Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable version)

Moist muffins with fresh lemon zest and crunchy poppy seeds, ideal for breakfast or a refreshing snack.

# What you need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
06 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 2 large eggs
08 - ⅔ cup whole milk
09 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
11 - Zest of 2 lemons
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Optional Lemon Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# Steps to follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, whole milk, melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully integrated.
04 - Pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined to avoid overmixing.
05 - Distribute batter evenly into muffin cups, filling approximately three-quarters full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until the tops turn lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
06 - Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
07 - Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth, then drizzle over cooled muffins.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The lemon flavor is bold and real, not that faint artificial hint you get from extracts alone.
  • Poppy seeds add a gentle crunch that makes every bite feel textured and complete.
  • They come together in half an hour, so you can bake them on a whim without blocking your whole morning.
  • The glaze is optional, but it turns a simple muffin into something that feels a little bit special.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step for the melted butter, hot butter will scramble the eggs and ruin the batter.
  • Folding gently is key, overmixing develops gluten and turns your tender muffins into hockey pucks.
  • Fresh lemon juice and zest make all the difference, bottled juice tastes flat and won't give you that bright, lively flavor.
03 -
  • Use a spring loaded ice cream scoop to portion the batter evenly, it's faster and neater than spooning.
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them, it's nearly impossible to zest a juiced lemon and you'll waste precious oils.
  • If your muffins brown too quickly on top, tent them loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
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