There is truly something special about a combination of lavender and lemons. They always seem to conjure memories and aromas of a well-deserved spa experience, and the instant zen that washes over us while soaking up those vibes. You know — the refreshing lemon water that’s always at the ready for hydrating, and the relaxing aromatics of lavender wafting through the space?
While noshing on lemon lavender muffins probably won’t deliver us back to the spa, it might just invoke those peaceful, stress free moments we all crave and deserve. In reverence for that ultimate vibe, I’ve tested, tasted and tweaked plenty of lemon lavender creations (like this vodka-inspired version of the iconic French 75 cocktail). And I finally arrived at a healthier yet luscious version of “spring-forward” Lemon Lavender Muffins topped with a lemon-infused cream cheese icing.
Did you try this muffin recipe? Please leave your comments here and share your yummy pics on Instagram. I love perusing your creations made using the recipes I share with you, so don’t forget to tag me at @coachedbyjan 😉
Lemon+Lavender Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing
Equipment
- 1 Mini Food Processor
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup White Sugar
- 2 tsp Lavender for cooking
- 1 tbsp Lemon Zest divided
- 1/2 cup Butter softened to room temperature
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice divided
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 cups Unbleached Flour Substitute Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 4 oz Cream Cheese
- 3 cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly spray the top of a muffin tin with cooking spray or olive oil and line tin with cupcake papers.
- Pulse the sugar, lavender, and lemon zest in a mini food processor until blended and lavender is broken down into small pieces, about 30-45 seconds. Set 1/4 cup aside for garnish.
- In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, beat the 1/2 cup sugar mixture, butter, and eggs until fluffy. Add in the honey, yogurt, milk, 2 tbsp of lemon juice and vanilla, and beat until thoroughly incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a spatula, fold in and gently stir dry ingredients into the batter until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared muffin cups to about 2/3 full. (Do not overfill.) Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350F and continue baking an additional 12-15 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and tops spring back when you gently touch them. Transfer muffins to a wire rack and allow to cool completely to room temperature before icing.
- While muffins are baking, prepare the icing: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and remaining 2 tbsp lemon juice until completely smooth. For a thicker icing, add more cream cheese in 2 tbsp increments. For a thinner icing, add a few teaspoons of milk until desired consistency is reached.
- When muffins are completely cooled, ice them with the Cream Cheese-Lemon icing. Garnish each with a sprinkle of the remaining lavender-lemon sugar.