Description
Lemon cream cheese muffins deliver a zesty, tangy delight that elevates morning breakfasts with Mediterranean flair. Pillowy pastries combine creamy cheese and citrus notes, promising pure culinary comfort for passionate bakers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1.5 cups (355 ml) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- Zest of 1 large lemon
Instructions
- Preparation: Warm the oven to 350F (175C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter to prevent sticking.
- Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl, ensuring even distribution of dry components.
- Wet Mixture: Combine sour cream, melted butter, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, whisking until smooth and fully integrated.
- Batter Formation: Delicately merge wet and dry ingredients, stirring minimally to maintain a light, tender muffin texture without overworking the mixture.
- Cream Cheese Filling: Whip softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until achieving a silky, luxurious consistency for the interior surprise.
- Layering: Strategically fill muffin cups by first adding a base layer of batter, placing a central dollop of cream cheese filling, then covering with remaining batter to hide the creamy center.
- Baking Process: Transfer the muffin tin to the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a skewer near the edge – it should emerge clean.
- Cooling: Let muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to bring them to room temperature completely.
- Lemon Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice and zest until creating a smooth, drizzle-ready consistency for final embellishment.
- Finishing Touch: Once cooled, generously drizzle the tangy lemon glaze over the muffins, adding a bright and elegant final flourish.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir wet and dry ingredients gently to maintain a light, tender muffin texture, avoiding tough or dense results.
- Temperature Control for Cream Cheese: Ensure cream cheese is fully softened at room temperature for smooth, lump-free filling that blends perfectly.
- Strategic Layering Technique: Add cream cheese filling in the center of the muffin batter to create a delightful hidden surprise within each bite.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation: Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend and add xanthan gum to maintain the muffins’ structural integrity and soft crumb.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 38 mg