Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
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Start your morning on a bright note with these lemon poppy seed muffins—easy to make and even easier to love. They strike just the right balance between sweet and zesty, with a light glaze to finish them off.
With their domed tops and tangy lemon glaze, these lemon poppy seed muffins look bakery-worthy but are easy to whip up at home. You get that bright, citrusy zing from the lemon and a subtle nutty crunch from the poppy seeds. Light but satisfying, they’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon pick-me-up—basically, a little sunshine in muffin form.
Consider this your new go-to lemon poppy seed muffin recipe. It’s easy and turns out beautifully every time. And if you love the lemon and poppy seed combo, be sure to try my lemon poppy seed cake for a special dessert option. And don’t miss my poppy seed dressing—it’s a great way to jazz up your salads.
“I’ve finally found the perfect lemon poppy seed muffin recipe! They have a wonderful texture, are bursting with lemon flavor, and the powdered sugar glaze takes them over the top!”
What You’ll Need to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice: Add a vibrant, citrusy flavor into the muffins and glaze, providing a refreshing tanginess. Additionally, the lemon juice interacts with the baking soda to give the muffins extra lift. Make sure you zest the lemons first—it’s almost impossible to do once they’ve been juiced.
- Poppy Seeds: Add a delightful crunch and distinctive nutty taste.
- Milk: Provides moisture and richness, contributing to the tender crumb of the muffins. Additionally, the combination of the lemon juice and milk creates homemade buttermilk.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the muffins. Measure it by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness, balancing the tartness of the lemon and complementing the nutty poppy seeds.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Act as leavening agents, helping the muffins rise.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the muffins’ structure.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the muffins.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Creates a smooth, sweet glaze for the muffins.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Curdle the milk. In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until curdled. (What you’ve done here is essentially create homemade buttermilk; a great money-saver when you only need a small amount for a recipe.)
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure to whisk well–this ensures the leavening is evenly distributed, so the muffins rise uniformly.
Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients. Add the eggs to the lemon/milk mixture and whisk to combine. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled—that’s perfectly normal.
Step 4: Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the wet mixture and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Using slightly cooled melted butter prevents the eggs from cooking or seizing up when added.
Step 5: Mix the batter. Stir the ingredients together until just evenly combined—don’t overmix. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins with peaked tops.
Step 6: Add batter to muffin tin. Spoon the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Step 7: Bake. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Letting them cool in the pan for a few minutes helps them set up, but don’t leave them too long, or steam will soften the bottoms.
Step 8: Make the glaze. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar until the glaze is about the consistency of honey, adding more juice or sugar as needed.
Step 9: Apply the glaze. Drizzle over the warm muffins and let it set for 15 minutes before serving. (Glazing while the muffins are warm helps the icing sink in slightly for more lemony flavor.) The muffins will keep nicely at room temperature for about 2 days or can be frozen (without the glaze) for up to 3 months.
More Lemon Recipes You May Like
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Pretty, citrusy, and just the right amount of sweet—these lemon poppy seed muffins are sunshine in every bite.
Ingredients
For the Muffins
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons milk
- 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
For the Glaze
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk. Let sit until curdled, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk the egg into the curdled lemon/milk mixture, then add to the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Whisk until just evenly combined.
- Spoon the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 23 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar. Stir, adding more lemon juice or sugar as needed, until you have a glaze with the consistency of honey.
- Drizzle the warm muffins with the glaze. Let the glaze set for at least 15 minutes, then serve.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 326
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Sugar: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 206 mg
- Cholesterol: 63 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I’ve finally found the perfect lemon poppy seed muffin recipe! They have a wonderful texture, are bursting with lemon flavor, and the powdered sugar glaze takes them over the top!
Hi Jen
I love making these muffins and for the most part they have turned out really well. However, on two occasions now(out of about 5), the muffins have stuck to the bottom of the tin and broken!. I have greased the tins well, but still. Wondering why in this particular recipe you don’t use a muffin paper cup inside tin?
Hi Andrea, I’m sorry you’ve had a problem with these sticking! It’s perfectly fine for you to use liners in the pan if you’d like.
Hi Jen- I stock up on Meyer lemons when they are available- how would you adjust this recipe’s sugar content to use them as substitute?
Many thanks, have enjoyed your blog and books for years- Susan
Hi Susan, so glad you liked the recipes! Because Meyer lemons are slightly sweeter and less acidic than traditional lemons, I’d cut the sugar back by a tablespoon or two. Hope you enjoy!
I received this recipe as a recommendation from a friend. Unfortunately, using a standard size muffin tin, these spilled over and burned on the bottom of my oven. I can’t figure out why! They turned out silly looking, but delicious taste!!
WOW! A subtle taste. Enjoyable without a doubt.
Hi Jen,
Huge fan of your recipes! I adore the lemon/poppy seed combo, and I would love to try this recipe – however, I can no longer eat butter due to a medical problem. Would it work to replace the butter with vegetable oil please, and if so, how much would I use? Thanks so much in advance!
Mae
Hi Mae, so glad you like the recipes! Yes, it would be fine to use vegetable oil in place of the butter. Please LMK how the muffins turn out. 😊
Can I substitute anything for the sugar?
Hi Carolyn, are you referring to some kind of sugar substitute? If so, I’ve never used one, but a number of readers have commented about various recipes of mine that they’ve been able to use sugar substitutes like Stevia, etc. successfully.
I love lemon poppyseed muffins and this recipe is absolutely delicious. Don’t mess with perfection! Yum.