Irresistibly Moist Lemon Raspberry Muffins with Coconut & Lemon Sugar: Your New Favorite One-Bowl Recipe
Imagine biting into a perfectly golden, incredibly moist muffin, where the zesty tang of lemon meets the sweet burst of fresh raspberries, all complemented by a subtle, aromatic hint of coconut. Topped with a sparkling lemon sugar, these lemon raspberry muffins aren’t just good—they’re truly exceptional. This easy, one-bowl recipe promises bakery-quality results right in your own kitchen, making it the ideal treat for breakfast, brunch, or a delightful snack.
Forget the long lines and high prices of your local bakery. With this simple recipe, you can effortlessly create perfectly fluffy, golden-topped muffins that rival any professional bake. Much like our popular jumbo blueberry muffins, these lemon raspberry delights are celebrated for their soft texture, incredible flavor, and that irresistible lemon sugar crunch on top.
The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. You can enjoy these vibrant treats any time of year, utilizing either fresh or frozen raspberries. This makes them just as accessible and delightful as our raspberry cream scones or our luscious raspberry filled lemon cupcakes!
Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Lemon Raspberry Muffins
These aren’t just any muffins; they’re a celebration of flavor and simplicity. Here’s why these lemon raspberry muffins are destined to become a staple in your recipe collection:
- Effortlessly Bakery-Style: Achieve those coveted tall, domed muffin tops and a perfectly tender crumb, just like your favorite bakery.
- Bright & Balanced Flavor: The tartness of raspberries beautifully complements the zesty freshness of lemon, while a hint of coconut adds an exotic, comforting depth.
- One-Bowl Convenience: Minimizing cleanup is a dream come true for any baker. This recipe streamlines the process, so you spend less time washing dishes and more time enjoying your delicious creations.
- Year-Round Enjoyment: Whether it’s peak berry season or the dead of winter, you can make these muffins with either fresh or frozen raspberries, ensuring their availability whenever a craving strikes.
- Simple, Yet Special Topping: The lemon sugar topping isn’t just for decoration; it adds a delightful crunch and an extra layer of bright lemon flavor that truly elevates the muffin experience.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: From a quick weekday breakfast to an impressive brunch spread or an afternoon pick-me-up, these muffins fit seamlessly into any part of your day.
- Freezer-Friendly: Bake a big batch and freeze them for later, ensuring you always have a homemade treat on hand for unexpected guests or future cravings.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Lemon Raspberry Muffins
Crafting these extraordinary muffins relies on a few key ingredients, each playing a crucial role in their final flavor and texture. Let’s break down what you’ll need and why:
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our muffins. Proper measurement is crucial here – *always spoon and level your flour* or, even better, use a kitchen scale for accuracy. Over-measured flour can lead to dry, dense muffins.
- Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut: This secret ingredient adds a delicate chewiness, subtle tropical notes, and helps maintain moisture, without overpowering the lemon and raspberry.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Our leavening agents work together to create those beautiful, high domes and light, airy texture. The baking soda reacts with the acidic elements like lemon and sour cream.
- Fine Sea Salt: A touch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk: For unparalleled richness and a creamy texture. Make sure to shake the can thoroughly before measuring to ensure the milk is well-emulsified. This contributes significantly to the unique coconut flavor.
- Unsalted European Butter (Melted): Adds a rich, buttery flavor and superior moisture. Melting it helps integrate it smoothly into the batter.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and contributes to the golden crust.
- Large Whole Eggs (Room Temperature): Eggs bind the ingredients, add richness, and contribute to the muffin’s structure. Using room temperature eggs ensures they emulsify better with the other wet ingredients, leading to a smoother batter.
- Sour Cream (Room Temperature): This ingredient is a game-changer for muffin texture! It adds incredible moisture, richness, and a slight tanginess that complements the lemon and raspberries beautifully. Again, room temperature is key for seamless mixing.
- Vegetable Oil: A little oil ensures the muffins stay moist and tender for longer, preventing them from drying out too quickly.
- Fresh Lemon Zest: The star of the show for that vibrant lemon flavor! The oils in the zest provide an intense, aromatic citrus punch. For the best flavor, rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar before adding the other wet ingredients – this helps release its essential oils.
- Frozen Raspberries: While fresh raspberries can be used, frozen raspberries are highly recommended. Keeping them frozen prevents them from bleeding into the batter, maintaining distinct pockets of juicy fruit and a clean-looking muffin.
- Lemon Sugar Topping: A simple mix of granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest provides a sparkling, crunchy finish with an extra boost of citrus.
Table of Contents
How To Make Them
Creating these delightful lemon raspberry muffins is surprisingly straightforward, especially with our easy one-bowl method. Follow these steps for perfect results every time:
1
Whisk the dry ingredients together. In a large bowl, combine your flour, desiccated coconut, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Give them a good whisk to ensure they are thoroughly mixed and evenly distributed. This prevents pockets of leavening agents in your finished muffins.
2
Whisk the wet ingredients together. First, rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips. This crucial step helps release the lemon’s essential oils, boosting its flavor significantly. Then, whisk in the coconut milk, melted butter, eggs, sour cream, and oil until well combined. The mixture should be smooth and emulsified.
This technique, similar to that used in our lemon brownies, is absolutely key to achieving a truly fresh and vibrant lemon flavor that permeates the entire muffin.
3
Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Gently add the dry mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients. Whisk or fold until they are *almost* combined. The batter should look lumpy, and it’s perfectly fine to see a few pockets of dry flour. The key here is to avoid overmixing, which develops too much gluten and can lead to tough muffins.
4
Fold in the frozen raspberries. It’s crucial that the raspberries remain frozen and are not defrosted. Gently fold them into the batter until just distributed. Be careful not to overmix, as this can cause the delicate raspberries to break apart and bleed their color into the batter, turning your beautiful lemon-yellow batter pink or purple.
5
Scoop into a muffin pan. Line your muffin pan with paper liners. For those signature tall, domed muffin tops, generously fill each liner. The batter should sit higher than the liner. Using an ice cream or cookie scoop makes portioning the batter incredibly easy and ensures uniform muffins.
6
Bake the muffins. Sprinkle the tops with your prepared lemon sugar mixture. Bake in a preheated oven following the two-temperature baking method (high heat initially, then lower heat) to achieve those perfect domed tops and a moist interior. Bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the pan on a wire rack, then transfer the muffins to cool completely. For an extra touch of decadence, a simple lemon icing can be drizzled over the cooled muffins if desired. Enjoy these bakery-style treats!
Tips for Bakery-Style Muffin Tops and the Best Texture
Achieving those coveted tall, domed, and perfectly moist muffins isn’t just luck; it’s about a few simple techniques. Here’s how you can guarantee bakery-worthy results every time:
- High Initial Oven Temperature: Starting your bake at a higher temperature (like 425°F/218°C) for the first few minutes creates an initial burst of steam and helps the muffin batter rise rapidly, forming those beautiful domed tops. Then, reduce the temperature to ensure the inside bakes through without over-browning the outside.
- Don’t Overmix! This is perhaps the most crucial tip for any muffin recipe. Overmixing develops gluten, which leads to tough, chewy muffins. Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined, even if there are still a few lumps or pockets of dry flour. A lumpy batter is a happy batter for muffins!
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your eggs, sour cream, and coconut milk are at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify more effectively with the melted butter and oil, creating a smoother, more uniform batter that bakes evenly.
- Measure Flour Correctly: As mentioned in the notes, never scoop your measuring cup directly into the flour bag. This compacts the flour, leading to too much being used. Instead, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with the back of a knife. For truly professional results, use a digital kitchen scale to measure by weight.
- Keep Raspberries Frozen: Do not thaw your frozen raspberries before folding them into the batter. Frozen berries hold their shape better during mixing and baking, preventing them from “bleeding” their color into the batter and making the muffins look muddy.
- Fill Muffin Liners Generously: For tall, impressive muffin tops, fill your liners almost to the brim. The batter should sit a little higher than the paper liner. Don’t be shy!
- Rub Lemon Zest into Sugar: This simple step significantly amplifies the lemon flavor. The abrasive sugar helps extract the fragrant oils from the zest, infusing the entire sugar with bright lemon essence.
Variations and Serving Suggestions
While these Lemon Raspberry Muffins are perfect as is, they also lend themselves beautifully to customization. Feel free to get creative!
- Add White Chocolate Chips: For an extra layer of sweetness and a delightful textural contrast, fold in ½ cup of white chocolate chips along with the raspberries.
- Lemon Glaze Finish: Instead of or in addition to the lemon sugar topping, you can drizzle a simple lemon glaze over the cooled muffins. Mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice until smooth.
- Blueberry or Mixed Berry: Not a raspberry fan? Swap them out for an equal amount of frozen blueberries, or even a mix of berries.
- Poppy Seed Infusion: For a classic flavor pairing, add 1-2 tablespoons of poppy seeds to the dry ingredients for a lemon poppy seed twist.
- Nutty Crunch: Sprinkle chopped almonds or walnuts on top before baking for added texture and a nutty flavor.
These muffins are incredibly versatile in how you can enjoy them. Serve them warm with a dollop of clotted cream or a smear of butter for an indulgent treat. They’re fantastic alongside your morning coffee or tea, a delightful addition to any brunch spread, or simply enjoyed as a standalone snack any time of day. The vibrant flavors make them especially perfect for spring and summer gatherings, but their comforting warmth is welcome year-round.
Have tons of fresh lemons on hand? Don’t let them go to waste! Try my iced lemon loaf cake for another incredibly moist and tangy dessert, or whip up my super easy-to-make lemon raspberry sugar cookies—they both taste even better than anything you’d find from a bakery!
How to Freeze and Store
Ensuring your delicious lemon raspberry muffins stay fresh and moist is simple with proper storage techniques. Whether you plan to enjoy them within a few days or save them for a rainy day, here’s how:
Room Temperature Storage (Up to 5 Days)
Allow the muffins to cool completely before storing them at room temperature. This is critical; storing warm muffins will create condensation, making them soggy. Once fully cooled, place them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for up to five days. To absorb any excess moisture and help maintain their delightful texture, you can place a piece of white bread or a paper towel inside the container. This simple trick helps to keep them wonderfully moist.
Freezing for Longer Storage (Up to 3 Months)
These muffins freeze beautifully, making them perfect for meal prepping or having a quick treat on hand. For optimal freshness:
- Cool Completely: Just like with room temperature storage, ensure the muffins are entirely cooled before freezing.
- Individual Wrapping: Wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap. This prevents freezer burn and makes it easy to grab just one or two at a time.
- Freezer-Safe Container: Place the individually wrapped muffins in a freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. This provides an extra layer of protection against freezer odors and temperature fluctuations.
- Thawing: When you’re ready to enjoy, simply remove the desired number of muffins from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours. For a warm, freshly baked experience, you can gently reheat them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds or in a toaster oven at a low temperature until warmed through.
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Coconut Lemon Raspberry Muffins (Recipe Card)
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin pan
- Muffin liners
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat coconut milk, *shake the can well to make sure the coconut milk is emulsified before measuring*
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted European butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large whole eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 cups frozen raspberries, *measured, then kept in the freezer until ready to use*
Lemon Sugar Topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Instructions
- Before you start. Preheat the oven to 425 F/218 C. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and set it aside.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, desiccated coconut, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon (63 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut, 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Whisk the wet ingredients. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar in a large bowl. Then whisk in the coconut milk, melted butter, eggs, sour cream, and oil until smooth and well combined.1 1/2 cups (300 g) full-fat coconut milk, 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (132 g) unsalted European butter, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 2 (110 g) large whole eggs, 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream, 2 tablespoon (22 g) vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and whisk until *almost* combined. Some dry flour pockets should still remain. Then gently fold in the frozen raspberries until just combined, being careful not to overmix.2 cups (240 g) frozen raspberries
- Scoop the muffin batter. Fill the muffin liners generously with about 1/3 cup of batter per liner. The batter should sit above the liner for tall, domed tops. Using a cookie or ice cream scoop works best for even portioning!
- Make the lemon sugar topping. In a small bowl, rub the fresh lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips. Then evenly sprinkle this fragrant lemon sugar on top of all the muffin batter in the pan.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- Bake the raspberry muffins. Bake at 425 F/220 C for 8 minutes, then without opening the oven door, decrease the temperature to 350 F/180 C and bake for another 19-23 minutes, or until the tops are beautifully golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out covered in just a few moist crumbs. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove the muffins from the pan and let them continue cooling completely on the rack. Enjoy these delightful muffins as is, or drizzle with a simple lemon glaze if desired!
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Notes
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.