Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins (Printable)
Bright, moist muffins with creamy lemon filling and fresh zest
# 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:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly with nonstick 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, combine melted butter, milk, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully blended and smooth.
04 - Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture using a spatula. Mix 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 approximately 2 tablespoons of muffin batter into each prepared muffin cup. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of cream cheese filling in the center, then cover with remaining batter until cups are about ¾ full.
07 - Sprinkle coarse sugar over muffin tops if desired. Bake for 18–22 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the edge (avoiding the cream cheese center) comes out clean.
08 - Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The surprise cream cheese center makes every bite feel like a treat from a fancy bakery
- These muffins stay incredibly moist for days thanks to the creamy filling
02 -
- Test for doneness in the outer edge, not the center, since the cream cheese will always stay slightly soft
- Room temperature ingredients prevent the cream cheese filling from seizing up when mixed
03 -
- Grate your lemon zest before juicing the lemons—it's much easier to handle the fruit while it's still firm
- The cream cheese filling should be slightly chilled so it holds its shape when you drop it into the batter