Cream Cheese Lemon Muffins Recipe!

Hello lovelies,

I couldn’t let the summer pass without one more muffin recipe. Quite frankly, it would be god damn crime, especially when the muffin is THIS good!

I’d never of thought I’d be a lemon fan go back a year from now, I couldn’t stand anything that even smelt like lemon, let alone a bake with it in and now, I’m fully in my ‘lemon era’ and I’m absolutely loving it.

Therefore, it only felt right that I shared a lemon muffin to say ‘ciao for now’ to my summer inspired muffins of 2023 (did I hear someone say autumn muffins next?…) and boy are we ending the summer muffin season with a bang.

I can’t take credit for todays muffins though, it was actually my mum who found this incredible recipe written by ‘Oh My Goodness Chocolate Deserts’ and let’s just say, I’m blooming obsessed with these little beauties.

{ original recipe: https://omgchocolatedesserts.com/lemon-cream-cheese-muffins/ }

A zingy, vibrant lemon muffin with a silky smooth cream cheese frosting centre – erm, yes please! I don’t think I even have to mention how quickly I made these as I’m sure you’ll have guessed by now.

So if these muffins take your fancy, you know the drill. Gather yourself together and get scrolling as the recipe is below:

Category: Sweet Treat

Serves: 12-14

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 Minutes

Decorating Time: 10 Minutes

Overall Time: 1Hour 10Minutes

Ingredients You’ll Need For The Muffins:

180g Of Plain Flour
0.5tsp Of Baking Powder
0.5tsp Of Bicarbonate Of Soda
76g Of Butter / Stork, Softened
150g Of Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1tsp Of Vanilla Extract
3tsp Of Sicilian Lemon Extract
163g Of Yogurt

Ingredients You’ll Need For The Cream Cheese Filling:

226g Of Full Fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
50g Of Granulated Sugar
1tsp Of Vanilla Extract

Ingredients You’ll Need For The Streusel Topping:

120g Of Plain Flour
50g Of Light Brown Sugar
37g Of White Granulated Sugar
85g Of Salted Butter, Melted

Ingredients You’ll Need For Glaze:

75g Of Icing Sugar
2.5tsp Of Sicilian Lemon Extract

How To Make The Muffins:

Firstly, gather together your equipment and ingredients, line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin cases and preheat the oven to 220C / 200C Fan / Gas Mark 7.
Secondly, in a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the 180g of plain flour, 0.5tsp of baking powder and 0.5tsp of bicarbonate of soda, until combined. Then, set to one side.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric whisk, beat together the 76g of softened butter and 150g of granulated sugar for around 2 minutes, until fluffy in texture and lighter in colour.
Next, beat in the 2 large eggs, 1tsp of vanilla extract and 3tsp of sicilian lemon extract until combined.
Add in the 163g of greek yogurt and mix to combine.
Now, add the dry ingredients into the wet and beat together until just combined.
Set the muffin mixture to one side.

How To Make The Cream Cheese Filling:

Next, in a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together the 226g of cream cheese, 50g of granulated sugar and 1tsp of vanilla extract till just combined.
Set the filling to one side.

How To Make The Streusel Topping:

In a large bowl, mix together the 120g of plain flour, 50g of light brown sugar and 37g of granulated sugar until combined.
Next, add in the 85g of melted salted butter and using a fork, whisk together until a coarse crumb forms.
Set the streusel topping to one side.

How To Assemble The Muffins:

Firstly, add 1tbsp of muffin batter into the base of each muffin case.
Secondly, add 1tbsp of the cream cheese mixture into the centre of each muffin.
Then, cover each of the cream cheese fillings with the remaining muffin batter, making sure each cup is 3/4’s full.
Generously top each of the muffins with the streusel crumbs.
As you place the muffins into the oven, turn the temperature down to 180C / 160C Fan / Gas Mark 4. Bake the muffins at this temperature for around 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the centre of the muffin is set.
Once the muffins are baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

How To Make The Glaze:

Whilst the muffins are cooling, let’s make the glaze.
In a small bowl, stir together the 75g of icing sugar with 2.5tsp of sicilian lemon extract.
If the glaze is too runny, add another tsp of icing sugar to help thicken. If the glaze is too thick, add another tsp of lemon extract to loosen. Continue to do this until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
Finally, place the glaze into a small piping bag, snip off the very tip of the bag and drizzle the glaze over the top of each muffin.

That’s your Cream Cheese Lemon Muffins prepared, assembled, baked and glazed, ready for you to enjoy!