There’s something magical about the combination of bright, zesty lemon and sweet, bursting blueberries. These Lemon Blueberry Cottage Cheese Muffins are the perfect way to welcome the morning or enjoy a quiet afternoon break. They are wonderfully moist and packed with protein, making them a treat you can feel good about.
My sister Jennifer, our family’s baker, taught me the secret to a happy muffin is a surprise inside. I can still smell the lemon zest in Mom’s kitchen as she’d add a tiny dollop of lemon curd to each one.
What Makes These Muffins a Family Favorite
- High in Protein: The blended cottage cheese adds a wonderful boost of protein, making these muffins a satisfying breakfast or snack.
- Incredibly Moist: You won’t believe how soft and moist these muffins are, thanks to the cottage cheese.
- Flavorful Combination: The balance of tart lemon and sweet blueberries is a classic for a reason.
- Versatile Treat: Perfect for a quick breakfast bake, an afternoon snack, or even a light dessert.
What to Pull from the Pantry
For the Muffin Batter:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup cottage cheese, blended until smooth
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (or melted unsalted butter)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Add-Ins:
- 1 1/4 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon flour (for tossing the blueberries)
- Optional: 1/2 cup lemon curd for filling the centers
For the Lemon Crumble (optional):
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
The Tools I Love for This Recipe
My Go-To Muffin Tin
A standard 12-cup muffin tin is essential for this recipe. I find the non-stick ones make cleanup a breeze.
A Handy Little Zester
To get that bright, lemony flavor, you’ll need a good zester. It makes getting that fine, fragrant zest so much easier than using a grater.
Our Simple Steps to Perfect Muffins
Prepping and Topping
First, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. If you’re making the crumble topping, simply combine the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in a small bowl. Cut in the cold butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set it aside—this will make the tops extra special.
Mixing the Dry Goods
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. I like to give it a good whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed; it’s like a little promise of a perfect, fluffy muffin.
The Heart of the Batter
In another medium bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and lemon zest together until fragrant. Then, add the eggs, blended cottage cheese, oil, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk everything until it’s smooth and well combined.
Folding in the Goodness
Gently pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. It’s so important not to overmix the batter, as this is the key to a tender muffin. In a small, separate bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour, this little trick helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom. Gently fold the coated blueberries into the batter.
Time for the Oven
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them about three-quarters full. If you’re using lemon curd, spoon half the batter in, add a small teaspoon of curd, and then top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the lemon crumble over the top of each muffin. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
The Sweetest Finish
Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They are wonderful when still slightly warm from the oven.
A Little Note on Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information provided is an estimate and can vary based on the specific ingredients and brands used. This is intended as a general guide.
Simple Swaps for a Healthier Muffin
- Whole Wheat Flour: For added fiber, you can substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
- Reduce Sugar: You can reduce the granulated sugar to 1/2 cup if you prefer a less sweet muffin. Using a natural sweetener like maple syrup could also work, but you may need to adjust the liquid ingredients slightly.
- Greek Yogurt: To boost the protein even more, you could replace the oil with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt, which also adds a lovely tang.
My Favorite Ways to Serve Them
- Warm with Butter: There’s nothing quite like a warm muffin straight from the oven with a small pat of butter melting into it.
- With a Cup of Tea: These lemon blueberry cottage cheese muffins are the perfect companion for a hot cup of Earl Grey or chamomile tea for a relaxing afternoon treat.
- Breakfast Parfait: Crumble a muffin over a bowl of Greek yogurt and top with a few extra fresh berries for a delightful breakfast parfait.
A Few Tips from My Oven to Yours
- Overmixing the Batter: Stirring the batter too much develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense muffins instead of light and fluffy ones. Mix only until the ingredients are just combined.
- Blueberries Sinking: Forgetting to toss the blueberries in a bit of flour before adding them to the batter can cause them all to sink to the bottom. That simple step keeps them suspended beautifully.
- Overbaking: Keep a close eye on the muffins as they bake. Overbaking can dry them out, so be sure to do the toothpick test at the earliest recommended time.
A Word on Storing Your Muffins
These muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can place them in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them for up to 2 months. A quick warm-up in the microwave makes them taste freshly baked all over again.
From My Kitchen to Yours
I hope these Lemon Blueberry Cottage Cheese Muffins bring a little sunshine into your kitchen, just as they do in mine. Baking is about more than just following steps; it’s about pouring love into what you create. I invite you to make this recipe your own and start creating beautiful memories with your loved ones, one delicious muffin at a time.
Answering a Few Common Questions
Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?
Yes, you can absolutely use frozen blueberries. Do not thaw them before using, and be sure to toss them in flour as you would with fresh berries to prevent them from sinking and turning the batter purple.
Is it really necessary to blend the cottage cheese?
For the best texture, I highly recommend blending the cottage cheese until it’s smooth. This ensures you get all the moisture and protein without any of the curd-like texture in the final muffin, resulting in a wonderfully smooth and tender crumb.
How can I make these muffins gluten-free?
Yes, you can make this a gluten-free recipe by substituting the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. The results should be just as delicious.
Print
Lemon Blueberry Cottage Cheese Muffins
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Lemon Blueberry Cottage Cheese Muffins are wonderfully moist, packed with protein, and bursting with the bright flavors of lemon and sweet blueberries. Perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or even dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup cottage cheese, blended until smooth
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (or melted unsalted butter)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon flour (for tossing blueberries)
- Optional: 1/2 cup lemon curd
- For Lemon Crumble (optional): 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cubed), 1 teaspoon lemon zest, pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- If making crumble: combine flour, sugar, zest, and salt. Cut in butter until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk sugar and lemon zest. Add eggs, blended cottage cheese, oil, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.
- Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour, then gently fold into batter.
- Divide batter into muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. For lemon curd centers: add half batter, spoon curd, then top with remaining batter.
- Sprinkle crumble topping over muffins if using.
- Bake 20-22 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for a few minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Do not overmix the batter to keep muffins light and fluffy. Toss blueberries in flour to prevent sinking. Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: lemon blueberry muffins, cottage cheese muffins, high protein muffins