Lemon poppy seed muffins are packed with bright citrus flavor from fresh lemon juice and zest. A sweet, tangy lemon glaze is drizzled over the top for the perfect finish. Poppy seeds add a nice crunch to these soft, moist homemade muffins. I love enjoying them with a hot cup of coffee in the morning or with afternoon tea!
You can whip up this easy muffin recipe in a flash in the morning using my no-fuss stir-together method. All you need are two large bowls and a whisk! They also freeze very well, so you can make a double batch and store half for when you need a snack on the go. For more breakfast recipes, try my lemon ricotta pancakes, French toast, and lemon scones.
Ingredients
You’ll need these key ingredients to start this lemon poppy seed muffin recipe. You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.
Poppy seeds — poppy seeds add a nice crunchy element to this classic muffin flavor.
Lemon — fresh lemon juice and lemon zest add the perfect citrusy flavor. Zest is a key element to flavoring the muffins, so be sure to get fresh whole lemons not bottled juice.
Yogurt — whole milk Greek yogurt tenderizes the crumb of the lemon poppy seed muffins and also, in addition to whole milk, moistens the batter.
Butter — melted unsalted butter makes the most flavorful muffins.
Eggs — large eggs help to bind the ingredients and help the muffin tops rise.
Lemon glaze — to make the easy 2-ingredient lemon glaze, you only need powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Muffin pan
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (300g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 cup whole milk greek yogurt (240g)
- ⅓ cup whole milk (80ml)
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted (113g)
- 2 large eggs (110g)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
For the Muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk in poppy seeds and salt.
- In another large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Working with your hands, rub zest into sugar until well combined and the sugar feels damp. Add the yogurt, milk, melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and fold just until combined. (The batter will be thick.) Divide the batter evenly among the paper liners.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins and finish cooling on a wire rack.
For the Glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins.
Notes
- Use the right kind of yogurt. Greek yogurt is thicker than regular yogurt. A classic plain yogurt is too runny and will add too much moisture to your batter, causing the muffin tops to spread more than puff. If you don’t have Greek yogurt, a thicker yogurt like skyr or full-fat sour cream will work great in this recipe.
- If you don’t have fresh lemons, 2½ teaspoons of lemon extract can be used in place of the lemon zest. Substitute the lemon juice in the batter for 2½ teaspoons of water mixed with ½ teaspoon white vinegar. (Don’t worry! You can’t taste the vinegar in the baked muffins!) Use milk, water, or another citrus juice for the glaze.
- Use a spring-loaded scoop to fill muffin liners with batter for evenly sized muffins. A heaping ¼ cup scoop fits my muffin cups perfectly.
Nutrition
How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
1. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl, then add the poppy seeds and salt. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar to release the citrus oils.
3. To the lemon zest and sugar, add the Greek yogurt, milk, butter, eggs, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract and whisk together.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together.
5. Divide the thick muffin batter evenly among a 12-cup muffin pan lined with paper liners. Bake at 425°F until the tops are golden brown. Let the lemon poppy seed muffins cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To make the lemon glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, then drizzle it over the room-temperature muffins.
Do I Have To Use Poppy Seeds?
I like the crunch these small seeds add, but you can leave them out if you prefer! You can also swap them for chia seeds or black sesame seeds.
Rub The Zest Into The Sugar For The Best Flavor
This is one of my favorite baking hacks! Once you add lemon zest to the granulated sugar, rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers. The coarseness of the sugar agitates the zest, releasing the oils and amplifying the lemon flavor. While you can technically skip this step, the muffins will have a much deeper lemon flavor if you do it! And it doesn’t take much time at all.
Alternative Toppings For Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
This lemon poppy seed muffin recipe uses a very simple lemon glaze as a topping, but you can swap out a tablespoon of lemon juice for cream, milk, or melted butter if you want a less tangy glaze. Some other topping ideas:
- Add a streusel topping by sprinkling 1 cup of crumb topping evenly over the muffins before baking for a sweet, crisp, cinnamony flavor.
- Use the strawberry-infused glaze from my strawberry bread recipe for a fruity twist.
Can I Add Mix-ins?
Yes! Feel free to add ½ to 1 cup of white chocolate chips, chopped roasted pistachios, or diced strawberries to the batter at the end and gently fold them in. You can also add 1 cup of fresh blueberries to make a riff on my lemon blueberry muffins. Keep in mind that if you add mix-ins, your yield may change to 14–16 muffins, depending on what you add and how much.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Weigh the flour. Using too much flour is a common mistake that will dry out the lemon poppy seed muffins. The easiest way to avoid this is to weigh the flour using a kitchen scale. But if you don’t have one, simply fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level off the top with a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter. This will cause the gluten in the flour to over-develop, leading to tough muffins instead of tender muffins. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined.
- Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with sugar before baking for a sugary crust on top when baked.
- Let the muffins cool completely before drizzling the glaze. If the muffins are warm, the glaze will soak right into them!
- For a perfect drizzle, place the lemon glaze in a zip-top bag, seal it, and cut the very tip of a corner off. Squeeze the glaze out over the muffins.
- Use different citrus. Try using Meyer lemons, oranges, or limes in place of regular lemons for a fun flavor twist!
Frequently Asked Questions
Once completely cooled, store leftover lemon poppy seed muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Yes! Flash-freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Alternatively, you can wrap each one in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store them in a freezer bag. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature.
If you plan to freeze them after baking, skip the glaze. Then, make it and drizzle it on the muffins after defrosting.
Yes, you can swap all or part of the butter with oil. Vegetable oil, canola oil, or light olive oil would be a great substitute as they have a neutral flavor.
If you’ve tried this lemon poppy seed muffins recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
