If you’re looking for an easy, homemade recipe for Lemon Blueberry Muffins, this one’s a keeper. Fresh lemon zest adds a pop of brightness, nonfat Greek yogurt keeps these muffins moist and flavorful, and a light streusel topping brings it all together with an added layer of taste and texture.
This blueberry muffin recipe with streusel topping is perfect for a special holiday brunch, a lazy Saturday morning, or any time you just want the lovely aroma of fresh baked goods in your home.
Jump to RecipeTable of Contents
Blueberries: A Michigan Summer Tradition
I have a fondness for Michigan agriculture and enjoy showcasing the exceptional product that are locally cultivated in my home state. What does Michigan produce? In the Northwestern region, we are renowned for Montmorency Tart Cherries. In the Eastern part, there is the Michigan Sugar Company, which is based in Bay City, Michigan. Saint Johns, MI is home to one of the oldest mint producers in the state. These are just a few examples of the incredible food grown right here in my own backyard. You can see why I’m so enthusiastic about my state.
However for this post, I’m all about blueberries! Blueberries reign supreme in Michigan’s Southwest side. In fact, Michigan is the third largest grower of blueberries in the United States. Since 1963, the city of South Haven has hosted the National Blueberry Festival the second week of August. If you’re in the area during this time, you should check it out!
In addition to being absolutely delicious, blueberries are pretty darn good for you, too. They deliver a long list of health benefits – rich in antioxidants, high in fiber and low in calories. They’re also a great food to add to your diet if you’re looking for natural ways to manage your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It’s no wonder this little berry is so loved. I just had to develop this recipe for Best Lemon Blueberry Muffins with 4 Ingredient Streusel in honor of one of my favorite foods.
The Right Lemon for This Lemon Blueberry Muffins Recipe?
For this recipe, you can use regular lemons. The finished product will be a little more tart, but I find them just as delicious we when I use Meyer lemons. In the winter and early spring months, you can find these lovely, yellow beauties on display in the produce section of your local grocery store.
So what makes Meyer lemons so special? Meyer lemons differ from regular lemons in several ways. Firstly, they are less tart compared to regular lemons. Instead, Meyer lemons have a unique flavor that combines the characteristics of a lemon and a mandarin orange. Additionally, their skin has a slightly darker and smoother texture. However, it is the distinctively less acidic taste that truly distinguishes Meyer lemons from other varieties.
If you prefer your lemon blueberry muffins to have a more subdued flavor, and if you can find Meyer lemons in your area, I highly recommend giving them a try. For this recipe, you will need 2 lemons to produce the 1 1/2 tsp. of zest and 1 tsp. of juice needed in this recipe.
Regardless of which variety of lemon you use in this Lemon Blueberry Muffins recipe, don’t be tempted to skip the zest. It delivers a beautiful burst of flavor that you simply cannot get with lemon juice alone. It also keeps the moisture in this recipe in balance. I do not recommend trying to substitute more juice to make up for a lack of zest. The added moisture will prevent the muffins from baking properly.
Greek Yogurt for a Perfectly Moist and Tender Crumb
In my recipe for Romanian Coffee Cake I talk about the beneficial interaction between baking soda and sour cream or buttermilk. When combined, the two produce air bubbles, giving baked goods a leavening boost. This combination also produces a very moist bake with a like and delicate crumb. When developing this coffee cake recipe, I found that using buttermilk as a substitute instead of sour cream yielded a similar flavor and texture, It also reduced the overall fat content of the cake slightly.
Although I’m not opposed to sugar, butter and fat in general (this is a baking blog after all) I appreciate saving a few calories here and there whenever possible. When making this blueberry muffin recipe with yogurt – and in this case we’re using nonfat, unsweetened Greek yogurt – you’re getting a lot of benefit from this one little ingredient. Like sour cream or buttermilk, the yogurt works with the baking soda in this recipe to produce a light, tender crumb. Greek yogurt also brings an added tang that compliments both the lemon and blueberries nicely. The yogurt also adds a little extra protein to this easy blueberry muffin recipe without the added fat found in regular sour cream.
A Simple Crumb Topping to Pull It All Together
I’m fussy about my crumb toppings. I don’t like them to be too gooey, too sweet or too flour-forward. In this recipe for Best Lemon Blueberry Muffins with 4 Ingredient Streusel, the lemon flavor is carried through. A topping shouldn’t be an afterthought. It’s a separate component, but it should compliment the bake – not overtake it. When you bite into these lemon blueberry muffins with crumb topping, you get a slight crunch from the topping, but you also get a whisper of citrus from the zest.
I hope you give this easy blueberry muffins recipe a try. It a great one to keep on hand any time you want a simple and delicious fruit muffin.
Best Lemon Blueberry Muffins with 4 Ingredient Streusel
Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy18
muffins15
minutes35
minutesFresh lemon zest and nonfat Greek yogurt make these muffins moist and flavorful.
Ingredients
- For the muffin batter
1 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted, European-style butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup plain, unsweetened, nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 cups sifted bread flour (See note below on the importance of sifting before measuring)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- For the streusel topping
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. bread flour
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. melted butter
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a muffin time with paper baking cups and set aside.
- Prepare the streusel topping
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour and lemon zest. Add the melted butter and combine with a fork until a crumbly mixture forms. Set aside.
- Prepare the muffin batter
- In a small bowl, combine the sifted flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk together to combine.
- In a 5-quart stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar over medium speed. Cream until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and eggs one at a time. Mix until well incorporated and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions.
- Add the Greek yogurt and mix on medium-low speed until thoroughly incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Over medium-low speed, combine until a smooth batter forms, but be careful not to over mix.
- Gently fold in the blueberries by hand.
- Divide batter evenly among the baking cups. Top with streusel mixture.
- Bake at 325 degrees F. for approximately 30-35 minutes. Muffins will be light golden brown on top and a toothpick will come out dry when inserted into the center of the muffin.
- Transfer muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store covered in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, or in the refrigerator for one week.
Notes
- NOTE: It’s important to sift the flour first before measuring. Flour becomes compacted as it sits and settles. Of you add the flour before sifting, you are essentially adding more flour than you really need – which yields a heavy, dense muffin. Sift first, then measure for the perfect texture.
- NOTE: The size of your muffin papers will determine the final yield on this recipe. Larger baking cups will yield 12 large muffins. Smaller, traditional cupcake baking cups will yield 18 muffins. If using a larger muffin cup, the baking time will need to be increased by 3-5 minutes.
