Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins (Printable)
Moist muffins with zesty lemon and sweet cream cheese filling
# 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
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
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, milk, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough muffins.
05 - In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese with sugar, egg yolk, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy.
06 - Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons batter into each muffin cup. Place 1 heaping teaspoon cream cheese filling in center of each, then cover with remaining batter, filling cups about ¾ full.
07 - Sprinkle coarse sugar evenly over muffin tops, if desired for added texture and sweetness.
08 - Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown. Test doneness by inserting toothpick into the edge (avoid cream cheese center) until it comes out clean.
09 - Let muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The surprise cream cheese center makes every bite feel like discovering a hidden treasure
- These stay incredibly moist for days, unlike so many other muffins that turn into paperweights overnight
02 -
- Testing doneness in the center will always look undercooked because of the cream cheese filling, so check the edges instead
- Room temperature ingredients blend better, so take everything out of the fridge about an hour before baking
03 -
- Zest your lemons before juicing them, much easier to handle when they are still firm
- The cream cheese filling can be made a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator