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Hi Bold Bakers!
Through these days of staying home, I have been thinking a lot about what I’ve gained and lost, even in the simplest of moments like breakfast. The lemon trees here in California are still heavy with an abundance of fruit. The recent rains have washed away all the desert dust and made them pop out in bright yellow relief against their glossy leaves. It’s no surprise that our daily neighborhood walks have gotten me thinking about all things lemon!
While I miss going to my favorite coffee shop for a most excellent latte, there is no cafe muffin that can quite replace the warmth and the scent of pulling out a pan of my homemade Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins from the oven. Not only will they fill your kitchen with a lovely lemony fragrance, but when you bite into this sweet, tart muffin with the satisfying crunch of poppy seeds, it will make you want to keep reaching for just one more. Try my easy lemon poppy seed muffins, and you will see what I mean!
What Are Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins?
Lemon poppy seed muffins are simply my easy, basic muffin recipe with lemon zest and poppy seeds added in. If you have made my muffins before (or even if you haven’t) you will find this variation to be easy and delicious!
All About Poppy Seeds
Poppy seeds come from the dried fruits of the poppy plant and have a subtle, nutty taste that goes perfectly with lemons. Although these seeds come from the opium poppy, they are very safe to eat. They are a good source of B vitamins and minerals. Poppy seeds were first found in ancient Egypt, and have for centuries been used culinarily throughout eastern Europe and also in parts of Western Europe and Asia.
What Tools Will I Need?
- 12 cup muffin tin
- 9 paper muffin liners
- Two mixing bowls
- Measuring tools
- A wire whisk
How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place 9 muffin liners in a muffin tin.
- In one mixing bowl, add the sugar, egg, yogurt, oil, milk, lemon zest, and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
- In the other bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, poppy seeds, and salt.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling almost to the top.
- Bake muffins on an upper-middle rack for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let cool for ten minutes before removing muffins from the tin.
For the full written recipe with measurements, just scroll down!
How Do I Store Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins?
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 8 weeks. Either way, rewarm in a 300°F (150°C) oven or just pop them in the microwave!
Gemma’s Pro Tips For Making Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins!
- Use a whisk! To fully mix the dry ingredients and ensure that the baking powder is evenly distributed, a whisk is the best mixing tool.
- Check your zest! When combining the wet ingredients, check to make sure the lemon zest hasn’t clumped together but is evenly mixed in.
- Don’t overmix! When combining the wet and dry ingredients, a few small lumps are ok in your batter to keep muffins nice and tender.
- Fill them up! Fill muffin cups almost to the top so the muffins bake up with nice high rounded tops.
Make More Muffins
- Crazy Muffins: One Base Muffin Recipe, Endless Flavor Variations
- Bakery-Style Double Chocolate Muffins
- Best-Ever Blueberry Muffins
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook for more recipes!
Try These Recipes!
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (5oz/142g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (4oz/115g) plain yogurt
- ½ cup (4floz/115ml) vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup (2 ½ floz/71ml) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest (from about two lemons)
- 1 ¼ cups (6 ¼ oz/177g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place 9 muffin liners in a muffin tin. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add the sugar, egg, yogurt, oil, milk, vanilla and lemon zest, and whisk until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined. A few lumps are ok.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling almost to the top.
- Bake muffins on an upper-middle rack for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let cool for ten minutes before removing muffins from the tin.
- These muffins are the most delicious the day they are made. Enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days
Hi Gemma, these muffins are awesome. I added lemon glaze and they are heavenly. I can swear that all your recipes are simple and easy to follow
Can I substitute sour milk for yogurt and chia seeds for poppy seeds?
Gemma, I forgot to tell you besides forgetting the egg and adding in juice from lemon lemon I didn’t have yogurt so I used 1/2 cup cream cheese. Also, I am gluten intolerant and so I used multipurpose gluten free flour and the muffins came out great. I made sure I didn’t over combine the ingredients. I have used this flour for a couple other recipes on your website and they all turned out great…just in case your readers are interested in that tidbit of information.
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose?
I put half the amount in the muffin case then added a dollop of lemon curd, then topped up with more batter. Absolutely beautiful!!
No lemon juice just lemon zest!
I made these muffins yesterday, they turned out perfect and my husband and I each had one, delicious! Unfortunately, our daughter popped in and took the rest home with her!🤦♀️ So, I am baking more right now, they are in the oven!😁😁
Can I leave out the yogurt and use homemade lemon extract ??
Just made the cupcakes, turned out yummy! Moist inside, a bit crunchy from the outside, as I have observed with every cake incIuding yoghurt. I love poppy seeds in cakes and cookies, and added double amount! I also admit to have substituted oil for butter! I would like to ask, for my repeat(soon-to-be!) version of them, could I use olive oil? Usually it is the only vegetable oil I have always available.
Thanks for one more lovely recipe!
Hi Gemma, What changes would you make for high altitude?