Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins (Printer-friendly)
Moist muffins with fresh lemon flavor and creamy cheesecake center
# What You’ll 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 (from about 2 lemons)
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
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly with cooking spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk melted butter, milk, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix or muffins will become tough.
05 - In a small bowl, beat softened 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. Cover with remaining batter, filling cups ¾ full.
07 - Sprinkle coarse sugar evenly over muffin tops for a sweet, crunchy finish.
08 - Bake for 18–22 minutes until golden brown. Test doneness by inserting toothpick into edge (avoid center filling)—it should come out clean.
09 - Let muffins rest in tin for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The surprise cream cheese center makes every bite feel like discovering a hidden treasure
- These muffins stay incredibly moist for days, unlike so many other baked goods that dry out
02 -
- Overmixing the batter creates tough muffins so stop as soon as flour disappears
- Testing the center will always give you a wet toothpick because of the cream cheese
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients blend together more seamlessly creating better texture
- Zest your lemons before juicing them it is much easier to handle the fruit that way