Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable Version)
Delight in tender muffins with zesty lemon and crunchy poppy seeds crowned by a tangy glaze.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tbsp poppy seeds
03 - 1 tsp baking powder
04 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
05 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 lemons
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
11 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Glaze
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
15 - 1/2 tsp lemon zest (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - Rub lemon zest into sugar with fingers until fragrant. Add eggs, yogurt, melted butter, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Gently fold with spatula just until combined; avoid overmixing to prevent tough muffins.
05 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately 3/4 full.
06 - Bake for 16-18 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
07 - Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice, adding juice gradually to reach desired consistency. Stir in zest if using. Drizzle over cooled muffins and allow glaze to set before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly tender, like bakery muffins but better because theyre still warm from your oven
- That glaze sets into this perfect crackly shell that gives way to the softest crumb underneath
02 -
- Overmixing is the enemy here, once the flour disappears stop folding even if it looks lumpy
- The glaze consistency matters, too thick and it wont drizzle, too thin and it runs right off
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients prevent the butter from seizing when you mix everything
- Use a microplane or the smallest holes on your grater for zest without any bitter white pith