Submitted by nicole on Thu, 05/05/2016 - 13:03

A lemon muffin with bright lemon flavor and a delicious crumb topping is pretty much the best way to start any day.

Fresh lemons and lemon muffins on a wooden cutting board on a white marble surface.

I knew I wanted to make some lemon muffins for the Ultimate Lemonade Stand, but I didn't have a go-to lemon muffin recipe, so I decided to adapt my favorite lemon quick bread recipe.

Ingredients for lemon muffins on a wooden cutting board.

Lemon Muffins Recipe:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
zest of two lemons
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups AP flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoon lemon juice

Ingredients for streusel crumb topping for muffins on a wooden cutting board.

Crumb Topping Recipe for Quick Breads and Muffins:

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 3/4 cups flour

Streusel crumb topping in a clear pyrex bowl on a white marble surface.

Combine all crumb topping ingredients together in a bowl, and mix until well combined. Press down into the bowl, and let the crumb mixture cool in the fridge while making the batter for the lemon muffins. Once the crumb mixture has cooled down and firmed up a bit, you can break the mixture into large crumbs. You can also make the crumb topping ahead of time, and just keep it in the freezer, ready to go at a moment's notice. You never know when there might be a coffee cake or muffin emergency.

Uncooked lemon muffins in a muffin tin on a white marble background

Cream together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well between each egg. Add dry ingredients, alternating with the milk and lemon juice. Scoop batter into a lined muffin tin (this recipe makes 12 muffins), and press the crumb topping gently into the top of the batter.

Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer comes out of the center of the muffin clean.

Muffin tin with lemon muffins with crumb topping on a white marble background next to fresh lemons.

While the muffins are baking, make a lemon glaze.

Lemon Glaze Recipe

lemon juice from 2 lemons (approximately 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sugar

When the muffins come out of the oven, poke lots of holes in the muffins with a skewer and slowly drizzle the lemon glaze on top, so that the delicious lemon liquid soaks into the muffins. Don't go quickly, or you'll make a big sticky mess.

Stack of lemon muffins with crumb topping on a white cake stand in front of a tiered tray full of lemons

I've also used medicine syringes to inject the lemony goodness deeper into the center of the muffin (or cupcake). You know, the kind with no needle that the pharmacist gives you when your little kid needs antibiotics. They always seem to give us extras, but I don't mind, because they are actually a really useful baking tool!

Lemon muffin with crumb topping on a wooden cutting board with cut and uncut fresh lemon.

The crumb topping stays nicely intact, even after a liberal dousing of the lemon glaze. Just the thing with a nice cup of tea to start the morning off deliciously.