This is a mouthwatering recipe for bakery-style lemon muffins, tall and crunchy from the poppy seeds. As soon as they come out of the oven, they're brushed with syrup and then topped off with a sweet, tangy glaze that takes their flavor to the next level!
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Crunchy and soft
Bursting with zesty lemon flavor and the satisfying crunch of poppy seeds, these muffins are so moist and irresistible that you'll want to make them often.
I set out to make a bakery-style muffin and a very lemony muffin, all in one. It turned out to be one of our most popular recipes in the muffins category.
The challenge in making them was adding as much lemon flavor as possible to each bite. Otherwise, they're just another muffin with seeds.
That was achieved by brushing them with lemon syrup and adding a drizzle of lemon glaze. So far, they're the best ones I've ever made.
- Freshness: they will be warm, fragrant, and have a tender texture that can be hard to replicate in store-bought muffins that may sit for hours before you buy them.
- Control over ingredients: you can use high-quality ingredients, adjust the sweetness or tartness to your liking, and customize the recipe to suit your dietary needs.
- Make ahead: they freeze well, so you can plan ahead if making them for a special occasion.
Extra lemon flavor
- Lemon sugar: a simple technique to bring more flavor out of fresh lemon zest is to rub it with the sugar before adding it to the batter. This releases the oil in the skin.
- Lemon syrup: brushing the hot muffins with cold syrup and then adding a lemon powdered sugar glaze adds a lot of fresh lemon flavor.
- Lemon glaze: we use a simple powdered sugar glaze. It's a classic finish but wonderful nonetheless.
FAQ
Don't beat the batter; simply stir it well with a whisk or spatula. That's why an electric mixer is discouraged, so the ingredients are integrated well but not beaten.
Overbaking and overbeating the batter are the most common causes, in my experience. When baking, knowing your oven and checking that the temperature is correct is essential. You can buy oven thermometers for that. Overmixing the batter usually results in a drier, less fluffy crumb.
By adding lemon syrup while they're still hot and not overbaking them. Take them out of the oven as soon as a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
Ingredient list
For the muffins:
- Lemons: fresh lemon juice and zest give the muffin batter the best flavor.
- Poppy seeds: they add crunchiness and pair great with lemon. Poppy seeds made for baking are processed and apt for eating.
- Greek yogurt: it's a great ingredient that renders tender muffins and a tanginess perfect to balance out the sugar in the recipe.
- Butter: use your favorite unsalted butter.
- White, granulated sugar.
- Eggs: fresh, large.
- Vanilla extract.
- Salt.
- Baking powder and baking soda: make sure they aren't expired.
For the glaze:
- Powdered sugar: also called confectioners or icing sugar.
- Lemon juice.
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Variations & substitutions
- Substitute sour cream for the yogurt.
- Vegetable oil can be used instead of butter, same volume.
- Light brown sugar can be used instead of white. Or a mix of both.
- Add berries: mix half a cup of raspberries or blueberries into the batter for tangier, fruity muffins.
- Streusel: top each unbaked muffin with crumble for a crunchy topping.
Steps to make lemon poppy muffins
It's a vintage muffin recipe made the old-fashioned way.
You don't need special equipment, just two bowls, a whisk (or wooden spoon), and a spatula. Super simple.
- Lemon sugar: the lemon zest is rubbed with the sugar to extract flavor from the oils. They're then added to the rest of the dry ingredients.
- Quick mixing: the wet ingredients are added to the dry ones, and you should integrate well but never beat or overmix.
- Make sure there are no flour spots left at the bottom of the bowl, something that can happen when the batter is dense, as this one. Using a spatula for this step is the best option.
- Dense muffin batters look irregular when going into the oven but will smooth and even out during baking.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
Don't overmix the batter when you combine the two preparations. Use a spatula for easier and gentler mixing, and stop when the dry ingredients are integrated. This will result if fluffier and softer muffins.
Muffin pan
Or muffin tin, as it's also called. They come in different shapes and sizes.
- If using paper liners: buy ones that fit well. Always check the measurements of both, especially the bottom diameter.
- Greasing or buttering the pan: use baking spray or soft butter.
- How to get even muffins: dividing the batter evenly among the tins or muffin liners is key. The easiest way to do this is with a cookie scoop, so you measure the same amount each time. You can also weigh the batter and know how much goes into each muffin cup.
Lemon syrup
Good muffins should be soft and fluffy, which implies not being dry.
Adding a simple syrup is one of the best ways to add extra flavor and moistness to a muffin. In this case, we mix sugar with lemon juice.
Brushing the muffin tops: right after you take them out of the oven, while still hot (so they absorb as much syrup as they can), brush the tops of the muffins. It's the simplest way to get most syrup into the muffin and spill as little as possible. Though some will drip down anyway, it's a fact.
Lemon glaze
- Powdered sugar glaze is the perfect way to dress up these muffins. It adds sweetness, more lemon flavor, and seals in moisture. Every bite is luscious!
- How to make it: mix powdered sugar with lemon juice. How much juice is always the question, and it depends on how thick you want the glaze to be. Less juice for a whiter, thicker topping, and more juice for a more tart lemon glaze that will be runnier and add a thinner layer of icing.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Wet ingredients: it's important to add the melted butter slightly warm and at the end, after you've mixed the eggs with the Greek yogurt. This will ensure that the butter doesn't seize or curdle bits of egg (which can happen if you add it too hot).
- Lemon syrup: adds moisture and flavor, so don't omit it! It will seep right into the muffins by adding it cold to the hot muffins. If you don't add it and they cool down, heat the syrup before adding it.
- Yogurt: I love the tanginess of Greek yogurt (plain, unsweetened), but you can also use sour cream with excellent results. I have made it with both.
- Amount of seeds: this recipe calls for two tablespoons; you can add up to 3 if you want muffins overflowing with a lot of crunch. Some people like it that way though it makes the muffins denser.
- Tart lemon flavor: some like a sweeter muffin with a nice lemon flavor, and others like to almost pucker. While muffins are not meant to make you pucker, you can add more flavor by using more lemon zest, as much as double the amount in the recipe.
- Muffin tins: I use regular-sized ones, a very old pan I love. You can butter or spray each one or use muffin cups (muffin liners, cupcake liners, or paper cups), so there's minimal cleanup of the pan, and it makes them easier to transport and store.
- Storage: I fervently believe muffins are meant to be eaten in the first few hours they're made. But they last a day or two if covered with plastic wrap, in a bag or airtight container.
- Freezing them: is the best option if you're not eating them soon. Do so after brushing them with syrup but before adding the glaze. Defrost at room temperature and warm them slightly in a medium oven (350°F/180°C) before eating.
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Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, from about 2 lemons
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and just warm
For the cold syrup:
- ¼ cup lemon juice, use the ones you zested
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Lemon glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
Instructions
For the muffins:
- Turn on the oven at 350°F (180ºC).
- Butter or spray 12 muffin tins, or fill with paper liners (also called muffin liners or paper cups).
- Mix ⅔ cup sugar with 1 tablespoon lemon zest in a large bowl, rubbing it with the tips of your fingers until the oil in the lemon zest starts to impregnate the sugar.
- Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons poppy seeds.
- Mix 2 eggs lightly in a medium bowl.
- Add ¾ cup Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and mix well.
- Add the warm ½ cup unsalted butter and stir until smooth without beating, only whisking or mixing.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the wet ones.
- Stir with a spatula only until it is moistened; there may be traces of flour. Do not beat or overmix much, but make sure there are no large spots of flour at the bottom of the bowl.
- Divide evenly between the muffin tins. Use a cookie or ice cream scoop or a spoon.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out dry. Don't be tempted to over bake them so they don't dry out.
For the ccold syrup:
- Mix ¼ cup lemon juice with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar just before taking the muffins out.
- Brush this syrup over the hot muffins just out of the oven.
- Let it soak and cool completely on a metal rack. If using paper liners remove the muffins from the pan onto the cooling rack. If not using liners, make sure to take the muffins out of the pan as soon as you can handle them cut carefully, so the syrup doesn't make them stick. Cool completely.
For the glaze:
- Put ¾ cup powdered sugar in a bowl.
- Add half the lemon juice and mix until smooth. Keep adding a little more juice until you reach your desired consistency. You might not want to use it all. Or need a little more. Adjust to your liking.
- Top the muffins with the lemon glaze and let dry before eating.
angiesrecipes says
I love just how tender and smooth the crumb looks and the poppy seeds are evenly distributed...they are perfect, Paula.