Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins (Printable Version)
Moist, citrus-filled muffins with creamy center. Ideal breakfast or snack.
# 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 (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 Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
02 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, mix melted butter, milk, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until well blended.
04 - Fold wet ingredients into dry mixture until just combined. Do not overmix—some lumps are fine.
05 - Blend softened cream cheese with sugar, egg yolk, and lemon zest in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
06 - Spoon about 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 on tops if desired. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted into the edge (avoiding the cream cheese center) comes out clean.
08 - Let muffins rest in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The cream cheese center stays molten and creamy while the muffin bakes up tender around it
- These strike that perfect balance between not-too-sweet breakfast treat and indulgent dessert
- They're deceptively simple but look like something from a fancy bakery case
02 -
- Testing the center with a toothpick won't work since the cream cheese stays soft—always check the muffin edge instead
- Room temperature ingredients blend more easily and create a more tender crumb
- These are best eaten the same day but the cream cheese filling stays surprisingly creamy even after storing
03 -
- Grate your lemon zest before juicing—the fruit is easier to handle when it still has all its juice inside
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter and filling for evenly sized muffins