These raspberry muffins are light, fluffy, and wonderfully moist—just like bakery-style muffins. Bursting with fresh or frozen raspberries and a bright touch of lemon, this quick and easy recipe yields lemon raspberry muffins you’ll want to make again and again.
Why should you make this recipe
If you love bakery-style muffins, these lemon raspberry muffins are a must-try. They have a tender crumb and an attractive domed top, and they come together with simple pantry ingredients and minimal effort.
- Delicious layers of flavor: A soft vanilla-lemon base combines with sweet-tart raspberries for a balanced, fresh taste.
- Simple and reliable: You’ll get bakery-quality results using just two bowls, a whisk, and a muffin pan—perfect for weekday breakfasts or weekend baking.
Ingredients
These lemon raspberry muffins use common ingredients you likely already have on hand. Here’s what you’ll need.
Dry: all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt.
Wet: granulated sugar, lemon zest, melted butter, oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, and fresh or frozen raspberries (tossed in a bit of flour).
Substitutions
Here are simple swaps you can use without changing the character of the muffins too much.
- Gluten-free: Use a reliable 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.
- Butter: Salted butter can replace unsalted—omit the added salt. Plant-based or vegan butter also works.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is recommended; maple sugar or another substitute can be used to reduce refined sugar.
- Citrus: Substitute lime or orange zest for lemon if desired.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Sour cream: Greek yogurt is a good alternative.
- Milk: Any milk (dairy or plant) will work.
- Raspberries: Fresh or frozen are fine. If using frozen, keep them frozen and add to the batter right before baking; baking time may be slightly longer.
Variations
- Raspberry streusel: Make a quick streusel by combining 1/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons cold butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter and bake for extra texture.
- Lemon glaze: Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2–3 tablespoons lemon juice and drizzle over cooled muffins for a bright finish.
- Vanilla glaze: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2–3 tablespoons milk; drizzle over warm muffins.
How to make
Follow these straightforward steps to make tender, bakery-style lemon raspberry muffins.
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl until evenly mixed.
- Mix sugar and lemon: In a second bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together until the sugar has a wet-sand texture. Whisk in melted butter, oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine gently: Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients by hand until just combined—do not overmix.
- Rest the batter: Let the batter sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes; this helps create those bakery-style domes. While it rests, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line muffin pans with liners.
- Add raspberries and portion: Fold in raspberries (tossed with a tablespoon or two of flour to prevent sinking). Use a 3-tablespoon scoop or spoon to fill muffin liners, spacing them so every other cup is filled for more even baking.
- Bake: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18–22 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs or the tops spring back when lightly pressed.
- Cool: Let muffins cool in the pan 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to store, freeze and thaw
Store: Keep muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 3 more days.
Freeze: Cool completely, wrap each muffin individually, place in a freezer bag, and freeze up to 2 months.
Thaw: Thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours, or microwave for 20–30 seconds for a warm “fresh-baked” experience.
M’s expert tips
- Bring ingredients to room temperature: This helps them combine quickly and reduces the need to overmix, giving a softer crumb.
- Don’t overmix: Combine dry into wet by hand until just incorporated to avoid dense muffins.
- Rest the batter: Letting the batter sit 30–60 minutes helps hydrate the flour and encourages higher, domed tops.
- Alternate muffin wells: Fill every other cup to allow better air circulation for more even rise and bake.
FAQs
Yes. Use a mini muffin tin and reduce baking time; the flavor and method are the same.
Cooling muffins in the pan for too long can trap steam and create soggy bottoms. Remove them after 5–10 minutes to finish cooling on a rack.
Let the batter rest, use a relatively high oven temperature, and space muffins in the pan so heat circulates evenly.
Toss berries in about 1 tablespoon of flour per cup of berries before folding into the batter. The flour helps absorb juices and prevents sinking.
Other raspberry recipes to try
- Lemon Raspberry Cake
- Raspberry Sorbet
If you try this Raspberry Muffins recipe, please rate it and leave a comment. It helps other bakers decide if this is the right recipe for them. Happy baking! – M
Raspberry Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- 12 ct muffin pan
- 12 muffin liners
- 2 mixing bowls
- Whisk or flexible spatula
- Large cookie scoop (3 tbsp) — optional
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 lemon, zested
- 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (59 ml) oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
- ½ cup (118 ml) milk, room temperature
- 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, tossed in 2 tbsp (25 g) flour
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- In another bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together until the sugar is aromatic and has a wet-sand texture. Whisk in the melted butter, oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Avoid overmixing. Let the batter rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes to help develop bakery-style domes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line muffin pans with liners.
- Fold in the raspberries after the rest period. Use a 3-tablespoon scoop or spoon to portion batter into the liners, alternating wells for more even baking.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18–22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs or the tops spring back.
- Cool in the pan 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature and enjoy.
Notes
Store leftover muffins: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days, then refrigerate for up to 3 more days.
Make mini muffins: Use a mini muffin tin and shorten the bake time; check frequently for doneness.
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