You’re going to love my Lemon Streusel Muffins! These little bites of sunshine are tender, moist, and deliciously aromatic with a crunchy, sweet streusel topping and a tangy lemon glaze.

Lemon streusel muffins are perfect for the lemon lovers in your household, and delicious enough to satisfy every sweet tooth in your family. You’ll love the fresh lemon flavor with every bite of my lemon crumb muffins!
The tart lemon flavor and sweet crunchy crumb topping, combine to make these moist lemon muffins the perfect combination of sweet and tart.
If you love lemony breakfast treats make sure to try my Starbuck’s copycat lemon pound cake and lemon scones recipes. They are ah-mazing!
Ingredients to make Lemon Streusel Muffins
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients needed to make my lemon streusel muffins recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
*For best results always use fresh lemons to make my lemon muffin recipe or any lemon-flavored baked goods.
How to make Lemon Streusel Muffins
- Add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and melted butter to a large bowl to make the sweet streusel topping.
- Mix the ingredients together until the mixture is small and crumbly.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk to combine the flour mixture and set aside until needed.
- Add the softened unsalted butter, white sugar, and fresh lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer (or an electric hand mixer and a large mixing bowl).
- Whip until the mixture is light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
- Add the eggs, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), vegetable oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla extract to the bowl.
- Mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Mix just enough to combine.
*Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the flour has been mixed in.
- Scoop the muffin batter into the muffin cups.
- Sprinkle the streusel mixture on top of the muffins.
- Place the muffin tin on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the muffin pan from the oven and let the bakery style muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then remove and place them back on the cooling rack.
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to a small bowl.
- Whisk until smooth.
If the lemon glaze isn’t thin enough to drizzle on the muffins, add another teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to thin it out enough to drizzle.
Drizzle the lemon glaze on the cooled muffins.
Wouldn’t these delicious, sweet, tart, fluffy muffins make a great breakfast treat or a mid-morning snack for your friends and family?
Store the lemon streusel muffins on the counter in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. They also freeze well. Just don’t add the glaze until they are defrosted and ready to serve.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can, but fresh lemon juice will give you the best flavor. If fresh lemons aren’t available, make sure the bottled juice is 100% pure lemon juice without any added sugars or flavors.
Yes, you can omit the streusel topping if you prefer. The muffins will still taste delicious without it, although you’ll miss out on the added crunch and sweetness.
Yes, you can. You can make this recipe with limes, oranges, or grapefruit. You may need to adjust the amount of juice and zest according to your taste preferences.
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Lemon Streusel Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
Muffin Batter
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour scoop and level with knife
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract you can substitute vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt or buttermilk
- ¼ cup lemon juice
Lemon Glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 – 3 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Streusel Topping
- Add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and melted butter to a mixing bowl.
- Mix the ingredients together until the mixture is small and crumbly.
Muffin Batter
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside until needed.
- Add the softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer (or electric mixer with large bowl) and whip until the mixture is light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon extract to the wet ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just enough to combine. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the flour has been mixed in.The batter may be a little lumpy.
- Pour the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin.
- Top the muffins with the streusel mixture.
- Place the muffin tin on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove and place them on a cooling rack.
Lemon Glaze
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. If the lemon glaze isn't thin enough to drizzle on the muffins, add another teaspoon of lemon juice (or water) to thin it out enough to drizzle.
- Drizzle the lemon glaze on the cooled muffins. Store on the counter in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. They also freeze well. Just don't add the glaze until they are defrosted and ready to serve.
Elizabeth says
The streusel topping is amazing! It’s now one of my favorite muffins recipes to make.
Swathi says
the lemon sterusel muffins were delicious, my kids loved them.
Tiffany says
These are delicious! Everyone loves them in my home. The lemon glaze is like the cherry on top!
Nicole says
These muffins are delicious! The perfect amount of lemon, and the streusel is just wonderful!
Gloria says
I am a lemon lover and these muffins did not disappoint! I can’t wait to have another with breakfast tomorrow with my morning coffee. They’d also make a great dessert for bbq parties.