Soft, tender lemon blueberry muffins are made with sour cream for extra moisture and then finished with a sweet lemon glaze, just like your favorite bakery-style treat!

Lemon blueberry muffins with lemon glaze on the countertop.

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Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Sour Cream

These lemon blueberry muffins are soft and tender, with bright citrus flavor in every bite. They’re an easy muffin recipe made with sour cream which keeps them incredibly moist, and then finished with a tangy-sweet glaze. Perfect for a quick breakfast or snack!

I love a classic blueberry muffin or slice of blueberry coffee cake, but there’s something about fresh blueberries and lemon zest together that tastes like spring and summer. The glaze even reminds me of my favorite lemon poppy seed bread, so pretty and irresistible.

Ingredients

Zested and juiced lemons on countertop.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Lemons: Fresh lemons are key for that bright citrus flavor. Use both the zest and juice and skip the bottled kind for best results.
  • Vegetable oil: Oil keeps these muffins extra moist and tender. You can swap in melted butter if preferred, just let it cool slightly before mixing.
  • Blueberries: Both fresh and frozen blueberries work well. If using frozen, don’t thaw them first or they’ll release too much juice.
  • Sour cream: This is the secret to soft, tender muffins. You can also use plain Greek yogurt as a substitute.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar, juice, vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. Combine with dry ingredients and fold in fresh blueberries with a spatula.

Blueberries and lemon zest in a bowl of muffin batter.

Fill a muffin tin with paper liners 2/3 the way full and add a few blueberries on top. Bake until the tops bounce back.

Unbaked lemon blueberry muffins in a muffin tin.

You can enjoy the muffins plain or mix up the lemon glaze and drizzle over top. Let cool on a wire rack to help cool the muffins evenly.

Freshly baked lemon blueberry muffins in muffin tin.

Lemon Glaze

This simple glaze is optional, but I highly recommend it! It adds just the right touch of sweetness to balance the bright citrus flavor.

Stir together ½ cup powdered sugar with ½ to 1 Tablespoon lemon juice until smooth. For a more classic powdered sugar glaze, use milk instead of lemon juice.

A close up of a moist lemon blueberry muffin showing juicy blueberries on top.

Tips and Variations

  • Prevent blueberries from sinking: Toss fresh or frozen berries with 1 Tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter.
  • Zest like a pro: Use a microplane or fine zester for best results. Here’s how to zest a lemon.
  • Don’t overfill: Fill muffin cups about ⅔ full to avoid overflowing while baking.
  • Make them pretty: Top each muffin with a few extra blueberries before baking for that bakery-style look.
  • Add texture: Sprinkle coarse sugar or a simple crumble topping before baking for a sweet, crunchy finish.
  • Cool before glazing: Let the homemade muffins cool completely so the glaze doesn’t melt off.
Lemon blueberry muffins drizzled with lemon glaze on counter.

I love lemon and blueberry recipes! Other favorites are lemon blueberry dutch baby recipe, lemon and blueberry cake and lemon blueberry zucchini bread.

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Close up of a lemon blueberry muffin with sour cream on the countertop.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

5 from 38 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12
Soft, tender lemon blueberry muffins are made with sour cream for extra moisture and then finished with a sweet lemon glaze, just like your favorite bakery-style treat!
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Ingredients 

Muffins

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • ⅔ cup sour cream
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice , about 2 lemons
  • ½ teaspoons vanilla or almond extract
  • 1 cup blueberries

Glaze

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2-1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Muffins

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Fill cupcake pan with liners, or use cooking spray to grease them. 
  • In a medium bowl, combine 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons baking powder.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 egg, 2/3 cup sour cream, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon lemon zest, 1/3 cup lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Fold in 1 cup blueberries.
  • Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 the way full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove muffins from pan and let cool completely.

Glaze

  • In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over muffins.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen, however if you are using frozen do not thaw them. Add straight from the freezer or they’ll create too much juice.
Variation: Another delicious option is to omit the glaze and add a crumble topping. 
Storage: Store in a covered container up to 3 days on the counter or freeze up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 232kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 111mg, Potassium: 138mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 122IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

FAQs

How to store lemon blueberry muffins?

Let the muffins cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

Can I freeze lemon blueberry muffins?

Yes! For best results, freeze without the glaze. Store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds.