Tart and sweet, these lemon raspberry muffins are simple to make from scratch. Topped with a buttery streusel and a bright lemon glaze, the muffins bake up tender and moist with just the right balance of citrus and berry. They make a perfect summer snack and can be ready in about 30 minutes.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick — ready in about 30 minutes. The batter comes together fast and the bake time is short, making this a great option when you want fresh muffins without spending the afternoon in the kitchen.
- Very easy to make. No special tools required — a few bowls, a whisk, and a muffin tin are all you need.
- Use fresh or frozen raspberries. Fresh berries are wonderful in season; frozen raspberries work well the rest of the year and make the recipe convenient year-round.
- Streusel and glaze add texture and brightness. The crunchy streusel gives a sweet contrast to the tender muffin crumb, while the lemon glaze enhances the berry flavor.
Ingredient Notes
- Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream at room temperature for the best moist texture. Plain yogurt can be substituted if needed.
- Milk: Whole milk creates a richer batter, but low-fat milk works fine if that’s what you have.
- Lemon zest and juice: Fresh lemon zest and juice provide the brightest citrus flavor. Zest the lemon before juicing.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Make sure your leavening agents are fresh so the muffins rise properly.
- Frozen raspberries: Keep them frozen until you’re ready to fold them in; this helps prevent the batter from becoming overly streaked or watery.
- Butter: Melt unsalted butter and let it cool slightly before adding to the batter and to the streusel.
Refer to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Add mix-ins. Stir in 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or 1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or almonds) along with the raspberries for extra texture and flavor.
Swap the glaze. For a vanilla glaze, omit the lemon and whisk 1 teaspoon vanilla with 1 tablespoon milk into the confectioners’ sugar.
Raspberry rhubarb muffins. Add 1/2 cup diced rhubarb with 1 cup raspberries for a raspberry–rhubarb twist.
Mini muffins. Use a mini muffin tin and fill each cup about two-thirds full; bake 8–10 minutes. Chop frozen raspberries roughly so they distribute evenly.
How to Make Raspberry Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Make the streusel by whisking flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter with a fork until small clumps form; chill while you make the batter.
- Whisk the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, rub together the granulated sugar and lemon zest to draw out the oils. Add melted butter and eggs and mix until combined. Stir in sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until combined. Toss the frozen raspberries in a little flour and fold them into the batter to prevent excessive bleeding.
- Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Top each muffin with a generous sprinkle of streusel.
- Bake at 400°F for 18–22 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan briefly before transferring to a wire rack.
- Whisk confectioners’ sugar with 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice to make a glaze. Drizzle the glaze over cooled muffins.
Expert Tips
Don’t overmix. Stir the batter only until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing produces dense muffins instead of light, tender ones.
Coat frozen berries with flour. Tossing raspberries with a tablespoon of flour helps keep them suspended in the batter and reduces bleeding.
Keep the streusel cold. Chilled streusel holds its shape in the oven and bakes up crisp rather than melting into the muffin tops.
Use room-temperature ingredients. Eggs, milk, and sour cream blend more evenly when they’re not cold from the fridge, which improves texture.
Storage Tips
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Make sure the muffins are completely cooled before sealing the container to avoid condensation.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap and place in an airtight freezer container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Fresh raspberries work well, though they are juicier and can add more moisture to the batter, which may slightly affect texture.
It’s best to bake the batter right away. Baking powder and baking soda begin reacting once wet ingredients are combined, so the rise may be reduced if the batter sits.
Related Recipes
Here are some more berry recipes to try!
Mixed Berry Pound Cake
Strawberry Muffins
Lemon Blueberry Bread with Lemon Glaze
Triple Berry Crisp
Did you love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment to share how yours turned out.
Lemon Raspberry Muffins with Streusel
Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- Mixing bowls
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Citrus zester
Ingredients
Streusel
- 3/4 cup (93 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
Muffins
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) salt
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (15 g) lemon zest
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole or low-fat milk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream or plain yogurt, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (225 g) frozen raspberries
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1–2 Tablespoons (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Make the streusel: whisk flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until small clumps form. Chill while preparing batter.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine granulated sugar and lemon zest; rub to release oils. Add melted butter and eggs, mixing until combined. Stir in milk, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix gently, then add the rest and fold in the raspberries (toss raspberries with a bit of flour first).
- Divide batter among muffin cups, filling nearly to the top. Sprinkle streusel over each muffin.
- Bake at 400°F for 20–22 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Whisk confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice to make the glaze and drizzle over cooled muffins.
Notes
Raspberries: Keep frozen raspberries frozen until ready to add to the batter. Fresh raspberries can be used but may increase moisture.
Store: Keep baked muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Freeze wrapped muffins for up to 3 months to preserve freshness.