Lemon Curd Muffins

These lemon curd muffins are sweet and soft, filled with tart lemon curd, and topped with a crunchy classic streusel. The idea of making curd at home might sound intimidating at first, but it is actually quick and easy to make! If you try these out this springtime, let me know what you think of them in the comments below.

While I love these muffins year-round, lemon curd muffins scream springtime and summertime to me! These would be an especially good easter idea too.

If you love lemon the way that I do, try my lemon blueberry cookies and my lemon raspberry sweet rolls.

Ingredients

This recipe includes lots of fresh lemon zest and juice! The fresher the ingredients, the better is what I always say. Here is a picture of the ingredients you will need:

• Lemons
• Sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Milk
• Butter
• Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• Eggs
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Milk powder (optional - I just add this for extra flavor enrichment. Not essential!)
• Vanilla extract

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

This recipe is quick and easy! I'm including process shots below to walk you through the process as seamlessly as possible.

Step 1: Start by making the curd by using a double boiler (see notes in the recipe card for how to DIY a double boiler). Once the water is boiling, mix the yolks, sugar, zest, juice, and salt in the pan with a whisk continuously. Whisk until the mixture resembles hollandaise sauce or a thick gravy (8-10 minutes).

Remove from heat, add butter, and continue to whisk until the butter is incorporated. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with cling wrap with the wrap touching the top of the curd. Place in the refrigerator until it is set and firm. 

Step 2: Preheat oven to 425F. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and milk powder. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (4-5 mins).

Next add the lemon zest, eggs, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, milk, and lemon juice. Mix until just combined.

Add prepared dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. (Finished batter pictured above)

Step 3: In a medium bowl add flour, sugar, and melted butter and mix with a fork until crumbles form. Set aside.

Step 4: In a prepared 12-muffin pan, scoop batter into each muffin liner until they are ¾ of the way full. I use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop for this to make it easier.  

Step 5: Evenly distribute the streusel topping among each muffin compartment. It might seem like a lot, but trust me you need to use all of it! Place in the oven and bake at 425F for 5 minutes and then turn the temperature down to 350F for another 14-15 minutes or until the tops are set and they start to golden.

Allow the muffins to cool completely before cutting a hole in the top with a straw and filling with lemon curd using a piping bag (or ziplock bag with a corner cut off) Enjoy!

Hint: When making lemon curd, be sure to use a double-boiler or DIY double-boiler system (see recipe notes). Lemon curd can easily burn when cooked on direct heat, so heating over boiling water will produce the best results.

Substitutions

• Milk - Use high-fat non-dairy milk if you don't want to use dairy! I highly recommend  Oatly oat milk (full-fat or regular would be ideal).
• Butter - Use a non-dairy butter like Country Crock's plant butter. A neutral oil (like coconut oil) would work well here too! I've also had great luck using that brand in frosting.

Variations

• Berries: Try adding 1 cup of fresh berries to the batter (especially blueberries or raspberries!) frozen berries would work too, but you might need 3-5 extra minutes of bake time.

Equipment

• Stand mixer with paddle attachment optional
• 12-muffin pan
• Medium mixing bowl
• Small mixing bowl
• Double boiler
• Whisk
• Cling wrap

Storage

Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. If placed in an airtight bag or container, they will get a bit mushy from the streusel.

Can freeze for up to 6 months. 

FAQ

Other breakfast ideas

Looking for other breakfast recipes like this? Try these:

Other dessert ideas

If you are looking for more sweets, try these!

Lemon Curd Muffins

These lemon curd muffins are sweet and soft, filled with tart lemon curd, and topped with a crunchy classic streusel.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 muffins

Equipment

• Stand mixer with paddle attachment optional
• 12-muffin pan
• Medium mixing bowl
• Small mixing bowl
• Double boiler
• Whisk
• Cling wrap

Ingredients

  

Lemon Curd

• 3 large egg yolks
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tablespoon lemon zest about 1 lemon
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice about 2 lemons
• Pinch salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces

Lemon Muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon milk powder optional
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85g, softened to room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest roughly 2 lemons
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ½ cup 120g plain Greek yogurt or sour cream at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 Tablespoons 60ml milk
• 4 Tablespoons 60ml fresh lemon juice

Streusel Topping

• ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
• ½ cup all-purpose flour 60g
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Instructions

 

Make the lemon curd

• Start by making the curd by using a double boiler. Once the water is boiling, mix the yolks, sugar, zest, juice, and salt in the pan with a whisk continuously. Whisk until the mixture resembles hollandaise sauce or a thick gravy (8-10 minutes).
  3 large egg yolks, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ tablespoon lemon zest, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 Tablespoons 60ml fresh lemon juice, Pinch salt
• Remove from heat, add butter, and continue to whisk until the butter is incorporated. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with cling wrap with the wrap touching the top of the curd. Place in the refrigerator until it is set and firm.

Make the muffins

• Preheat oven to 425F. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and milk powder. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (4-5 mins).
  2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon milk powder, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar
• Next add the lemon zest, eggs, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, milk, and lemon juice. Mix until just combined. Add prepared dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon lemon zest, ½ cup 120g plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 4 Tablespoons 60ml milk, 2 large eggs

Make the streusel

• In a medium bowl add flour, sugar, and melted butter and mix with a fork until crumbles form.
  ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Assemble and bake

• In a prepared 12-muffin pan, scoop batter into each muffin liner until they are ¾ of the way full. I use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to make this easier.
• Evenly distribute the streusel topping among each muffin compartment. It might seem like a lot, but trust me you need to use all of it! Place in the oven and bake at 425F for 5 minutes and then turn the temperature down to 350F for another 14-15 minutes or until the tops are set and they start to golden.
• When the muffins are cool, use a small knife or a straw to poke a hole in the top of the muffins about half way into the muffin.

  Fill a pastry bag or squeeze bottle with lemon curd and fill each muffin. (a ziplock bag with a corner cut off will work too)

  Replace the top of the muffin with the part you previously removed to hide the hole. Enjoy!

Notes

1. If you don't have a double boiler, you can easily DIY it by placing a heat-safe bowl over a pot of shallow boiling water. Lemon curd can burn easily when heated over direct heat, so the double-boiler method is preferred. 
2. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. If placed in an airtight bag or container, they will get a bit mushy from the streusel. Can freeze for up to 6 months. 
3. The reason I suggest using two temperatures when baking is because this produces a higher oven spring and a taller muffin. 
4. NOTE: A previous version of this recipe called for baking the muffins with the curd already in the batter, which was delicious but a little inconsistent. Sometimes the curd at the center of the muffins would melt into the batter. While this still results in a tasty muffin, there would be a hole in the center from the missing curd. Instead, I suggest adding the curd into the cooled muffins by cutting out a small hole from the top with a straw and squeezing it in with a small piping bag (or just with a ziplock bag with the corner cut off). 

Keyword breakfast, dessert

Food safety

• Wash hands after touching raw batter. 
• Never leave a hot oven unattended.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove (or oven).

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.