Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable)

Tender bakery-style muffins with lemon zest, crunchy poppy seeds and a sweet lemon glaze.

# What you'll need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
06 - 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk or buttermilk, room temperature
09 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
11 - Zest of 2 lemons
12 - 1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Topping

14 - 2 tablespoons coarse or sparkling sugar

→ Lemon Glaze

15 - 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 2–3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds, and granulated sugar.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk (or buttermilk), melted butter, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well combined.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold together with a spatula until just combined; do not overmix.
05 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar.
06 - Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over cooled muffins. Let glaze set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Each bite is a burst of real lemon with a delicate, not-too-sweet crumb—no artificial flavors here.
  • The golden tops and sparkling glaze make even a Tuesday morning feel like a celebration.
02 -
  • If you mix the batter until it's smooth, the muffins end up dense and tough (I learned the hard way!).
  • Letting the muffins cool before glazing prevents the icing from running straight off—hard to wait, but worth it every time.
03 -
  • Zest your lemons into the sugar and rub them together with your fingers—the aromatic oils will make the flavor pop.
  • Rotating your muffin pan halfway through baking leads to evenly golden tops, every batch.
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