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These light and soft Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are so dreamy and a perfect breakfast treat. They have a melt in your mouth crumb and are full of zesty lemon flavor. They are topped with a delicious lemon icing for an extra pop of tangy lemon flavor. These bakery style muffins has a perfectly buttery texture and the poppy seeds adds a perfect nutty flavor.
These are the best Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins! They are full of bright citrus flavor and has a delicious buttery texture. The poppy seeds gives a perfect nutty flavor to the fresh and tangy lemon. They are topped with a lemon glaze for a perfect finish and burst of tangy lemon, making them a crowd pleaser. They are ideal for any occasion, from a Sunday morning, afternoon snack or a special celebration.
For more lemon cake recipes, try Lemon Poppy Seed Cake, Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies and Lemon Brownies.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins: These muffins are super soft and delicious, and is full of lemon and poppy seed flavor.
- Lemon Icing: The muffins are topped with a simple lemon icing.
- No mixer needed: The muffins are mixed by hand and therefore only needs a hand whisk and a spatula.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy muffins. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
- Granulated sugar: The sugar helps sweeten, as well as give moister to the muffins.
- Baking powder: Help leaven and rise the muffins, so it has light and fluffy texture.
- Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the muffins.
- Egg: Take it out of the fridge 1 hours before baking, so it comes to room temperature (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
- Sour cream: Sour cream gives lots of moisture and tenderness to the muffins, as well as helps give the cake a great structure.
- Butter: The butter gives the muffins a delicious flavor and texture.
- Lemon: Lemon zest and juice is added to the muffins to give it lots of flavor.
- Poppy seeds: The poppy seeds are added to the muffins for a delicious nutty flavor.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake these Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. This recipe doesn't need an electric mixer. Just two large bowls, a whisk and a spatula.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
STEP 1: In a large bowl add the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub it together to release all of the lemon zest flavor, until it looks like wet sand. Then add the melted butter and whisk together until combined.
STEP 2: Add the egg, sour cream, whole milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract and whisk it together until combined. In a small bowl, sift the dry ingredients, and add it to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
STEP 3: Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and let the batter rest for 1 hour on the kitchen counter.
While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 12-cup cupcake tin with 6 paper liners, only lining every other cupcake hole.
STEP 4: Divide the cake batter into the 6 cupcake liners, so each cupcake holder is filled to the top. Be careful not to deflate the batter, so try not to mix it around it too much. Bake them for 7 minutes and then reduce the heat to 175ºC/350ºF and further bake for 7-9 minutes.
STEP 5: Let the muffins cool in the hot pan on a wire rack. After 5 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool down additionally for 15-20 minutes before making the glaze.
STEP 6: For the glaze, mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and sour cream together and drizzle it over the muffins. They are ready to be enjoyed.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
I recommend using a cake tester or toothpick. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of one of the muffins and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then they are done.
I recommend making the muffins on they day as they are best enjoyed fresh. Otherwise I recommend individually wrapping the muffins in plastic wrap, and when ready to serve, top them with the lemon icing.
Yes, you can easily double or triple the recipe. See the recipe card below.
HOW TO STORE
Serve these Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins on the day, but they can also last well for a 1-2 days on the kitchen counter, in an airtight container or individually wrapped in plastic wrap.
Other Breakfast and Muffin Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS
- 40 g butter melted and slightly cooled
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 45 g sour cream 14-18% or full-fat greek yogurt room temperature
- 90 g whole milk room temperature
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil e.g. canola oil or avocado oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 160 g all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
LEMON ICING (OPTIONAL)
- 60 g powdered sugar
- 1- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sour cream 14-18% to thicken the icing
Instructions
LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS
- Start by melting the butter. Set it aside while prepare the granulated sugar and lemon zest.40 g butter
- In a large mixing bowl add the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub it together to release all of the lemon zest flavor, until it looks like wet sand. Then add the melted butter and whisk together until combined.100 g granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Add the egg, sour cream, whole milk, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and whisk it together until combined.1 large egg, 45 g sour cream 14-18% or full-fat greek yogurt, 90 g whole milk, 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Add the poppy seeds and give it a stir to make sure everything has been combined. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined.160 g all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and give the batter a final mix so everything has been incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and let the batter rest for 1 hour on the kitchen counter.
- While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 12-cup cupcake pan with 6 cupcake liners, only lining every other cupcake hole, as it helps them to dome up. Grease around the edge of the cupcake holes, for the muffins to release easily.
- Divide the cake batter into the 6 cupcake liners, so each cupcake holder is filled to the top. Be careful not to deflate the batter, so try not to mix it around it too much. Bake them for 7 minutes and then reduce the heat to 175ºC/350ºF and further bake them for 7-9 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the hot pan on a wire rack. After 5 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool down additionally for 10-15 minutes before making the icing.
LEMON ICING
- Mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and sour cream together and drizzle it over the muffins. They are ready to be enjoyed.60 g powdered sugar, 1- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon sour cream 14-18%
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