Lemon Raspberry Muffins with Jam

Lemon Raspberry Muffins combine a fluffy lemon poppy seed muffin with a dollop of raspberry jam for the perfect springtime (or anytime!) breakfast treat.

If you love this combo, be sure to try our Orange Poppy Seed Muffins!

Unforgettable Lemon Raspberry Jam Muffins

Have you ever eaten something while on vacation that you find yourself dreaming about and drooling over for months afterward? 

I have: a Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin with Raspberry Jam. 

My first encounter with this incredible combination of textures and flavors was in a tucked-away eatery in the heart of Ohio’s Amish country. It was during the kind of “girls weekend” for which every tired mom longs: dreamy little shops, delicious food, great company, and allll the rom-coms we could handle. 

I have had lemon poppy seed muffins before, and lemon bars with raspberry is a popular flavor combination; what was it about this particular muffin that stuck with me? 

Maybe it was the fact that I was famished and the wait to be seated took a solid 45. Maybe it’s because everything tastes better when you’re temporarily untethered from your daily responsibilities. 

Regardless of the reason, the memory of that lemon raspberry poppy seed muffin lingered with me long after the girls’ weekend was over, and I was determined to recreate it. 

After much trial and error, I’m happy to report that you, too, can now experience the sweet surprise of biting into a lemon muffin and finding a dollop of jam inside!

I’ve done the hard work of figuring out how to get a light and fluffy muffin with jam filling that stays right where you want it – in the middle of the muffin, not sunk to the bottom or leaking out the sides – so don’t stress! Let’s get to baking. 

Why we love Raspberry Jam Filled Muffins: 

• Flavor. This is the perfect pairing. Lemon and blueberry have their place (um, hello Lemon Blueberry Crumb Bread), but there is something special about the tartness of lemon with the sweetness of raspberry.
• Style. The sparkly turbinado sugar topping makes these muffins look like they belong in a bakery case. 
• Ease. Since I’ve taken the guesswork out of the HOW, the only question is WHEN you’ll cave to the craving and make these muffins! Thankfully they don’t take long to whip up. 

Ingredients Needed

• Baking basics- Flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, canola oil, vanilla extract
• From the fridge- Eggs, unsalted butter, sour cream
• Things you might not have-
  • Buttermilk- Buttermilk is a secret weapon for creating tender baked goods. We use it for many of our favorite recipes, including Perfect Buttermilk Pancakes, The Best Chocolate Bundt Cake, and Buttermilk Pie Crust. If you have extra buttermilk, be sure to check out this post on What to Do With Leftover Buttermilk.
  • Poppy seeds– Find these in the seasoning aisle of your grocery store.
  • Lemons– I always recommend using fresh squeezed lemon juice rather than bottled. Plus, we’ll be using the zest as well!
  • Turbinado sugar or coarse sanding sugar– Either of these sugars work well for topping muffins. It’s an easy way to add sparkle and a little crunch, without the fuss of a crumb topping. Find these in the baking aisle.
  • Raspberry Jam– Choose a high-quality jam you love! I don’t mind seeds, but if it bothers you, grab a seedless version.

How to Make Lemon Raspberry Muffins 

1. Plan ahead! Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. The butter needs to be softened to room temperature for this recipe. In a pinch, you can microwave in 6-8 second increments until softened.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, poppyseeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until they’re blended well. 
3. Just beat it! Using either a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer, beat together the sugar, butter, lemon zest and oil on medium high speed until fluffy (about 4-5 minutes). Add in the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and the lemon juice.

4. Stir things up. Using a spatula, gently stir in ⅓ of the flour mixture. Pour in all of the buttermilk, and stir again. Gently stir in another ⅓ of the flour mixture. Stir in the sour cream, then add in the remaining flour mixture. If your batter looks lumpy at this point: congratulations! You’re doing it right.

5. Line the tins and pour the batter. Using paper liners or your preferred method (I personally swear by these!), fill each cup about ⅔ of the way full. Using a teaspoon, make an indentation in each muffin and fill it with a teaspoon of jam. Cover with additional batter.
6. Sprinkle and bake! Sprinkle with a bit of turbinado or sanding sugar, if desired, then bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes OR until the tops are firm and very light golden brown on the edges. Cool in the muffin tin for five minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm. (Good luck letting them cool completely before diving in!)

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions 

• Leftovers: In the unlikely event you’ll have them, lemon raspberry muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheating: Microwave individual muffins wrapped in a paper towel for 15-20 seconds. If the muffin is on the stale side, use a damp paper towel. Reheat multiple muffins by placing them back in a muffin tray and covering with aluminum foil. Heat at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Uncover for another 2-3 minutes if you’d like the top to re-crisp.
• Freezing: These freeze BEAUTIFULLY! To freeze muffins with jam, place them in an airtight container in a single layer or wrap individual muffins in cling wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature, or microwave from frozen in 15 second increments. Be careful because the jam can get molten lava hot in the microwave! Give it a second to cool before diving in.

Tips, Tricks, & FAQs 

• If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, this hack will work in a pinch. Combine a scant cup of milk (2% fat or higher is best) and 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before adding it into the batter.
• When mixing the batter, use long, gentle folding motions instead of a quick whisking motion. Mix until the batter is just combined. The batter will be lumpy and thick. That’s good! Over-mixing can cause muffins to be tough and rubbery.
• I adore using these tulip style muffin liners for muffins and cupcakes. You don’t ever have to worry about getting spill over or awkward muffin tops!
• I prefer the sparkle and slight crunch of the sanding sugar, but you can also whip up a quick glaze for the top. Whisk together ¾ cup powdered sugar and 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice, then drizzle over the top.

Can I substitute a different kind of jam? 

Of course! Blueberry or strawberry jam could also be really lovely here.

Is there a way to fill muffin tins and not make a mess? 

Try using a large cookie scoop for a neater filling experience! 

More Lemon and Raspberry Baked Goods to Try

If you enjoyed our Lemon Raspberry Muffins, you might want to give these other bright and fruity baked goods a try.

• Easy Raspberry Bars also use raspberry jam for a dessert you can make year round.
• Lemon Zucchini Bread– A bright and refreshing zucchini bread perfect for summer.
• Lemon Rosemary Butter Cookies– A ridiculously crisp tender butter cookie with a scattering of herbs. You have to try them to understand how addictive they are!
• Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Dream Bars– A buttery crust is topped with lemon cheesecake swirled with raspberry jam.
• Lemon Raspberry Cake from Modern Honey looks impossibly fluffy and delicious!

Lemon Raspberry Jam Muffins

Fluffy lemon poppyseed muffins are filled with a dollop of raspberry jam for a delightful bakery-worthy muffin.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 16 minutes mins

Total Time: 46 minutes mins

Servings: 14 muffins

Calories: 300kcal

Ingredients

 

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• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds (optional)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
• 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup raspberry jam or preserves
• Turbinado or coarse sanding sugar (for topping)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the sugar, butter, lemon zest and oil on medium high speed until fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and lemon juice.
• Using a spatula, gently stir in about ⅓ of the flour mixture. Add all of the buttermilk, stir, and then add another ⅓ of the flour mixture.
• Stir in the sour cream, then end with the remaining flour mixture. The batter will be quite thick and a little lumpy looking.
• Line muffin tins with 14 paper liners. Fill each cup 2/3 of the way full.
• Use a teaspoon to create a small indent in each muffin and then fill it with a teaspoon of jam. Top with remaining batter.
• Sprinkle with turbinado or sanding sugar, if desired, then bake in the preheated oven 20-25 minutes or until tops are firm and very light golden brown on the edges. Cool in the muffin tin for five minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm.

Notes

• Leftovers: In the unlikely event you’ll have them, lemon raspberry muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheating: Microwave individual muffins wrapped in a paper towel for 15-20 seconds. If the muffin is on the stale side, use a damp paper towel. Reheat multiple muffins by placing them back in a muffin tray and covering with aluminum foil. Heat at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Uncover for another 2-3 minutes if you’d like the top to re-crisp.
• Freezing: These freeze BEAUTIFULLY! To freeze muffins with jam, place them in an airtight container in a single layer or wrap individual muffins in cling wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature, or microwave from frozen in 15 second increments. Be careful because the jam can get molten lava hot in the microwave! Give it a second to cool before diving in.

Equipment

Incauca Sugar Turbinado

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Muffin Pan, 12 Cup

Tulip Cupcake Liners

Course Quick Breads, Muffins & Scones

Cuisine American

Keyword lemon raspberry muffins, muffins with jam, raspberry jam muffins

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Leave a review, Mention @NeighborFoodie, or tag #neighborfoodies!