Thanks to lemon’s bright, acidic nature, adding a little lemon juice or zest — or a blend of both — to blueberry muffins can cut their richness while also boosting their sweetness.

Lemon juice is more acidic and tangier than zest, so you won't need much. Lemon zest, on the other hand, has citrusy oils that add balance and brightness without being too tart.

Note that lemon peels are too tart and bitter to be incorporated into your muffins. You should only use the zest, which is the bright, thin yellow layer on the outside of the peel.