the zest, lemon juice, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Add the sour cream and mix again.
- Switch to a wooden spoon and stir in the flour. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated – the batter may be slightly lumpy.
- Line muffin tins with muffin liners and fill each ¾ full with batter. Sprinkle the crumb topping over each. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the muffins are baking make the glaze by combining powdered sugar with lemon juice in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the muffins.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- Be sure to beat the eggs long enough – they should be thick and yellow and frothy.
- Be sure your sour cream is room temperature to avoid lumps.
- The glaze is optional but adds tons of flavor!
- Do not skip the lemon zest – it adds all the flavor to the muffins.
- Muffins are done baking when a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- This recipe make a big batch – 24 muffins! So, they’re perfect for potlucks or when you’re serving a crowd for brunch or breakfast.
- Want lemon blueberry muffins? Add a cup or two of fresh blueberries.
- If you don’t want to make a large batch you can easily cut the recipe in half.
FAQs
Using a combination of sour cream, baking soda, and oil keeps these muffins nice and moist with a tender crumb. Be sure to not over bake muffins either or they’ll be dry.
Add about 1 tablespoon poppy seeds before putting the batter in the muffin pans.
Freeze these muffins without the glaze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Lemon Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
Topping:
- 1 ¼ cups (155g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter melted
Muffins:
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (237ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (454g) sour cream
- 4 cups (492g) all purpose flour
Glaze (optional):
- ¾ cup (85g) powdered sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin pans with paper baking cups. (This recipe makes 24-28 muffins. Half the recipe for a smaller batch!)
- Make the topping by stirring together all topping ingredients with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer, mix eggs with electric mixer about 1-2 minutes until thick and frothy. Mix in sugar and oil, beat until creamy. Mix in lemon zest, juice, vanilla, baking soda, salt. Mix in sour cream then stir in flour using a wooden spoon. (Batter may be slightly lumpy.)
- Fill muffin cups ¾ full. Sprinkle the tops with the crumble mixture. (I filled mine just a teeny bit too much. They got scary close to overflowing, so stick with 3/4 full!)
- Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of a muffin. Cool 5 minutes in pan then remove to a rack to cool completely.
- (The glaze is optional but adds another punch of lemon flavor.)
- Make the glaze: whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over muffins.
- Muffins should be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to one month. (If freezing, omit glaze and make it before serving.)
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Be sure to beat the eggs long enough – they should be thick and yellow and frothy.
- Be sure your sour cream is room temperature to avoid lumps.
- The glaze is optional but adds tons of flavor!
- Do not skip the lemon zest – it adds all the flavor to the muffins.
- Muffins are done baking when a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Recipe Nutrition
Click here to see the complete list of Lemon Recipes!
Favorite Lemon Recipes
Last Updated on January 9, 2024
I am currently having a coffee (and a piece of coffee cake…eeek, coffee addiction, I feel ya!) in my morning break at work and reading this…best way to relax! Muffins look amazing!
Mmmmm Coffee cake! That’s my favorite way to relax for sure!
I so admire full-time moms who also blog full-time! You totally rock! Because I just need to take care of myself and my blog and I rarely have enough time!Â
And this lemon crumb muffin sounds amazing. I’ve been on lemon curd diet lately and all I want right now is to smother this lemon muffin with thick layer of lemon curd and enjoy it with a cup of coffee.
At least my kid goes to school all day. I can’t imagine doing this with little ones. I’d never sleep!
This full-time blogging thing is not for the faint of heart! But thanks for doing it, because I love to read your posts. They are also so funny and honest. And I love me some lemon anything. Just made lemon blueberry bread today. These will be next on my lemon kick!
Thank you Melissa!! 🙂
The reason I stay up so late is b/c that’s the only PEACE I get in the day! I sacrifice sleep for peaceful waking hours that are stress-free, if that makes any sense…LOL.Â
Love the photos of these little lemon domes from heaven!
If only I wasn’t such a …. if I didn’t sleep, lol!! All those extra hours.. 😉
Oh my gosh, your day sounds SO busy, but I would really never guess there’s this stress going on behind the scenes. Your recipes and photos are always so lovely. Still, take that time for you. Iced coffee is the answer to MANY of my problems 🙂
I feel the same way, those rare moments when I get a break are just heaven. Â These lemon muffins look like the best way to spend that precious time. Lemon treats are my absolute favorite! Love that crumb topping!
Thanks Kelly!
OMG I hear ya! It is impossible to be a parent and work at the same time! When I absolutely want to get something done whether chores around the house or blogging I either give the kids a ‘job’ or let them watch a favorite show. I know it probably isn’t the best parenting but oh well. By the way these muffins look divine and I would so devour one on a break! 🙂
Yes, TV is my favorite babysitter!! #winning
Over 90 in May?! I wish I lived in Cali, here it is 50 and it is basically summer! I love lemon muffins and iced coffee, sounds like the perfect snack for a break. I study, blog, dance and repeat!Â
Oh how I wish it were 50! I like the cooler temps so much better!
I feel ya! I’m a student during the day, a worker in the afternoon, a dancer in the evenings, and somewhere in the middle of all that, a blogger 🙂 These muffins look like the way to stop, take a break, enjoy a cool drink and chow down 🙂
Thanks for reading Medha!
A muffin is definitely a requirement to have with your break-time coffee, I agree! Â And these muffins look absolutely perfect!
Featured In
Rate This Recipe