Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (With Video and Step-by-Step)

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Servings:

Yield:

These lemon poppy seed muffins are easy to whip up and make a delicious breakfast or anytime snack. You’ll need standard baking ingredients like flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda for the batter, plus milk and melted butter to bring it all together. A combination of lemon zest and juice adds plenty of citrusy brightness, while three whole tablespoons of poppy seeds ensure each and every bite is loaded with their nutty crunch. No special equipment is required to make them, just a couple of mixing bowls, a whisk, and a muffin tin. Sprinkle them with sanding sugar before baking for a bit of crunch, add even more poppy seeds on top, or simply leave them unadorned—they'll be tender, delicious, and bursting with lemon flavor no matter what.

Ingredients for Lemon Poppy-Seed Muffins

Pulling together these easy, tender muffins couldn't be simpler. You'll only need some basic pantry and fridge staples (plus the citrus and seeds, of course). Here's a breakdown:

Flour: All-purpose flour forms the base of the batter. To ensure an accurate amount is used in your recipe, always spoon the flour into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with the back of a knife, rather than scooping the cup directly into the flour container. Scooping can cause too much flour to pack into the cup, leading to an overly dry baked good.

Sugar: You'll need granulated sugar for the muffin batter and sanding sugar if you want to sprinkle it on top before baking. Sanding sugar doesn't melt as easily as granulated sugar, leaving a delightfully crunchy topping. If you don't have sanding sugar, you can sprinkle granulated sugar on top or skip the sugar topping.

Baking powder and baking soda: A combination of leaveners ensures these muffins bake up light and tender. Baking soda requires an acidic ingredient like buttermilk or citrus juice—which this recipe has plenty of—to activate.

Lemons: Using both lemon zest and lemon juice brings big, bright flavor to these simple muffins. Always zest your lemons before juicing, using a microplane or the small holes of a box grater. To keep lemons fresher for longer, store them in the fridge rather than on your counter.

Poppy seeds: This recipe features a generous amount of poppy seeds—three whole tablespoons. You can use less for a more subtle flavor and texture or sprinkle even more on top if you'd like.

Butter: This recipe uses one stick of butter, which should be melted and cooled before being combined with the other ingredients. To melt it, use a small saucepan over medium-low heat or microwave it, covered, at 50% power in 30-second increments.

Milk: A quarter cup of whole milk adds moisture to these muffins. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before adding it to the batter; otherwise, it can cause the melted butter to solidify upon contact, which can impact the texture of the finished result.

Eggs: You'll need two eggs for the batter. Just like with the milk, it's best to let them come to room temperature before using. Let them sit out of the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes, or pop them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes to remove the chill.

How to Perfectly Portion Batter Before Baking

This recipe makes just enough batter to fill 12 muffin cups two-thirds of the way. For perfect portioning, we recommend using a large ice cream scoop. It'll ensure each muffin is the same size and will make scooping out the batter a cinch. The ideal size for muffins is a #16 scoop, which holds about one-quarter cup of batter. You can also use an oiled one-quarter measuring cup or a large spoon if that's what you have on hand.

Directions

Preheat oven and prep muffin tin:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups.
Whisk dry ingredients; combine wet ingredients in separate bowl:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, zest, juice, and milk. Whisk in butter.

Credit:
Jake Sternquist
Mix wet ingredients into dry; add poppy seeds:

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, until just combined. Stir poppy seeds into batter.

Credit:
Jake Sternquist
Transfer batter to muffin cups; sprinkle with sugar and seeds:

Divide batter evenly between muffin cups, adding a scant 1/4 cup to each. Sprinkle with sugar and poppy seeds, if desired.

Credit:
Jake Sternquist
Bake and cool:

Bake until tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Credit:
Jake Sternquist

How to Store Lemon Poppy-Seed Muffins

Cooled muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to four days. To help absorb excess moisture, which can make the muffins soggy as they sit, line the container or resealable bag with a layer of paper towels, place muffins on top, then set another paper towel on top of muffins before sealing.

Freezing

You can also freeze baked muffins for the future. Let them cool completely, then wrap them individually in plastic and store them in a freezer bag for up to three months. Let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours or microwave them, unwrapped, for 20 to 30 seconds.

What to Serve With Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins

These flavorful muffins are delicious on their own, but you can certainly dress them up further if you liker. A swipe of softened butter is always good, and if you'd like to add a touch more sweetness, try a drizzle of honey. If you're partial to fruit preserves, pair them with apricot jam or orange marmalade, which would complement their brightness beautifully.