Raspberry Lemon Ricotta Muffins (Printable)
Moist muffins with fresh raspberries, lemon zest, and creamy ricotta for a perfect breakfast treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
02 - ½ cup whole milk
03 - ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil (canola or sunflower)
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - Zest of 1 large lemon
07 - Juice of ½ lemon
→ Dry Ingredients
08 - 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
09 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
10 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
11 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
12 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Fruit
13 - 1 ¼ cups fresh raspberries (or frozen, unthawed)
→ Optional Topping
14 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each well with butter or oil.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, whole milk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
03 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredient bowl. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this will make the muffins tough.
05 - Gently fold the raspberries into the batter using a spatula, taking care not to crush them and release too much juice.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Sprinkle the tops generously with coarse sugar if desired for a crunchy, golden finish.
07 - Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
08 - Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The ricotta keeps these muffins impossibly moist for days without any fancy techniques.
- Lemon and raspberry together hit that sweet tart balance that makes you reach for a second one before finishing the first.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter activates the gluten in the flour and produces tough dense muffins instead of the tender crumb you want.
- Tossing the raspberries in a teaspoon of flour before folding them in prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
03 -
- Use a large cookie scoop to portion the batter evenly which ensures every muffin bakes at the same rate.
- Day old muffins can be split and toasted under the broiler with a smear of butter for a completely different and wonderful breakfast.