Perfect Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
User Reviews
4.5
Perfect Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Description
This muffin recipe uses all-purpose flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt as a base. The wet ingredients include plain yogurt or buttermilk combined with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, and melted butter, which contribute to a moist, tender crumb with a slight tang. The batter is mixed gently to avoid overworking, then portioned into muffin tins and baked until lightly springy.
After baking, a lemon glaze made from sugar and fresh lemon juice can be drizzled over the muffins while warm, optionally topped with coarse sugar for texture. The poppy seeds add a slight crunch and nutty contrast to the soft tender crumb scented with lemon.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins serve well as a breakfast item or snack and can be adapted with different dairy bases or buttermilk variations. Proper zesting before juicing lemons maximizes lemon flavor. Using standard muffin tins controls muffin size and baking times.
Ingredients
Muffins:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups PLAIN yogurt Greek or regular or buttermilk (or a combination; see note)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice from 1-2 lemons, fresh
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest from about 3 lemons, freshly grated
- 2 egg large
- ½ cup butter melted and cooled until no longer hot, salted
Glaze:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice fresh
- sugar for sprinkling (optional, but fun and delicious, coarse
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (if using a dark-coated pan, preheat to 350 degrees F). Lightly grease two 12-cup muffin tins or line with muffin liners. If you only have one pan, you can easily bake in separate batches. See note about using a USA brand muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the yogurt/buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together once or twice to start combining (stop stirring before it's fully combined; it's ok if there are dry streaks remaining). Add the melted butter and gently fold/stir until just combined. Don't overmix or the muffins might be dry and tough!
- Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 of the way full (I use this handy dandy #20 cookie scoop to fill the muffin tins).
- Bake for 17-20 minutes until the top springs back lightly to the touch.
- For the glaze, while the muffins bake, simmer the sugar and lemon juice together in a small pan on the stove, for about 5 minutes until the mixture is thickened into a light syrup. Remove from the heat.
- Pretty quickly after the muffins come out of the oven (within 2-3 minutes), keeping the muffins in the tin, brush the top of the muffins equally with the lemon syrup. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using.
- Let the muffins cool another minute or two in the muffin tin before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Zest lemons before juicing to ensure you have the right amount of lemon zest and juice.
- Use regular or low-fat yogurt; very thick Greek yogurt may affect the texture.
- If using American-style muffin tins, avoid overfilling liners to prevent overflow.
- Combining yogurt and buttermilk is acceptable and gives good moistness and flavor balance.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20Muffins
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Muffin | |
| Calories | 181kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 29g | 10% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 31mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 176mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 14g | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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