1-First, get your oven ready by preheating it to 350°F (or 325°F if you’re using convection). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners these work way better than silicon ones for that perfect rise. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set that aside for now. It’s all about building that base to ensure your muffins turn out fluffy.

2-Next, in another bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, butter, sugar, and lemon zest until it’s light and fluffy it takes about 1-2 minutes and makes the batter oh-so-dreamy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, buttermilk (or its substitute), and lemon juice; mix it all together, scraping the sides to get everything even. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones until just combined; don’t worry if there are a few lumps, that’s what keeps them tender. For a link to more baking basics, check out our guide to essential baking techniques that helped me improve my skills.

3-Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Then, for that irresistible crumb topping, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the same bowl you used for the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until moist clumps form, then sprinkle it over each muffin. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool in the tin for 2-3 minutes before moving to a rack. Finally, whip up the glaze by whisking powdered sugar into lemon juice until it’s just right, and drizzle it over the cooled muffins pure magic!