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Wire rack with glazed lemon muffin in an open paper cup, white background.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

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This is a mouthwatering recipe for bakery-style lemon muffins with a nice dose of crunchy poppy seeds. They'll rise tall and crack slightly at the top as they bake to a golden brown. 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!

  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Yield: 12 medium muffins

Ingredients

Units

For the muffins:

  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and just warm
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

For the cold syrup:

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (use the ones you zested)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Lemon glaze:

  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

Instructions

For the muffins:

  1. Turn on the oven at 350°F/180ºC. 
  2. Butter or spray 12 muffin tins, or fill with paper liners (also called muffin liners or paper cups).
  3. Mix sugar with the grated 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. 
  4. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the poppy seeds.
  5. Mix eggs lightly in a medium bowl.
  6. Add yogurt, lemon juice, vanilla and mix well.
  7. Add the warm melted butter until smooth without beating, only whisking or mixing.
  8. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and dd the wet ones. 
  9. Mix with a spatula only until it is moistened, there may be a trace of flour. Do not beat or over mix much but make sure there are no large spots of flour in the bottom of the bowl.
  10. Divide evenly between the muffin tins. Use a cookie or ice cream scoop or a spoon. 
  11. 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:

  1. Mix lemon juice with sugar just before taking the muffins out.
  2. Brush this syrup over the hot muffins just out of the oven.
  3. 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:

  1. Put powdered sugar in a bowl. 
  2. Add half the lemon juice and mix until smooth. 
  3. Keep adding a little more juice until you have the consistency you desire. 
  4. Top the muffins with the lemon glaze and let dry before eating. 

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: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, 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 you keep track of 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).
  • Sugar: use white, granulated sugar. Light brown sugar can also be used, or a mix of both. 
  • Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper. 
  • Baking powder and baking soda: both act as leavening agents for these lemon poppyseed muffins, and you can get away with using only baking powder but I don't recommend using only baking soda. Make sure they're not expired.
  • Syrup: it adds moisture and flavor, so don't omit it! The way it will seep right into the muffins is adding a cold lemon syrup to the hot muffins. But, if for some reason 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 great 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 them at room temperature and warm them slightly in a medium oven (350°F/180°C) before eating.
  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cooling time: 60 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Muffins
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/12
  • Calories: 269
  • Sugar: 22.6 g
  • Sodium: 96.8 mg
  • Fat: 10.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 40.4 g
  • Protein: 5.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 53.7 mg

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/lemon-poppy-seed-muffins/