Description
Zesty lemon streusel muffins bring sunshine to morning tables with their perfect balance of tangy citrus and sweet crumble. Moist, flavorful, and irresistible, you’ll savor every bite of these delightful breakfast treats that promise to brighten your day.
Ingredients
Scale
Flour Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Streusel Topping:
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the cups.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together, mixing just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough muffins.
- For the streusel topping, combine flour, sugar, cold butter, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Use your fingertips to blend until the mixture resembles coarse, crumbly breadcrumbs.
- Divide the muffin batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Generously sprinkle the streusel topping over each muffin, covering the surface completely.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Make the muffins gluten-free by substituting all-purpose flour with almond or coconut flour, ensuring a lighter texture and nutty undertone.
- Enhance the lemon flavor by adding a splash of lemon extract or incorporating finely grated lemon zest directly into the streusel topping for an extra zingy punch.
- Prevent dense muffins by gently folding ingredients and stopping mixing as soon as the batter looks just combined, which helps maintain a tender, soft crumb.
- Create a dairy-free version by replacing milk with almond milk and using cold coconut oil instead of butter in the streusel, maintaining the recipe’s delightful crumbly texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg