Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are easy to make, have the perfect burst of lemon flavor, and are ideal for brunches, snacks, and breakfast on the run.
We are big big fans of lemon desserts in my house, and these Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are no exception. These went through several rounds of testing until they had the best lemon flavor while still being moist with the perfect crumb.
You will be unable to decide which you love more – how delicious these are or how fast they are to throw together. It doesn’t hurt that they freeze great, making them the perfect grab and go snack on busy mornings.
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins come together in a few simple steps. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients. Whisk together the sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk. Then whisk in the butter.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined then stir in the poppy seeds.
- Bake. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with muffin batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out with just a few crumbs.
Silicon Muffin Pan
Using Fresh Lemons
Since this recipe calls for both lemon juice and lemon zest, you will need to get a few fresh lemons. You can use both the juice and the zest from the same lemons. Fresh will give you the best results since they are the star of this recipe! You will need two lemons for this recipe. Lemons should be stored in the refrigerator and will last about a week. When picking out lemons, here are a few things to look for:
- Size is important. The lemons should be between two and three inches.
- The lemon should feel firm and not squishy.
Zesting Lemons
Lemon zest comes from the peel of the lemon. Using lemon zest will give your muffins a deeper lemon flavor that lemon juice alone just can’t do. If you have never zested a lemon, you want to zest just the yellow skin, moving on to a different part of the lemon when you hit the white rind. You can see my recommendation for a zester linked below.
How to Get More Juice From Lemons
To get more juice out of lemons, toss them in the microwave for about 10 seconds. You could also roll them between your hand and the counter for a few seconds.
Tips and Tricks
- Let your butter cool after it’s melted. The butter in this Lemon Poppyseed Muffin recipe is melted, but it is important to let it cool before adding it to the batter so that it doesn’t start cooking the eggs.
- Room temperature eggs and milk. This makes the eggs thinner which will mix into the batter better, allowing the muffins to rise more. Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and put them in there for a few minutes to speed this along.
- Use fresh baking soda. Test it by adding a bit of vinegar: it should bubble right away. You need to replace baking soda every six months to keep it fresh.
- Measure your flour correctly. This is such an important step of baking, it gets its own section below.
Measuring Flour
Measuring your flour incorrectly can result in too much flour and muffins that are dry and dense. Follow these steps to make sure your flour isn’t packed and you don’t end up with more than the recipe calls for:
- Start by whisking the flour in its container (flour bag, glass jar, etc.).
- Use a spoon to scoop it from the container into a dry measuring cup. Don’t use the measuring cup to scoop it from the container.
- Level off the measuring cup with the flat end of a spatula.
Storing and Freezing Muffins
Store your Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins in an airtight container for up to one week. This muffin recipe is great for freezing! Once frozen, they will keep in the freezer for up to three months for a quick grab-and-go snack or breakfast.
- Place the cooled muffins in a single layer on a tray or plate.
- Freeze them for two to four hours.
- Transfer the muffins to an airtight container and freeze them for up to three months.
- To eat, remove a muffin from the freezer and let it come to room temperature. This will take about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
FAQ
This lemon poppy seed recipe has not been tested with gluten-free flour. If you plan on testing it with gluten-free flour, I suggest using a blend that is meant to replace all-purpose flour one-for-one.
Yes! See my instructions above on freezing.
The poppy seeds add flavor and a slight texture to the muffins, but if you prefer to leave them out you can.
Other Great Muffin Recipes
Muffins are such a great snack or breakfast item because they are already in individual servings and can be taken on the go. Enjoy a Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin with a glass of Iced Coffee and Homemade Coffee Creamer for the best morning kickstart. Here are some other muffin recipes to try:
If you try this Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin recipe or any of my others, let me know what you think by leaving a comment. I love hearing from you!
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup milk room temperature
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Alternatively, spray a silicon muffin tin with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon table salt
- In a medium bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk. Whisk in the butter.1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 3 teaspoons lemon zest, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup milk, 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the poppy seeds.2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with muffin batter. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out with just a few crumbs.
- Allow to cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes until transferring to a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container for up to one week. See instructions in the post for freezing.
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