These small batch lemon blueberry muffins combine a moist muffin base, fresh blueberries, and a sweet lemon glaze. This recipe makes just 6 muffins so it's perfect for a smaller family. They are the ultimate breakfast indulgence!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
These muffins are:
- Super moist
- Loaded with fresh blueberries
- Super tall (bakery-style muffin tops!)
- Topped with lemon glaze
- Made in 1 hour, start to finish
- Made with simple ingredients you probably have at home
- Small batch- no leftovers!
If you're not much of a muffin person, these muffins will convert you. I am living proof of their power after I devoured half the batch in about 3.4584 seconds. Even though I do love my bakery style chocolate chip muffins and one bowl banana muffins, there's something about the freshness of fruit muffins that makes me crave these the most!!
Ingredients
- Sugar: You need granulated sugar for the muffin batter and powdered sugar for the glaze.
- Lemon juice + zest: Lemon zest flavors the muffin batter. You don't need lemon juice in the muffin batter since its flavor bakes out, but you do need it to flavor and thin out the glaze.
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Sour cream or buttermilk: Acidic dairy products help make the muffins extra moist. Plain full-fat Greek yogurt can be substituted if needed.
- Oil: You don't need butter for the muffin batter since lemon overpowers any butter flavor. Using oil instead provides extra moisture. More on that below!
- Egg
- Vanilla
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Rub the lemon zest and sugar. This brings out the oils in the lemon zest, strengthening the lemon flavor.
STEP 2: Whisk the dry ingredients. To the lemon-sugar mixture, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk until combined.
STEP 3: Whisk the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream, oil, egg, and vanilla.
STEP 4: Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk or stir until JUST combined. It's okay if the batter is a little lumpy- don't over-mix!
STEP 5: Add the blueberries. Fold in 100 grams of the blueberries- the remaining 50 grams are reserved for toping. Set the batter aside to rest for at least 10-15 minutes before baking while your oven preheats.
STEP 6: Scoop the batter. Line a muffin pan with 6 paper liners- only line every other tin so your muffins rise extra tall. Divide the batter using a large cookie scoop into the muffin tins, filling all the way to the top. Top with the reserved blueberries and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
STEP 7: Bake. Start at a high temperature (425°F/218°C) for 5 minutes so the muffins rise higher, then finish at 350°F/177°C. The muffins are done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
STEP 8: Make the glaze. In a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or more lemon juice for a thinner glaze.
STEP 9: Decorate & serve. Drizzle the glaze over the muffins and enjoy them warm!
FAQ
1. Use oil, not butter, in the muffin batter. Oil has more fat than butter and stays liquid at room temperature, so it creates a more moist muffin.
2. Use sour cream or buttermilk in the batter.
3. Don't over bake these muffins. It's okay to have a few (moist, not wet) crumbs on the toothpick.
Make sure not to over mix your batter once you add the blueberries, or the blueberries will burst. The batter should be lumpy and ugly (lol). Also, don't thaw your blueberries if they are frozen.
If you don't want a small batch, feel free to double this recipe to make a dozen muffins.
For plain lemon muffins, try my small batch lemon poppy seed muffins. You can leave out the poppy seeds if desired.
Expert Baking Tips
- Don't over mix. Over mixing not only creates flatter muffins, but will cause the blueberries to bleed into the batter (especially if you're using frozen blueberries).
- Only line every other muffin tin. This will allow more heat to get in so your muffins rise higher. For more tips on how to get tall muffin tops, read this article.
- Top the muffins with coarse sugar before baking. This adds a delicious crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, moist muffin base.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
These muffins taste best warm out of the oven, but if there are any left, store them in an airtight container once completely cooled. They will keep at room temperature for a few days. You can also cover and freeze the muffins for up to 2-3 months. Warm up any leftovers in the microwave before serving.
More Small Batch Recipes You'll Love...
Leave a STAR REVIEW below if you try this recipe! Tag me on Instagram @treatsbytalija and for more ideas, check out the other desserts on my blog!
PrintSmall Batch Lemon Blueberry Muffins
These small batch lemon blueberry muffins combine a moist muffin base, fresh blueberries, a crunchy crumb topping, and a sweet lemon glaze. This recipe makes just 6 muffins so it's perfect for a smaller family. They are the ultimate breakfast indulgence!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 muffins 1x
- Category: muffins, small batch
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Muffin Batter:
- 125 grams granulated sugar
- 1 and ½ tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- 125 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 130 grams sour cream or buttermilk, at room temperature
- 65 grams vegetable or canola oil
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 grams fresh blueberries, divided
- Coarse sugar for topping, optional
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 60 grams powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 15 grams fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Make the Muffin Batter:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a muffin pan with 6 paper liners. Use alternating spaces in the liners- space out the liners so that no two are directly next to each other. This allows the muffins to rise higher. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, use your hands to rub the lemon zest and granulated sugar together until the mixture is combined and fragrant. This releases extra lemon flavor. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the oil, sour cream, milk, egg, and vanilla until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold together, making sure not to over mix. Fold in the blueberries, reserving about a handful for topping. The batter will be thick and lumpy.
- Set aside the batter for at least 10-15 minutes, or cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a day.
- Divide the batter between the 6 liners, filling it all the way to the top. Dot the reserved blueberries on top and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using.
- Bake muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C). After 5 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for another 14-18 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Remove muffins from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes as you prepare the glaze.
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice until combined. Add extra powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or an extra squeeze of lemon juice for a thinner glaze as necessary.
- Drizzle the muffins with the glaze and serve warm. You can drizzle the glaze using a spoon, a squeeze bottle, or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off.
Notes
- Quickly bring ingredients to room temp: Microwave the sour cream/buttermilk and milk for 5-10 seconds. Place egg in a bowl with warm water for 10 minutes.
- You can use frozen blueberries if needed, but don't thaw them.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 379
- Sugar: 37.6 g
- Sodium: 127.5 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.7 g
- Protein: 4.9 g
- Cholesterol: 38.6 mg
Keywords: blueberry muffins, small batch muffins, spring recipe, easy to make
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