These lemon poppy seed muffins are super moist and bursting with bright citrus flavor. They taste delicious on their own or with a simple lemon glaze!
Let’s bake lemon poppy seed muffins! These classic muffins are bursting with fresh citrus flavor and have a moist, tender texture highlighted by the crunch of poppy seeds.
I love them on their own for breakfast or as an afternoon snack, but they also taste wonderful with my quick lemon glaze on top. This makes them a baker-worthy treat that’s perfect for a special occasion brunch or even dessert.
Like all of my muffin recipes, these lemon poppy seed muffins are easy to make. You simply stir the dough together in several mixing bowls. No mixer required!
Ingredients for lemon poppy seed muffins
Here’s what you’ll need for this lemon poppy seed muffins recipe:
- Lemons, Naturally! At least 2 to 3. This lemon poppy seed muffins recipe contains 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons zest!
- All-purpose flour – Spoon it and level it to avoid putting too much into your measuring cup.
- Baking powder, baking soda and eggs – They help the muffins walk.
- Greek whole milk yogurt – Have you ever seen sour cream in a muffin recipe? The Greek yogurt does the same thing here. It provides moisture and body and makes the muffins particularly fluffy.
- granulated sugar – For sweetness. If you prefer, you can sweeten these muffins naturally with maple syrup. In this case, leave out the milk to make up for the excess liquid.
- Melted butter – For wealth. Avocado oil or vegetable oil work too!
- milk – Any style you like! Whole milk and unsweetened almond milk both work well.
- vanilla extract – For warm depth of flavor.
- Poppy – They provide a wonderful crunch.
- And sea salt – So that all the flavors come into their own!
For the lemon glaze you will also need a few tablespoons of lemon juice and powdered sugar. Or for a stronger lemon flavor without glaze, add 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract to the muffin batter.
The full recipe with measurements is below.
FAQ: Can I use chia seeds instead of poppy seeds?
Yes! Just like in my vegan lemon muffins, chia seeds work perfectly here. You can also use them instead of poppy seeds.
How to make lemon poppy seed muffins
This lemon muffins recipe is super easy to make! That is how it goes:
First make the dough. Combine the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Be careful not to over mix! If you do this, the muffins will be dense.
Fold in the poppy seeds.
Recipe tip
The muffin batter will be thick! That’s fine. The thick dough supports the poppy seeds so that they don’t all sink to the bottom of the muffins. It also helps the muffin tops retain their puffy, domed shape after baking.
Then distribute the dough into the muffin tin. Prepare a muffin pan for 12 muffins by greasing the muffin cups or lining them with paper liners. Use a 1/3 cup scoop to divide the batter into the muffin cups.
Then bake! Transfer the muffins to a preheated 400°F oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges are soft to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins should come out clean.
Finally let the muffins cool down. It’ll be tempting to grab one right away, but the texture and flavor of the muffins actually improve as they cool! Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the muffins have cooled, drizzle them with the lemon glaze for a bolder lemon flavor or enjoy them plain. Both options are delicious!
Storage instructions
These lemon poppy seed muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Can you freeze lemon poppy seed muffins?
Yes! Sealed in an airtight container or bag, these muffins will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow frozen muffins to thaw at room temperature for an hour or microwave for about 30 seconds. They make a great quick breakfast or snack!
More popular muffin recipes
If you love these lemon muffins, try one of these delicious muffin recipes next:
Lemon poppy seed muffins
Serves 12
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Preheat oven to 400°F and lightly oil or spray a 12-cup muffin tin or line with muffin cups.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
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In a large bowl, stir together yogurt, eggs, sugar, melted butter, milk, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until well combined. Don’t mix too much. Fold in the poppy seeds. Using a ⅓ cup measuring cup, pour the batter into the muffin cups.
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Bake for 17 to 22 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Drizzle the cooled muffins with the lemon glaze if necessary.
**Avocado oil or vegetable oil also work.