Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

4.63 from 53 votes

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Bright, zesty, and drizzled with a simple lemon glaze, these Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are bakery style perfection baked right at home. Soft, fluffy, and packed with citrus flavor, they’re the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or coffee companion.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon poppy seed muffins

Servings:

Calories: 264kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Ingredients

Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
lemon zest from 1 lemon
¾ cup sugar
½ cup butter melted
¾ cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Lemon glaze

1 cup icing sugar same as powdered sugar or confectioner sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a 12 mold regular-size muffin pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt together.
In another bowl whisk the sugar with the lemon zest together. Add the butter, milk, lemon juice, and continue mixing. Add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and whisk until well blended.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently until combined. Fold in the poppy seeds.
Spoon the batter in each muffin cup, there should be enough batter for 12 muffins. I find it easier to use an ice cream scoop to scoop muffin batter into the pan.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
Cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and finish cooling completely.
Combine the icing sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled muffins and enjoy.

Video

Notes

Lemon flavor. Fresh juice and zest make the biggest difference. For an extra punch, double the zest or add a splash of lemon extract.
Yogurt swap. No sour cream? Plain full-fat Greek yogurt works beautifully and keeps the crumb moist.
Don’t overmix. Stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears. A few lumps are fine. Overmixing = tough muffins.
Pan choices. Paper liners make for quick cleanup, while greased tins give you crisp, golden edges.
Add-ins. Fold in blueberries or raspberries for a fruity twist. If using frozen berries, don’t thaw first.
Storage. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days. To freeze, wrap individually and store up to 3 months. Rewarm at 300°F for 5 to 7 minutes. Glaze after reheating if you want them glossy.
High altitude tip. Above 3,000 feet, reduce baking powder by ¼ teaspoon and add 1 tablespoon milk. This helps maintain lift without dryness.

Nutrition