Super soft and tender because of the addition of ricotta, these Lemon Muffins will quickly become a morning favorite! Perfect for brunch or for a weekend breakfast at home.
If you love lemon for breakfast, you definitely need to also check out my recipes for Lemon Pancakes, Raspberry Lemon Breakfast Biscuits, or these Lemon Scones with Nutmeg and Cherries.
If you’ve been following along for any time at all you know that I’m a citrus girl. Specifically a lemon girl. I’ll choose lemon over chocolate any day.
So give me lemon for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And dessert.
So let’s start with breakfast. Because when you combine lemon and muffins, you get something that I just can’t resist.
Using Ricotta in Muffins
These lemon muffins are a little bit different in the fact that they are made with ricotta. Not your typical muffin ingredient. But what you end up with is a super tender, moist muffin. And it will make you want to start adding ricotta to all of your muffins!
What is ricotta? Ricotta is a rich Italian cheese that is made from whey that is cooked to form a mild, soft, somewhat nutty cheese. You often see it in savory Italian dishes, like lasagna or manicotti. What you may not realize is how well it works in sweet recipes, as well.
I know I’m a fan – you can find it in these Chocolate Orange Ricotta Cookies, these Lemon Ricotta Cookies, these Ricotta Doughnuts (one of my favs!) and even these Strawberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.
Using ricotta in baked goods gives you extra moisture to keep things from getting dry and brings an incredible texture.
How to Make these Lemon Muffins
These muffins are just as easy as any other muffins to make! Hands on time is very minimal and you’ll be able to serve warm muffins in no time at all. Make sure and check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full ingredients and instructions.
- First, you’ll start by making the lemon sugar. This is a little trick that I learned years ago – it’s a great way to bring out the most lemon flavor. Take your sugar and your lemon zest and combine them in a bowl. Using your fingers (this is definitely the most effective way), rub the sugar and the zest together. The sugar will take on some of the moisture from the zest, and you’ll be able to start smelling the oils coming out of the zest. This should only take a minute or so, and you’ll have a fluffy, aromatic sugar.
- Add the butter to your sugar mixture and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the ricotta, the egg, the lemon juice and the lemon extract to the butter and mix until combined.
- Next you’ll add the dry ingredients. You can mix these together in a separate bowl, but I will admit that I’m lazy and don’t like having an additional bowl to clean so I usually just add everything in to the bowl with the wet ingredients and I’ve never had issues this way. But if you end up having problems with your muffins, it may be because your dry ingredients are dispersed unevenly. But – I’ve never had an issue.
- Mix just until the batter is combined. I’m sure you’ve heard this a million times, but the more you mix, the tougher the muffins will be. Be gentle and don’t overmix.
- Divide the mixture between your muffin cups, then sprinkle them with a sprinkling of sugar. This is not required, but I wouldn’t skip it!
- Bake the muffins until they are cooked through – you can test them with a toothpick, or by gently pressing the top of a muffin. If the muffin springs back up, they are done. If imprint is left, you’ll want to keep them in the oven a little longer.
- You can serve these lemon muffins warm or at room temperature.
More Favorite Muffin Recipes
Cinnamon Muffins
Brown Sugar Muffins
Cocoa Oatmeal Muffins
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Easy Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips
Banana Crumb Muffins
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Lemon Muffins
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Super soft and tender because of the addition of ricotta, these Lemon Muffins will quickly become a morning favorite! Perfect for brunch or for a weekend breakfast at home.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. (Alternately, you can spray the cups with nonstick cooking spray.)
- Place 1 cup of sugar and the lemon zest in a large bowl. With your fingers, rub the sugar and zest together until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
- Add the butter to the bowl and beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta, followed by the egg, lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the bowl. Stir until blended – the batter will be thick.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake the muffins in the preheated oven until they are golden and cooked through, 18-20 minutes.
- Cool slightly before serving.
Recipe Notes:
Adapted from Food Network Favorites
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 249
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 145 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
Keywords: lemon muffins, ricotta muffins
Ryley says
Good job using some of your freezer nuts! 🙂
I've never baked with ricotta.. I should try it sometime.
Kristi says
I'm having some house guest in a couple of weeks and I can just see us eating these for breakfast with coffee. Thanks!
Ingrid says
Biscuit, muffin, who cares? LOL!I seriously LOVE ricotta cheese so I KNOW that I would love these. I really need to give these a try. I know I'll be missing out if I don't!
Happy Friday!
~ingrid
kristina says
Oh those look fab! I only just discovered 'Giada at Home' on the Food Network on my last visit home to the States and loved it. K x
kamailesfood says
Mmm…I love lemony muffins. These sound great. If I have leftover ricotta from making those lemon cookies, I'll have to give this recipe a go.
Kelly-Jane says
They look gorgeoous!
Darsi says
These look sooo good…I love anything lemon!
♥Rosie♥ says
These look really beautiful biscuits (muffins). I love anything with lemon flavours running through!
sphinx63 says
Oh my, I am trying these for sure. Thanks!
A Feast for the Eyes says
I have made these before, and they are delicious. Thanks for reminding me to make these. I'm going to check my library for this book, from Giada.
Tianne says
i have been looking for ricotta recipes to use up the leftover ricotta from lasagna… this is perfect timing!!! thanks.
Liz Brooks says
Oh I love lemon! These look great! Can't wait to try them.
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
They look really good! Lemon and ricotta, what a yummy combo!
Cheers,
Rosa
Karine says
Oh wowow… they look so yummy! I have never tried ricotta in muffins.. you pics make me want to try it!
Rachelle @ "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" says
Yum! Ive made some other ricotta muffins, and they reall turn out moist and delicate! I'm going to mark this for later use! =)
Andrew & Carlene Wood says
Yummy.
I made your lemon ricotta cookies and loved them. This reminds me of those a bit.
Jean Bugs says
I simply have to make these! I love baking with ricotta. And any recipe I have ever made of Giada's has turned out great!!!
Katie says
These sound wonderful and very light. So dainty
eatme_delicious says
Mmm these sound and look so good! I just made some ricotta muffins but did them savoury with green onions.
Heather says
I recently tried to make pancakes that had ricotta in them and they didn't work out too well. I will defiantly have to try these.
kat says
I like lemon ricotta pancakes so I can totally see loving these
SavoringTime in the Kitchen says
Thanks for your visit, Deborah! Lemon and ricotta are delicious together – these biscuits must taste wonderful. I'm saving this recipe!
~Susan
ashley says
I'm not usually the biggest lemon fan, but I plan to make these! What a great recipe.
Katrina says
Yum! These sound great! I love Giada!
Scott and Jennifer says
Yum. These sound amazing! When I buy ricotta, I never use the whole thing (with my small family)….this will be a great way to use some of it up!
Stacy says
Yum! I love the lemon/ricotta combination. My mom and I were in Sicily last summer, and I am pretty sure I ate my body weight in ricotta. So amazing.
♥ future mrs. brown ♥ says
These look and sound so good–i love lemon and ricotta so I know I would love these!