Lemon Raspberry Muffins
Bright lemon zest, juicy raspberries, and a tender yogurt batter make these muffins a cheerful bake for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. They come together without a mixer and bake in about 20 minutes.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 12 muffins
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 20mCook 20mAmericanBaking
Lemon raspberry muffins are the kind of simple bake that feels special without asking much from you. The lemon zest perfumes the batter, while fresh or frozen raspberries add tart little pockets of fruit.
This recipe uses plain Greek yogurt and milk for a soft crumb. Melted butter brings richness, and a small sprinkle of coarse sugar on top gives the muffins a light crunch.
You do not need a stand mixer here. A whisk, a spatula, and a gentle hand are enough to make muffins that rise well and stay tender.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
14 items · 12 muffins
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for dusting the pan if needed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, from about 2 lemons
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/2 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen, not thawed if frozen
- 1 tablespoon coarse sugar, for topping
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease the cups well. If your pan tends to stick, lightly dust the greased cups with flour and tap out the extra.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisking spreads the leaveners evenly, which helps the muffins rise in the oven.
3. Rub the lemon into the sugar
In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers for about 30 seconds, until the sugar smells very lemony. This pulls fragrant oils from the zest.
4. Whisk the wet ingredients
Add the eggs to the lemon sugar and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, Greek yogurt, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla until the mixture looks mostly even.
5. Combine the batter
Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture. Stir with a spatula just until you no longer see dry streaks. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy. Do not beat it smooth, or the muffins can turn tough.
6. Fold in the raspberries
Add the raspberries and fold gently. To fold means to scoop down the side of the bowl and lift the batter over the fruit, turning the bowl as you go. Stop as soon as the berries are spread through the batter.
7. Fill the muffin cups
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. They will be fairly full. Sprinkle the tops with the coarse sugar.
8. Bake the muffins
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If you used frozen raspberries, the muffins may need 2 to 3 extra minutes.
9. Cool before serving
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cooling on a rack keeps the bottoms from steaming and getting damp.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: You can bake these muffins 1 day ahead. Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Storage: Keep the muffins at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Warm refrigerated muffins for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave to soften the crumb.
- Freezing: Freeze cooled muffins in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, or warm from frozen in a 300°F oven for about 12 minutes.
- Fresh or frozen raspberries both work. Do not thaw frozen berries first, because they can bleed too much juice into the batter.
- Swap the dairy: Sour cream can replace the Greek yogurt in the same amount. Low-fat milk can replace whole milk, though the muffins may be slightly less rich.
- If your raspberries are very soft, scatter half the batter into the cups, add some berries, then top with the remaining batter and berries. This helps prevent overmixing and berry streaks.
Cook's note
For the brightest lemon flavor, zest the lemons before juicing them. Use only the yellow part of the peel; the white pith underneath can taste bitter.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Can I use frozen raspberries in lemon raspberry muffins?
Yes. Add frozen raspberries straight from the freezer and fold them in gently. Do not thaw them first. Frozen berries may add a few minutes to the baking time.
Why are my muffins dense?
Dense muffins usually come from overmixing the batter or using too much flour. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup, level it off, and stir the batter only until the dry streaks disappear.
Can I make these muffins without Greek yogurt?
Yes. Use the same amount of sour cream or plain regular yogurt. If using regular yogurt, choose a thicker one if possible so the batter does not become too loose.
Can I add a lemon glaze?
You can. Whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice and drizzle it over completely cooled muffins. The nutrition listed here does not include a glaze.
How do I know when the muffins are done?
The tops should spring back lightly when touched, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If it has wet batter on it, bake for another 2 minutes and check again.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
12 muffins
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat10 g
- 13%
- Saturated Fat6 g
- 30%
- Cholesterol54 mg
- 18%
- Sodium251 mg
- 11%
- Total Carbohydrate32 g
- 12%
- Dietary Fiber2 g
- 7%
- Total Sugars15 g
- Protein5 g
- 10%
- Vitamin D0.4 mcg
- 2%
- Calcium81 mg
- 6%
- Iron1.2 mg
- 7%
- Potassium92 mg
- 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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