Lemon Orange Honey Muffins (Printable)

Citrusy honey muffins topped with fragrant thyme crumble, perfect for breakfast or snacks.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Muffin Batter

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - ⅓ cup honey
06 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - Zest of 1 orange
09 - ½ cup whole milk
10 - ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
11 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
12 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
13 - 2 large eggs

→ Thyme Crumble

14 - ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
15 - ¼ cup light brown sugar
16 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
17 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
18 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease each cup thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine the honey, granulated sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, whole milk, fresh orange juice, fresh lemon juice, melted butter, and eggs. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
05 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
06 - In a small bowl, combine the flour, light brown sugar, fresh thyme leaves, and a pinch of salt. Add the cold cubed butter and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
07 - Sprinkle the thyme crumble evenly over the top of each muffin.
08 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
09 - Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The combination of honey, citrus, and herbs sounds unusual but tastes like sunshine folded into a bakery treat.
  • The thyme crumble on top adds a savoury crunch that makes these impossible to stop eating.
  • They come together in under 45 minutes from bowl to cooling rack.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the fastest way to get tough, dense muffins, stop folding the moment the flour disappears.
  • The crumble needs truly cold butter or it will melt into a paste instead of creating that coveted crunchy topping.
  • These muffins are best on day one but stay lovely for up to three days in an airtight container.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the citrus finely so no bitter pith gets into the batter.
  • Measure the honey by oiling your measuring cup first and the honey will slide right out cleanly.

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