Description

These Lemon Muffins are a delightful treat bursting with fresh lemon zest and juice, perfect for a bright and tangy breakfast or snack. They feature a bakery-style muffin top achieved through a unique baking process that starts with a high temperature and then lowers for even baking. Finished with a smooth lemon glaze, these moist and fluffy muffins provide a refreshing citrus flavor in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (420 grams)
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar (350 grams)
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk (240 ml)
½ cup unsalted butter, melted & cooled (113 grams)
Zest of 2 lemons
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (60 ml)

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar (113 grams)
1 tbsp lemon juice

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a spoon until fully blended and set aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, melted and cooled butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice using a spatula for about 30 seconds to combine well.
Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing by hand just until combined. The batter will be quite thick, so avoid overmixing to keep muffins tender.
Rest Batter: Cover the bowl with a towel and refrigerate the batter for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
Prepare Muffin Pan: Line a 12-count muffin pan with 6 liners, spacing them every other well to achieve bakery-style tops.
Fill Muffin Liners: Spoon about 8-10 heaping tablespoons of batter into each liner, filling them very full. Smooth the tops with a butter knife if needed. Optionally, sprinkle with sanding sugar for texture.
Bake Muffins: Place the pan on the center rack in the oven and bake at 425ºF (220ºC) for 7 minutes to create puffy tops. Then reduce oven temperature to 350ºF (175ºC) and bake for another 15-17 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool Muffins: Let the muffins cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing. Repeat baking the rest of the batter, making sure to return the oven to 425ºF for the initial bake each time.
Prepare Lemon Glaze & Coat: Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, adjusting consistency with more lemon juice if needed. Dip the tops of muffins in the glaze or spoon it over them to finish.

Notes

Resting the batter in the fridge improves texture and enhances muffin rise during baking.
Filling the muffin liners very full helps achieve the characteristic bakery-style muffin tops.
Sanding sugar adds a lovely sparkle and slight crunch to the muffin tops but can be omitted if unavailable.
Ensure butter is cooled before mixing so the eggs don’t cook prematurely.
Baking at a high temperature initially helps create the domed tops before lowering heat to bake through without burning.
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.