These light and fluffy lemon blueberry muffins taste just as good—or better!—than any bakery version. Greek yogurt keeps them extra moist, creamed butter creates a wonderfully soft and fluffy texture, and blueberries and lemon add a burst of flavor. Sprinkle each muffin with a lemony-brown sugar crumb topping for a sweet finishing touch.
It’s no secret that I have a soft spot in my heart (err… stomach?) for the delightful flavor duo of lemon + blueberry. Desserts like lemon blueberry cheesecake bars and lemon blueberry tart are always a refreshing change from rich chocolate. But these light and fruity flavors also make for a wonderful breakfast treat or anytime snack, especially when topped with a zesty-sweet crumble that takes these humble muffins to new heights. They’re also a lovely choice for your Easter brunch recipes and add such a beautiful pop of color to your table!
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Bursting with juicy blueberries and fresh lemon flavor
- Soft, tender, and cakey, like a muffin version of this popular lemon blueberry cake
- Easy to prepare
- Can use fresh or frozen blueberries—so convenient
- Topped with a delicious crumb, like your favorite bakery muffin
Ingredients You Need
Today’s lemon blueberry muffin recipe is a variation of my basic muffin recipe. I slightly reduced the butter because I found the muffins too fragile with the lemon juice and so many blueberries. (You’ll use the rest of the stick of butter in the topping!)
This batter can be used to create endless muffin varieties and you’ll see it again in my classic blueberry muffins, peach muffins, cranberry orange muffins, apple cinnamon muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins, and more.
Here are all of the ingredients you need for the muffin batter, and why each is important:
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of these muffins.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Both leaveners help the muffins rise. See my trick below for super-tall bakery-style muffin tops.
- Salt & Vanilla Extract: Salt and pure vanilla extract add flavor. Try using homemade vanilla extract.
- Butter: We use creamed butter for a lighter, fluffier texture. My orange lemon poppy seed muffins are made with melted butter for a denser, heartier texture.
- Sugar: In my muffin recipe, I swap between brown sugar and granulated sugar. I like to use granulated sugar in today’s muffins so the lemon flavor really shines, but like to use brown sugar in my blueberry muffins for a little extra flavor.
- Eggs: 2 eggs bind everything together.
- Yogurt: Greek yogurt adds moisture. Use your favorite yogurt—I prefer nonfat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt but regular (not Greek) would be just fine, and any fat content. Sour cream is a great substitute if you don’t have yogurt.
- Milk: You can use dairy or nondairy milk.
- Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest: We’re using both, for lots of zingy lemon flavor. Make sure to zest the lemon before slicing and juicing it—much easier to do it in this order!
- Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen berries. If using frozen, do not thaw before using.
You could also add poppy seeds, like I do in these blackberry lemon poppy seed muffins.
You’ll need a couple mixing bowls and an electric mixer (either a stand mixer or handheld), because we’re creaming the butter and sugar together. From there, it’s as easy as combining dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet in another, and then mixing them together and folding in the blueberries.
Expect a thick and fluffy batter:
Easy Crumb Topping
Today’s crumb topping doesn’t have cinnamon, unlike many streusel recipes. It’s just brown sugary, lemony, and sweet. I love cinnamon in the crumb topping on these blueberry muffins, but here the cinnamon would take away from the zesty lemon in these muffins. And we want that lemon flavor to really shine through!
The crumb topping comes together quickly and easily in the small bowl—just use a fork to combine the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, and lemon zest.
It doesn’t make a large amount, just enough for a little crumble on top of each muffin. You can double it if you want extra crumb.
Baker’s Tip: Gently press the crumbles down into the muffins’ surface before baking, or they will topple off as the muffins rise in the oven.
How to Create the Perfect Tall Muffin Tops
For big bakery-style muffin tops, there are 3 directions to follow closely:
- Make sure your muffin batter is THICK. (This one is!)
- Fill your muffin cups all the way to the top.
- Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at an initial high temperature, then reduce the temperature for the remaining bake time. This initial high oven temperature quickly lifts up the muffin tops. Once the temperature is reduced, the centers of the muffins bake. I do this in all my muffin recipes, including zucchini muffins and banana muffins too!
Not only does this trick create beautifully sky-high muffin tops, it also makes the muffins extra fluffy inside because the tops don’t stay flat.
More Lemon Blueberry Treats
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These light and fluffy lemon blueberry muffins taste just as good—or better!—than any bakery version. Greek yogurt keeps them extra moist, creamed butter creates a wonderfully soft and fluffy texture, and blueberries and lemon add a burst of flavor. The lemony-brown sugar crumb topping adds a sweet finishing touch, but feel free to skip it if desired.
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) milk*
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) fresh or frozen blueberries*
Crumb Topping
- 1/3 cup (41g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Make the muffins: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the lemon zest and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla, and beat for 1 minute, then turn up to high speed until the mixture is combined and mostly creamy. (It’s ok if it appears somewhat curdled.) Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients, milk, and lemon juice into the wet ingredients and beat until no flour pockets remain. Gently fold in the blueberries. Avoid over-mixing. Batter is thick and fluffy.
- Spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top.
- Make the crumb topping: In a small bowl, use a fork to mix all of the crumb topping ingredients together.
- Spoon topping evenly on top of each filled muffin cup, gently pressing it down onto the surface so it sticks. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 18–19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 23–24 minutes, give or take.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Enjoy warm, or at room temperature.
- Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze baked & cooled muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying. Warm up in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Citrus Zester | Citrus Juicer | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer)
- Yogurt: You can use nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt, Greek or regular. You can also use sour cream.
- Milk: You can use any milk, dairy or nondairy.
- Blueberries: If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw.
- For a jumbo muffin pan: 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for 22–25 minutes for a total of 27–30 minutes. Makes about 6. For mini muffins: 350°F (whole time) for 12–14 minutes. Makes about 36–40.
I made mini muffins with this recipe. They turned out great. They have a light lemon taste, so if you enjoy a powerful lemon flavor, add more. Will be making again.
Turned out beautiful!! Very tasty and not too sweet! I recommend adding more lemon and using a whole
pint of blueberries. Not “lemony” enough for me as is. I had 0 issues with spreading or with not having enough streusel. Thank you!!!
My crumble topping looks like it melted into the muffin, do you have any advice on why this may have happened and how to avoid it? Otherwise they look great!
Hi Hailey! Was the crumb topping mixed into a paste consistency, or was it pretty crumbly after mixing and sprinkling on the muffins before baking? Make sure it’s extra crumbly, and careful not to overmix into a paste. For next time, you can add a little more flour which will help soak up some of the butter. (And prevent it from sinking down into the muffins.)
Just made a batch (without the crumble topping) and the texture is phenomenal! Puffed up beautifully too. I would add even more lemon zest next time, because I crave a really tart lemon flavour. Another home run, Sally!
Totally worth trying…a great recipe…delicious muffins! I watched the Youtube video and followed the directions exactly–used muffin liners (always), fresh blueberries, and plenty of lemon zest resulting in a dozen muffins with nice big tops. They are not too sweet. I’m quite sensitive to overly sweet things and found these to be cake-y in texture and tasty, bursting with blueberries––although not overly sweet. I might want to add even more lemon zest next time as the lemon flavor is subtle.
Totally worth trying…a great recipe for delicious muffins! I watched the Youtube video and followed the recipe exactly––used muffin liners (always), fresh blueberries, and plenty of lemon zest, resulting in a dozen muffins with nice big tops. They are not too sweet. I’m quite sensitive to overly sweet things and found these to be cake-y in texture and tasty, bursting with blueberries––although not overly sweet. I might want to add even more lemon zest next time as the lemon flavor is subtle.
Made these muffins this morning!! So good and the crumb top was yummy also! I actually got 15 muffins out of the batch.
Did not work at all!
I followed all the instructions and had all the right temperatures, but I agree with one of the other reviews, all my blueberries were at the bottom, and everything was stuck to my nonstick pan and really the muffins came out, tasting too sweet and nothing else. The lemon did not shine through nor did the blueberries. I would at least double the salt recommended because they tasted completely Without seasoning. I wouldn’t try this again, felt like a waste of my time and effort
My son asked me to buy some fruit. I asked him if he wanted apples, grapes, oranges, kiwi, to which he replied just berries. So I bought berries, which he did not eat (and since he is a teenager, he old enough to know better lol). Anyway so I had a lot of blueberries.
These muffins re delicious. The lemon flavor really shines throughout and they are not dry like some other muffins I have had before.
Made these last weekend. Fantastic recipe. Only thing I’d do differently is add a touch more lemon ro the batter.
These turned out spectacular! They taste just like the ones my local cafe makes if not better. Will definitely be making it again.
These were great, definitely making these again in the future.
Made these today – followed the recipe as written with just a few minor changes.. Came out wonderfully. I added just a touch of lemon emulsion because I really like over the top lemon flavor. Also, just for the heck of it I added about a soup spoon of rolled oats to the topping mixture. I filled to the top and had no problem with overflowing – however I used the professional muffin tin liners that are brown and have a high ruffled top – like you see at some bakeries. Also, I felt there was plenty of topping to go around to all the muffins. It does not cover them completely but that is fine. Very light and flavorful. My new go to lemon blueberry muffin recipe. Sally, all of your recipes are tremendous!
Great muffin recipe. Lemon and blueberry is a winning flavor combo, and the crumb topping puts this recipe over the top!
Do you think I could substitute cranberries? Or are they too large?
Hi Marlene! That shouldn’t be a problem. You can slice the cranberries in half, if desired. Let us know if you give it a try.
Is it okay to use jumbo eggs for this recipe
Hi Kugel, we haven’t tested the recipe with jumbo eggs, so aren’t sure exactly what your results will be, but they will probably turn out fine.
Amazing! A delicious tasty bake!
Followed this recipe using oat milk and yogurt.
Added poppy seeds to the giant lemon blueberry muffins
and made one with raspberries.
These were melt in your mouth muffins.
We will make these again!
I’m giving this recipe 5 stars because they came out tasting great! (and not too sweet just the way I like) but I did have a few minor issues.
I didn’t use muffin liners but I filled the batter too the top of the muffin tin as instructed, I was only able to fill 11 muffins, not bad. The crumb topping was only enough for 10 out of 11 of the muffins. After they baked the batter had spilled out on top creating not-so visually pleasing muffins. And at least half of the crumb topping mysteriously vanished as they baked, there was hardly any topping left. I used frozen blueberries and they definitely sank a bit to the bottom. I would have liked a bit of a stronger lemony flavor but with the tartness of the blueberries, maybe a mild lemon flavor is enough.
Despite all these minor issues, I will definitely be making this recipe again!
So I just tried this recipe. loved it! Will be making again. Thanks!
Hi Sally: This is the third time I’ve made them and each time they are beautiful and delicious. I follow your instructions, weighing the ingredients, having them room temp, and beating them according to your instructions. They turned out perfectly each time. Thanks for another great recipe!
I made these when we were going for an overnight visit to see our friends. I eat GF, so I used KA measure-for-measure flour. They are diabetic, so I used Stevia instead of sugar. They loved them! I didn’t tell them I used the substitutes until after we ate—2 each—and they were very surprised. Your recipes never fail me.
Hello,
Can I add raspberries instead of blueberries? Only have raspberries on hand at the moment.
Yes that would work, Jean. Enjoy!
my muffins spread out from the cake liners onto the pan. What did I do wrong? Thank you.
Hi Nancy, was your batter particularly thin? A thick batter shouldn’t really overspread. I wonder if there was too much batter in each muffin liner, too.
Hi Nancy..
I had the same problem my first batch. The second time around, I used 3 eggs (smaller eggs- they are fresh from our chickens) and filled the liners 3/4 of the way. I got less of a spread and more of a “puff” I was hoping for!
can this recipe be doubled? my family can’t get enough of these!
Hi Karen, for best results (and to prevent over or under mixing) we recommend making two separate batches rather than doubling. So glad these are a favorite for your family!
Lexi, do you recommend making separate batches to double all your recipes?
Hi Kugel, it varies from recipe to recipe. Some recipes can easily be doubled, but some need to have separate batches made for a particular reason; for example, if there would be too much batter for a stand mixer to handle.
Could I use dried blueberries that have been rehydrated?
Absolutely!
Can I skip the streusal? Im trying to reduce sugar. If so, should I adjust baking temp?
Hi Rita, you can omit the streusel topping with no other changes.
This recipe is delicious! It’s definitely going to be my go-to blueberry muffin recipe!
Your blueberry muffins are such a winner, these must be amazing. I have to finish your ham and cheese scones and then I’ll make these muffins. I’m on Weight Watchers, so it’ll be a while but I’m sure certainly worth it.
Another Successful Bake! Your recipes are outstanding and I also appreciate the tips and ‘science’ lessons you include on your website. I bake at high altitude which has often been disappointing but I’ve found since I started using a scale and your recipes, I have to make minimal adjustments. These muffins were yummy! I am looking forward to my next bake, Banana Cream Pie.
So glad you love these muffins, Mickie! Let us know how the banana cream pie goes for you 🙂
Like every, single recipe I’ve made, these muffins were a huge hit!
Made these for a birthday picnic. Everyone loved them, and they were gone extremely fast. I didn’t have any lemon zest, so I put a little extra lemon juice instead and they still turned out delicious! I highly recommend this recipe! 😀
I made this as a cake today and did everything differently you could probably think of. I altered the recipe to use strawberries and apples because I had them leftover in the fridge and didn’t want to throw them out (tomorrow is garbage pickup). It worked perfectly as a cake. My ingredients weren’t room temperature…I had to soften the butter, and the eggs were cold, and the batter did look like it was curdled until I added the dry ingredients. I didn’t use a mixer – I used a whisk. I had to extend the baking time by 5 minutes. But, it worked! The result is a wonderfully moist and light crumb and tasty fruit. Would definitely make again.