Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Bakery-Style Recipe)

These lemon poppy seed muffins are bursting with citrus flavors and have a lovely crunch, to boot!

They make for the perfect summer breakfast, snack, and dessert.

They’re dense yet moist and fluffy, with a refreshingly sweet and tart flavor. The poppyseed adds a nice textural touch, too.

Who says you need to be a baking expert to make bakery-style muffins?

This recipe is easy to follow and fool-proof, yet highly rewarding.

Put on your apron and preheat your oven. It’s time to get baking.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Lemon lovers: these muffins are for you. With both lemon juice and lemon zest in the batter, the lemony flavor is undeniable.

The lemon lusciousness doesn’t end there. The muffins are also drizzled with a shiny lemon glaze, for good measure.

The flavors are great and so are the textures. 

These muffins are incredibly moist and tender from vegetable oil and buttermilk.

The crunch from the poppy seeds provides a fantastic textural variety.

They’re perfectly sweet, perfectly crunchy and tender, and perfect for every occasion. I couldn’t ask for more.

Ingredients

For the Muffins:

• Granulated Sugar – To sweeten the muffins.
• Vegetable Oil – To moisten the muffins.
• Eggs – To bind the ingredients together.
• Lemon – To give the muffins that burst of lemon flavor. Use both lemon zest and juice. Zest the lemon first before juicing it – it’s easier that way.
• All-Purpose Flour – The foundation of the batter.
• Baking Powder – The leavening agent that makes the batter rise into tall and fluffy muffins.
• Salt – To counterbalance the sweetness of the sugar.
• Poppy Seeds – For a pretty presentation and a lovely crunch.
• Buttermilk – For incredibly rich and moist muffins.

For the Glaze:

• A simple mix of powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice makes a perfectly sweet and tangy glaze. 

How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

1. Prep the oven and muffin tin.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with muffin cups. This recipe makes 10 muffins.

If you want to save paper, just grease the cups with butter or non-stick spray. 

2. Combine the sugar and wet ingredients.

First, beat together the sugar and oil. Once smooth, beat in the eggs and lemon zest. 

3. Combine the dry ingredients.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Doing so will keep the batter from being lumpy. Stir in the poppy seeds.

4. Combine all the ingredients.

To the bowl of the wet mixture, add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately. Mix with a beater or whisk just until well combined.

Lastly, whisk in the vanilla.

5. Bake the muffins.

Fill the prepared muffin cups with the batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.

You know the muffins are ready when their tops are puffy and golden. They should spring back when lightly pressed on.

Let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Transfer them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Make the glaze.

Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. I recommend sifting the powdered sugar beforehand to prevent lumps.

7. Garnish, serve, and enjoy!

Finish the muffins with a drizzle of lemon glaze. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

• Add the right amount of flour. Otherwise, the muffins will either not set or be extremely rubbery and dense. Use a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurement.
• Add an extra teaspoon of lemon juice and zest for an extra lemony flavor.
• Don’t over-mix the batter! This is the number one enemy of baked goods. Stop mixing as soon as the dry ingredients are moistened and you no longer see large streaks of flour. A few small lumps are fine.
• If you like smaller muffins, fill the batter only 2/3 of the way. Reduce the baking time to 18 to 20 minutes.
• If buttermilk is hard to come by where you’re from, don’t panic. Just pour a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into a measuring glass and fill it up with milk until it reaches 1 cup. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it foams up.
• Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups to make even muffins.
• Want to give the muffins an extra flair? Pour the lemon glaze into a Ziploc bag, seal, and cut the tip of one of the corners. Squeeze the bag to let the glaze out in a thin stream of glossy goodness.
• If you have the time (as well as patience and self-control), let the batter rest in the fridge overnight before you bake the muffins. Just like the concept of chilling cookie dough before baking, this allows the flavors to marry. It also allows the flour to absorb the moisture from the wet ingredients, which results in extra soft and tender muffins.

How to Store Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Store leftovers in an air-tight container. You can leave them on the counter for up to 3 days. 

Can I Freeze Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins?

Absolutely. In fact, these muffins freeze quite well!

First, allow them to come to room temperature. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours, or until rock solid.

This is crucial especially if you’ve already drizzled the glaze on top. Otherwise, you can skip the above step.

Wrap the muffins with plastic wrap and place them in freezer-safe bags.

Label the bags accordingly and freeze them. These lemon poppy seed muffins will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Let them thaw on the counter to room temperature and warm them in a 300-degree-Fahrenheit oven for 5 minutes. This will give them that freshly-baked quality.

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