Breakfast

Tart and Sweet Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

4.66 from 122 votes
Lemon poppy seed muffins may be a cafe classic, but try my simple homemade recipe and you may find yourself more than happy to stay in with a basket of these lemony, fresh-from-the-oven delights!

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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!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins recipe, arranged on a tray, ready to eat

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?

How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place 9 muffin liners in a muffin tin.
  2. In one mixing bowl, add the sugar, egg, yogurt, oil, milk, lemon zest, and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
  3. In the other bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, poppy seeds, and salt.
  4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling almost to the top.
  6. 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.
  7. 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! 

A closeup and cross section of Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, showing color and texture.

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

And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook for more recipes!

 

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe

4.66 from 122 votes
Try my Tart and Sweet Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins recipe and you won't feel like you're missing out on heading to the bakery for a box!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 9 muffins
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Try my Tart and Sweet Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins recipe and you won't feel like you're missing out on heading to the bakery for a box!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 9 muffins

Ingredients

  • cup (5oz/142g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup (4oz/115g) plain yogurt
  • ½ cup (4floz/115ml) vegetable oil
  • 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
4.66 from 122 votes (105 ratings without comment)
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Jayasri Ganesh
Jayasri Ganesh
4 years ago

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

Lois Crawford
Lois Crawford
4 years ago

Can I substitute sour milk for yogurt and chia seeds for poppy seeds?

Mary Comfort
Mary Comfort
4 years ago

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.

Amy
Amy
4 years ago

No lemon juice just lemon zest!

Kellie
Kellie
4 years ago

Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose?

Ronnie
Ronnie
3 years ago

I put half the amount in the muffin case then added a dollop of lemon curd, then topped up with more batter. Absolutely beautiful!!

Sonia hamilton
Sonia hamilton
4 years ago

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!????????

Lindsay
Lindsay
2 months ago

I’m about to try these! Can I just ask why they bake for so long? Don’t muffins usually bake in under 20mins?

Mandy
Mandy
4 months ago

Hi Gemma, just made these and they were delious! Will definitely make them again. I just wanted to ask if there is a way to prevent the muffins from sticking to the liners? Mine had a layer of muffins attached when I remove the liner.. I may leave out the liner next time and just grease the muffin tin.
Thanks again!
Mandy

Tina Virtue
Tina Virtue
2 years ago

Can I leave out the yogurt and use homemade lemon extract ??

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About Us

Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

Weeknight Family Favorites Chapter from the Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day Cookbook