Lemon Glazed Blackberry Muffins
Inside: The surprising ingredient that gives the blackberry muffin recipe a soft, plush crumb and the 3 ingredient glaze that makes them irresistible.
Blackberry muffins are one of those recipes that feel a little special without being complicated. The batter is made with creamy yogurt, which keeps the crumb tender and moist, while fresh lemon zest brightens the flavor of the berries. A quick lemon glaze adds just enough sweetness and a citrusy finish that really makes the blackberries pop.
Blackberries grow on thorny bushes called brambles and are native to Europe, though they’re widely cultivated across the U.S. Peak season is usually mid- to late summer — but since I live in Florida and our growing season runs a little backwards from the rest of the country, the berries showing up in markets right now (mid-March) are surprisingly sweet. When I spot them on sale — or better yet, BOGO — I always grab a couple cartons.
I baked these as mini muffins for easy snacking (and because they disappear fast), but the recipe works just as well as standard bakery-style muffins if you prefer something a little more substantial with your morning coffee. The yogurt gives them a soft, fluffy interior and helps keep the berries evenly distributed so every bite gets a little pop of blackberry.
If you love a good homemade muffin, you’re in the right place — I’ve been baking them for years and have quite a few favorites on the site. My plush Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, Applesauce Muffins are a standout, and one of the softest muffin recipes I make, and readers also love classics like Raspberry Muffins, Blueberry Bran Muffins, and Maple Walnut Muffins. Each one uses a slightly different technique or ingredient to get that tender bakery-style texture, and this blackberry version with yogurt and lemon glaze is definitely one worth adding to the rotation.
Why this recipe works:
- Yogurt keeps the crumb tender and moist. The fat and natural acidity in whole-milk yogurt weaken gluten formation and add moisture, which creates a softer, more delicate muffin texture.
- Two leaveners create a better rise. Baking powder and baking soda work together: the baking soda reacts with the yogurt’s acidity for immediate lift, while baking powder continues the rise in the oven.
- Melted butter adds richness without weighing down the batter. Butter contributes flavor and tenderness while still allowing the muffins to stay light and fluffy.
- Lemon brightens the berries – Lemon zest enhances the natural flavor of the blackberries and keeps the muffins from tasting overly sweet.
- Small pieces of fruit distribute better in the batter. Cutting the blackberries in half prevents large wet pockets and helps the berries stay suspended throughout the muffins instead of sinking.
- Sweet-tart glaze – A quick drizzle adds a bright flavor contrast that complements the berries.
Ingredients for lemon blackberry muffins:
- All-Purpose Flour – Provides the structure for the muffins while still keeping the crumb tender.
- Sugar – Sweetens the batter and helps create lightly golden muffin tops.
- Baking Powder – The main leavener that gives the muffins lift and a light, fluffy texture.
- Baking Soda – Works with the acidity in the yogurt to create additional rise and a softer crumb.
- Kosher Salt – Enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Eggs – Add structure, richness, and help bind the batter together.
- Whole Milk Yogurt – Adds moisture and a subtle tang while keeping the muffins tender and soft.
- Melted Butter – Provides rich flavor and contributes to a moist crumb.
- Vanilla – Rounds out the flavors and enhances the sweetness of the berries.
- Lemon Zest – Brightens the flavor and naturally highlights the blackberry’s tart notes.
- Blackberries – If you live in an area where you can get wild blackberries, that’s a plus! Otherwise, the 6-ounce clamshells of berries are fine.
- Lemon Glaze – A simple, sweet-tart finish that complements the berries and adds a bakery-style touch.
How to make homemade blackberry muffins:
- On a cutting board, halve the blackberries, especially if they are very large; otherwise they will sink in the muffin batter.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Combine the egg, yogurt, melted butter, vanilla and lemon zest in a glass measuring cup or small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture just until combined, and there are no dry bits of flour left, but be careful not to overmix. This makes a fairly thick batter that will rise up and dome in your muffin tin. It makes a moist muffin with a soft and fluffy texture… Exactly what we want!
5. Carefully fold the blackberries into the batter; don’t be overly aggressive; otherwise, the fruit will bleed into the batter and turn it purplish.
6. Spray the muffin tins with vegetable spray (or line them with cupcake liners and spray). Divide the batter between the prepared muffin tins.
7. Bake the blackberry muffins until they’re golden brown, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. These smallish muffins took about 15 minutes. Smaller mini muffins–will bake for 10-12 minutes, while full-sized muffins can take 18-23. See the chart below.
Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing them.
8. Combine the confectioner’s sugar, and milk in a small bowl and mix to combine; add the lemon juice and whisk again until smooth.
9. Drizzle or dip the tops of the muffins in the glaze and let them rest for the glaze to set, and snack to your heart’s content.
Pro-Tips:
- Stir the ingredients gently, but thoroughly and be sure not to overmix; otherwise, the crumb can be tough.
- Fold, don’t stir the berries–Since the yogurt muffin batter is fairly thick, use a light hand to fold in the blackberries. If you stir too aggressively, the berries will break down and bleed their color throughout the batter.
- Spritz for non-stick ease–My muffin tin has a light non-stick coating, so it only needs a quick spritz of vegetable spray for them to slip out of the pan. If yours isn’t like that, I advise using muffin liners sprayed with vegetable spray so that the blackberry muffins slip out easily.
- Cool before glazing– If the muffins are warm, the glaze will sink into them, instead of setting on top.
- Make cleanup easier–Place a piece of parchment paper under the cooling rack and arrange the blackberry muffins so that they are touching. Then drizzle the glaze over the tops. Bunching them together makes them easier to glaze, and the parchment paper catches the drips.
Swaps and Variations:
- Substitute raspberries, gooseberries or diced strawberries for the blackberries in the muffin recipe.
- Make a tropical version substituting grated lime zest for the lemon and adding finely diced pineapple and flaked coconut. Use lime juice for the glaze.
- Add toasted, chopped nuts to the batter for a bit of texture.
- You can swap sour cream for yogurt in this recipe.
- Add a cinnamon crumble (with or without oats) to the tops before baking for blackberry streusel muffins.
Can I make them in other sizes?
Absolutely. This recipe works well for both mini and standard muffins.
I’m partial to mini muffins, and whenever I bake both sizes, the minis disappear first. My theory? People feel less guilty grabbing a smaller muffin… even if they come back for two or three.
For this batch, I used a small muffin tin, which makes perfect 2–3-bite blackberry muffins — just the right size for a quick treat.
Cooking times for regular to mini-sized blackberry muffins:
- For Full Sized Muffins: Holds ⅓ cup (2½ oz or 80 ml). Bake at 375° for 18-23 minutes.
- For Small Muffins: Hold scant ¼ cup (~3 oz or 50 ml). Bake at 375° for 13-15 minutes.
- For Mini Muffins: Holds 2 tablespoons (1 oz. or 30 ml). Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes.
I recommend using a cake tester or toothpick to verify the yogurt based muffins are done cooking. Insert the tester into the center of the muffin and pull it out.
- If the tester comes out clean, with just a few crumbs, the blackberry muffins are done.
- If it comes out with wet batter, it needs to bake some more.
- The blackberries get jammy in the muffin batter, so if your tester comes out purple… just look closer at it and determine if the purple part are crumbs or batter.
FAQ’s
Yes! Just don’t thaw the berries first, as their juice will bleed into the batter. Add them frozen, gently mix and bake. Note: frozen berries may add a bit of baking time, so check for doneness with a cake tester.
Yes. You can make the muffins a day ahead of time and keeping them sealed in an airtight container. However, I recommend waiting to glaze them an hour or so before serving for the best presentation.
Yes; however, Greek yogurt has less liquid than regular. To compensate, use ⅓ cup of Greek yogurt blended with 3 tablespoons of milk.
Storage:
- Store blackberry muffins at room temperature in an airtight container lined with a few paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. They should last 2-3 days.
- Avoid storing in the refrigerator as it can dry out the crumb.
- If you plan to have leftovers, avoid glazing until you’re ready to serve and enjoy them. This will give you the best flavor and presentation.
Freezing:
- I recommend placing the muffins on a parchment-lined baking sheet, so they’re not touching. Freeze the muffins, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag and return to the deep freeze. This will allow you to remove one muffin (or as many as you need) at a time without having them stick together.
- You can freeze unglazed muffins for 2-3 months.
- Defrost and bring them to room temperature before glazing.
More homemade muffin recipes you’ll love:
- Simple Applesauce Muffins
- Spiced Pumpkin Muffins
- Maple Walnut Breakfast Muffins
- Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins
- Fruit and Nut Bran Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Muffins
- Cinnamon Blueberry Bran Muffins
- Jiffy Lemon Blueberry Corn Muffins
- Banana Chip Mini Muffins
Blackberry Muffins
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- muffin tins regular, small or mini (your choice). I used small muffin pans.
- cupcake liners optional
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 extra large egg
- ½ cup whole milk yogurt
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 6 ounces blackberries cut in half
FOR THE LEMON GLAZE:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon half-and-half or milk
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the to 375°F. Spray mini muffin tin with vegetable spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup all purpose flour, ¼ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt. Whisk to blend.
- Add 1 extra large egg to a small bowl and whisk briskly. Add ½ cup whole milk yogurt, 3 tablespoons melted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla and l1 teaspoon lemon zest. Whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir together until there are no more dry bits of flour. (Don't over mix).
- Add 6 ounces blackberries to the batter and gently fold them in. Divide the batter between the muffin tins. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack and let rest until the muffins are at room temperature.
MAKE THE GLAZE:
- Combine ¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon half-and-half and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Drizzle the lemon glaze over the lemon blackberry muffins. Let the muffins sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the glaze to dry. Enjoy!
RECIPE VIDEO:
NOTES:
- Store blackberry muffins at room temperature in an airtight container lined with a few paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. They should last 2-3 days.
- Avoid storing in the refrigerator as it can dry out the crumb.
- If you plan to have leftovers, avoid glazing until you’re ready to serve and enjoy them. This will give you the best flavor and presentation.
- You can freeze unglazed muffins in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.
- Defrost and bring them to room temperature before glazing.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
- You can use any size muffin tin to make these, but you’ll need to adjust the baking time accordingly. See the chart in the post for more specific baking times.
NUTRITION:
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Very easy recipe. It took about 25 minutes in the oven for me. Sprinkled some raw sugar on top before baking in place of the glaze which made it even easier. I think it needed just a little more salt. Definitely worth trying again.
Can we substitute something else for egg?
Try a flax egg – it may not provide the same structural support, but it should work.
Very good easy recepie
Thanks