Ingredients
For the Streusel Topping:
- Granulated Sugar (1/3 cup / 70g): Sugar is a key ingredient for creating the sweet, crumbly texture of the streusel topping. It also helps caramelize slightly during baking, adding a golden, sweet crunch to the muffins.
- Unsalted Butter (4 tbsp / 56g, melted): The melted butter binds the dry ingredients in the streusel and contributes richness and flavor. Unsalted butter is preferred so that you can control the salt levels in the overall recipe.
- All-Purpose Flour (2/3 cup / 100g): The flour provides structure and helps form the crumbs in the streusel. This ingredient is essential for creating the signature crumbly topping.
- Milk (1 tbsp): A small amount of milk helps bring the streusel mixture together, making it easier to form the perfect crumbs. The milk adds moisture without making the streusel too wet.
For the Lemon Muffins:
- All-Purpose Flour (2 1/4 cups / 337g): The base for the muffin batter, all-purpose flour helps provide structure and texture to the muffins, allowing them to rise while remaining soft and tender.
- Granulated Sugar (3/4 cup / 165g): Sugar not only sweetens the muffins but also helps with browning, moisture retention, and achieving that soft, tender crumb.
- Baking Powder (1 tsp): Baking powder is a leavening agent that ensures your muffins rise properly. It helps create light and airy muffins with a soft texture.
- Bicarbonate of Soda (1/2 tsp): This ingredient works alongside baking powder to promote rising. It also helps neutralize the acidity of the lemon juice, making the muffins more tender.
- Salt (1/4 tsp): A small amount of salt enhances the flavors and helps balance the sweetness in the muffins.
- Lemon Zest (2 lemons): Lemon zest is the aromatic outer peel of the lemon. It’s packed with essential oils that provide a burst of fresh, tangy lemon flavor, making the muffins bright and zesty.
- Unsalted Butter (1/4 cup / 60g, melted): Butter contributes moisture and flavor to the muffins, resulting in a rich, tender crumb. Again, unsalted butter is used for better control over the salt content.
- Sour Cream (4 tbsp): Sour cream adds moisture and richness to the batter. It also imparts a slight tang, which complements the lemon flavor beautifully.
- Buttermilk (1 cup / 250ml): Buttermilk helps create a tender crumb by reacting with the baking soda and ensuring that the muffins rise perfectly. It also contributes to the tangy flavor of the muffins.
- Eggs (2 large): Eggs help bind the ingredients together, provide structure, and contribute to the texture of the muffins.
- Vanilla Extract (1 tsp): Vanilla enhances the overall flavor profile of the muffins, balancing out the tangy lemon flavor with a warm, sweet undertone.
- Lemon Extract (1 tsp, not flavoring): Lemon extract is made from the oils in lemon peel, providing a concentrated lemon flavor without the bitterness of lemon juice. It complements the lemon zest and amplifies the citrusy notes in the muffins.
For the Lemon Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar (1 cup / 155g, sifted): Powdered sugar is the base for the glaze, providing a smooth, sweet coating that melts beautifully over the muffins.
- Lemon Juice (1 1/2 tbsp): Fresh lemon juice adds a tart, zesty flavor to the glaze that balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar, tying the whole recipe together with a fresh citrus note.
- Heavy Cream (1 tbsp, warmed): Heavy cream adds richness and smoothness to the glaze, helping it achieve the perfect consistency for drizzling over the muffins.
Instructions
Preparing the Streusel Topping:
- Combine the dry ingredients for the streusel: In a mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, melted butter, all-purpose flour, and milk. Use a fork to mix everything together until it forms a crumbly texture. The crumbs should be small and pea-sized, perfect for sprinkling over the muffins. Set the streusel aside for later use.
Making the Lemon Muffins:
- Preheat the oven: Start by preheating your oven to 180°C (320°F) for fan-forced ovens. If you don’t have a fan-forced oven, preheat to 190°C (375°F). Line a muffin tin with muffin liners, or use cupcake liners for slightly smaller muffins.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and lemon zest. Whisking ensures that the ingredients are evenly distributed, preventing any clumps from forming.
- Combine the wet ingredients: In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. The wet ingredients should be fully incorporated before adding them to the dry ingredients.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a hand whisk, gently mix the batter until just combined. Be careful not to overmix—it’s okay if there are a few small bits of flour left. Overmixing can lead to dense muffins, so stop as soon as the ingredients are incorporated.
- Fill the muffin liners: Divide the muffin batter evenly among the muffin liners, filling each one about 2/3 of the way full. This allows space for the muffins to rise and gives them a nice dome shape as they bake.
- Top with streusel: Generously sprinkle the streusel topping over the muffin batter, ensuring that each muffin gets a good coating of the crumbly mixture. This will create the signature golden, crispy streusel layer on top of each muffin.
- Bake the muffins: Place the muffin tin on the middle rack of your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges of the muffins are golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean when they’re done. If necessary, adjust the baking time by a few minutes depending on your oven’s heat.
- Cool the muffins: Once baked, remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cooling process allows the flavors to set and the muffins to firm up a bit.
Making the Lemon Glaze:
- Prepare the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, lemon juice, and warm heavy cream. The glaze should have a smooth consistency, perfect for drizzling. If it’s too thick, add a bit more lemon juice or cream to loosen it. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar to thicken it.
- Glaze the muffins: Once the muffins have cooled (or while they are still slightly warm), drizzle the lemon glaze over the tops using a spoon. The glaze will melt slightly, soaking into the muffins, creating a sweet and tangy finish. For an extra burst of lemon, sprinkle some additional lemon zest over the glazed muffins.
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients: To ensure the best flavor, use fresh lemons for both the zest and juice. Freshly grated lemon zest provides a much stronger, more vibrant flavor than pre-packaged zest or lemon extract alone.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Overmixing muffin batter can lead to dense, tough muffins. Mix just until the ingredients are incorporated, leaving a few small flour streaks if necessary.
- Try different milk options: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute it with regular milk mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Alternatively, non-dairy milks like almond or oat milk will also work well in this recipe.
- Customize the streusel: Feel free to add a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg to the streusel for an added flavor boost. If you like nuts, chopped walnuts or pecans can be added to the streusel for extra crunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes