Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable)

Moist, flavorful muffins with lemon zest, poppy seeds, and a sweet citrus glaze for a fresh treat.

# What You Need:

→ Muffins

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
03 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from approximately 2 lemons)
04 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 3/4 cup whole milk
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
11 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Lemon Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

# How To Make It:

01 - Set oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, lemon zest, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, melted butter, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold until just combined, avoiding overmixing to maintain muffin tenderness.
05 - Distribute batter evenly into muffin cups, filling each approximately three-quarters full.
06 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow muffins to rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable.
09 - Drizzle the lemon glaze evenly over the cooled muffins.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The lemon flavor is clean and strong without being sour, like biting into sunshine.
  • Theyre ready in half an hour, which means you can decide to bake them and still have them warm before lunch.
  • The glaze adds just enough sweetness to balance the tang, and it looks beautiful dripping down the sides.
02 -
  • Do not overmix the batter or the muffins will turn out tough and chewy instead of light and tender.
  • Let the butter cool before adding it to the eggs, or you will end up with scrambled bits in your batter.
  • Wait until the muffins are completely cool before glazing, or the glaze will melt and soak in instead of sitting on top like a shiny coat.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemons directly over the sugar, the oils will cling to the crystals and amplify the lemon flavor.
  • If your glaze is too thick, add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time until it drizzles smoothly off the spoon.
  • For a bakery-style dome, fill the cups all the way to the top and bake an extra minute or two.

Go Back