These lemon blackberry muffins are incredibly soft and fluffy, packed with vibrant lemon flavor and juicy bursts of blackberry in every bite. The sweet-tart combination, paired with a buttery streusel topping, makes them feel like something you’d pick up from a bakery. They’re perfect for spring baking and would be right at home on an Easter breakfast table. They can be made traditionally or gluten-free.
- Bright lemon flavor – they make these muffins so cheery!
- Soft and fluffy texture – tender crumb thanks to oil and milk.
- Streusel topping – adds a buttery crunch that contrasts perfectly with the soft muffins.
- Freezer-friendly – great for making ahead and storing for later.
Ingredient Notes
Scroll down for the full recipe. These are just a few notes on select ingredients.
- Blackberries – fresh or frozen both work. If using frozen, keep them frozen until adding to prevent bleeding.
- Lemon zest + extract – the zest gives natural brightness, while the extract boosts the lemon flavor. You can omit the extract if needed, but the flavor will be lighter.
- Neutral oil – use something like vegetable, canola, or avocado oil. Melted butter can be used instead, but the muffins won’t stay quite as soft.
- Milk – any milk works here, including dairy-free options like almond or oat milk.
How to Make Them
This recipe is straightforward and comes together quickly.
Start by making the streusel. Mix the dry ingredients, then work in the cold butter until you get a coarse, sandy texture.
Next, whisk together the dry muffin ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another.
Combine the two gently, then fold in the flour-coated blackberries.
Divide the batter between muffin cups, sprinkle generously with streusel, and bake until golden.
Once cooled, drizzle with the lemon glaze for the perfect finishing touch.
- Don’t overmix the batter – once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the muffins dense and tough instead of soft and fluffy.
- Coat the berries in flour – tossing the blackberries with a little flour helps keep them evenly distributed instead of sinking to the bottom of the muffins.
- Use frozen berries carefully – keep them frozen until the last moment and fold them in gently. This helps prevent them from bleeding too much color into the batter.
- Cut large berries – halving bigger blackberries helps distribute them more evenly and prevents overly wet pockets in the muffins. When I tested these muffins with frozen berries, I was surprisingly able to cut them straight from the freezer!
- Sprinkle the streusel – sprinkle it evenly over the tops rather than pressing it together. This gives you that light, crumbly texture instead of dense clumps.
How to Store and Freeze
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze, place the cooled muffins in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave.
Other Great Muffins
If you love lemon desserts or anything berry-filled, these are definitely worth making. If they’re not for you, I’ve got several other muffin recipes if you’re in the mood for something else. Here are some other options.
Lemon Blackberry Muffins
Servings 15
These lemon blackberry muffins are soft, fluffy, and packed with juicy berries, topped with a crumbly streusel and sweet lemon glaze. They can be made traditionally or gluten-free.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Make the streusel:
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In a small bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar and salt until combined.
2/3 cup (83 grams) flour, 2/3 cup (133) light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt
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Use cold butter cut into small cubes and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until it looks like wet sand. You’re aiming for coarse, sandy crumbs rather than large doughy clumps. Set aside.
1/4 cup (56) cold unsalted butter
Make the muffins:
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In a medium-sized bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
2 cups (250 grams) flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
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In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, milk, oil, lemon zest, vanilla and lemon extracts until the mixture is smooth.
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup (177 ml) milk of choice, 1/2 cup (120) canola or vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
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Pour the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Gently fold them together and get rid of any huge lumps. Smaller lumps are okay.
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Cut the blackberries in half, leaving any smaller blackberries whole. If you’re using frozen berries, you don’t need to let them thaw to cut them.
2 cups (272) fresh or frozen unthawed blackberries
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Toss the berries with the extra 2 teaspoons of flour, then gently fold it into the batter, leaving any excess flour behind in the bowl.
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Divide the batter evenly among the cups, filling them about 4/5 full (about 77 grams each). Sprinkle a generous amount of streusel (18 grams – a heaping tablespoon) over each muffin.
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Bake for 18-22 minutes (closer to 18 for fresh blackberries and 22 for frozen) or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back with just a few crumbs, but no liquid batter.
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Let the muffins rest in the hot pan for 10 minutes and then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
Make the glaze:
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In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice and lemon zest until velvety smooth. If you prefer a thinner drizzle, whisk in more juice a few drops at a time; for a thicker icing, simply stir in an extra spoonful of powdered sugar. Drizzle over the muffins.
1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar, 1 1/2-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
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Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, place cooled muffins in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave.
- For the flour, you can use all-purpose flour or for gluten-free, use the same amount of King Arthur Flour Gluten-free Measure for Measure Flour.
- If using frozen blackberries, it’s vital to keep them frozen until stirring them into the batter. Keep them in the freezer until the absolute last minute. They’ll start to release juice as they thaw and will make your muffins soggy.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
Calories: 317.8kcalCarbohydrates: 50.6gProtein: 3.8gFat: 11.6gSaturated Fat: 3.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.8gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 31.4mgSodium: 291.4mgPotassium: 98.6mgFiber: 1.7gSugar: 32.3gVitamin A: 187.4IUVitamin C: 5.2mgCalcium: 68.6mgIron: 1.4mgNet Carbs: 49
