These adorable breakfast treats, Mini Lemon Muffins, are bursting with so much zesty lemon flavor they will surely brighten your day. They are moist, fluffy, & ready in less than 30 minutes - easy enough to bake a batch today!
Why this Mini Lemon Muffin Recipe is the BEST: These are better than other recipes thanks to using lemon extract instead of fresh-squeezed juice. (see why this is best in the ingredient notes below)
If you want something fresh-baked even on a busy weekday morning, mini muffins are just the thing! The small size bakes quickly and gives you the ok to eat twice as many, I do!
This is one of my favorite mini muffin tin recipes. Like my recipe for Mini Blueberry Muffins, the yummy fruit flavor is the star. Ok, now we bake!
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Ingredients
Just a few simple pantry baking items is all you need for the batter. The tender muffins bake up light & airy.
The addition of lemon extract & zest takes it epic levels of sweet, tangy, & tart flavor. The extract is key to intense lemon flavor. It's what I use in my #1 spring recipe on Pinterest - Raspberry Lemon Loaf.
Here are important notes for some ingredients:
- Eggs - room-temperature is best so they mix evenly.
- Salted Butter - real creamy rich butter, no oil in this recipe.
- Sugar - white granulated sugar for sweetness.
- Whole Milk - full-fat for the best moist batter (do not substitute with low or fat-free dairy)
- Lemon Extract - for bold tart & tangy lemon flavor. (real juice is too faint & requires so much liquid making for sticky, gooey, muffins with soggy bottoms)
- Lemon Zest - the pretty flecks of bright yellow are colorful, pretty, & tasty.
- All-Purpose Flour - the pantry staple is all you need.
- Baking Powder - for a fluffy texture & helps them rise for the cute little dome muffin tops.
These are made without poppyseeds, buttermilk, yogurt, & are nut-free.
See the recipe card for full list, quantities, & any substitutions/variations.
How to Make Mini Lemon Muffins from Scratch
This easy lemon muffin batter is homemade (no cake mixes) and mixes in one bowl. Easy enough for beginning bakers & fun for kids to help make.
Here are the easy to follow steps for making bite-sized lemon muffins from scratch:
- Mix the Batter
- Bake, Cool, & Enjoy
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Mix the Batter
Make sure you plan a bit ahead and have your eggs & stick of butter at room temperature. Eggs take about 10 minutes but butter can take longer so I actually put mine on the counter the night before which is safe!
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Also spray your mini muffin tin with nonstick spray if you are not using a nonstick pan.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl add the softened salted butter, eggs, & sugar. Use a hand mixer to cream on medium speed for 3 minutes. It should be light & fluffy.
Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Next, add the remaining ingredients & mix on medium for a minute, until all comes together evenly.
2 - Bake, Cool, & Enjoy
Spoon the batter into the wells of the prepared muffin pan. Be sure to fill each one about 90% of the way up. You should get about 30-32 muffins if divided evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Once a toothpick comes out clean, they are done.
Let them cool for a few minutes in the pan. Once you can touch them safely, remove from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Enjoy while warm. No butter is needed, they are fantastic & rich all on their own.
When completely cool, place in a bowl to enjoy in the next fews hours. If you will be eating them later, storing instructions are shared below.
Serving & Storing
The best way to eat these little guys is to just pop them in your mouth. You can also warm up leftovers, slice, & add a pat of butter.
Note: these stay moist & fresh for up to 5 days which makes them great for meal planning. Simply store in a container with a tight fitting lid & place in a cool dry place (not the refrigerator). They also freeze well for up to 30 days.
What to Serve with Lemon Muffins: These muffins are ideal to bake & serve in spring when fresh lemon zest is in season.
I recommend serving them for Mother's Day brunch or for baby & wedding showers with some Oven-Baked Turkey Bacon & Fruit Salad with Cool Whip.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - DO NOT over bake or they will be dry & crumbly.
- Lemon extract vs real lemon juice is different so do not substitute it (it's too bitter & the acid changes the batter chemistry making it too thin & flat muffins will result)
- Add 1 cup of washed & dried berries for more fruit flavor.
- Don't have a mini muffin pan, bake in a regular muffin tin at 400°F for 20 minutes instead.
- These muffin bites are low-calorie; less than 100 calories which is great for a small snack, school lunch boxes, picky toddlers, or as a guilt-free dessert.
- FYI - the batch fed our family of 5 for one meal with a few leftovers. For a crowd or if you want premade grab & go muffins for busy weekdays, double the recipe & bake ahead of time.
FAQ
To make them fancy, just slice & spread on some lemon curd and/or clotted cream. These will surely make your tea party at home the best.
These already have intense lemon flavor thanks to the concentrated lemon oils in the extract. For more lemon flavor, double the amount of lemon zest or add a lemon drizzle glaze on top once they are cool.
Mini Lemon Muffins
Equipment
- mini muffin pan
- hand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ½ cup salted butter softened room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Bring butter and eggs to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray if not using a nonstick pan.
- In a large mixing bowl add the eggs, sugar, and butter. Beat them on low using the hand mixer until they are creamed together & fluffy; 3 minutes.2 eggs, ½ cup salted butter, 1 cup sugar
- Next add the flour, baking powder, milk, extract, and zest. Using the hand mixer, beat on medium to bring the batter together. Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula to be sure all ingredients are smooth and combined.1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Add enough batter to fill each muffin opening about 90% full. You should get around 30 mini muffins if divided evenly.
- Bake them at 375° for 12-15 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Once done baking, let them cool for a few minutes in the pan. When cool enough to handle, remove each one carefully from the pan to continue cooling on a wire baking rack.
- Enjoy while warm or cool & store in an air-tight container to enjoy later.
Notes
- Place leftovers in an air-tight container with a lid. Leave the container on your kitchen counter in a cool location. (do not put it in the refrigerator). They will remain fresh and moist for up to 5 days.
- These muffins can be frozen for up to 30 days. It is best to double wrap them so they do not get freezer burn.
- Omit the zest if you want a lighter lemon flavor or if you do not have any fresh lemons on hand.
- Fold in 1 cup of fresh washed & dried blueberries or raspberries for a berry-lemon combo that is amazing.
- This makes about 30 mini muffins which will likely serve a family of 6 for one meal. Most teen & adults will eat 4-5 as a serving and small kids may eat 2-3 each.
Nutrition
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