Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins

Because I love lemon.  And cream cheese.  And any excuse to make a muffin.

My mini (or you can make them full sized) Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins have cream cheese baked right inside.  It’s like a little piece of lemon heaven.

This recipe makes two dozen mini muffins or a dozen standard sized muffins.

Shopping List

1 cup of sugar, plus a 1/2 cup more 

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs
1 cup milk

the zest and juice of a lemon (about 2 tablespoons of each)

1 cup of all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spray mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, beat 1 cup of sugar, vegetable oil, one egg and milk with an electric mixer.  Beat in lemon zest and juice.  Set bowl aside.

In a second mixing bowl, whisk together with a fork your flour and baking soda. 

 Pour lemon mixture slowly into flour mixture and blend together until just moistened with a spoon (not your mixer).

Pour batter into prepared muffin tins but only about halfway full.  Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, remaining egg, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer.  Slowing top off each of your muffins with a little cream cheese mixture (you will not use all of your cream cheese mixture).

Pop your muffin tins in the oven and bake about 12 minutes for mini-muffins and 18 to 20 minutes for larger muffins.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from pan.

Store in the fridge when you’re not enjoying.

Lemon and cream cheese just make me happy!