Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable)

Bright, moist muffins with fresh lemon flavor and crunchy poppy seeds perfect for breakfast or a snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2/3 cup whole milk
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
11 - Zest of 2 lemons
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Optional Lemon Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
06 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until muffin tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins for added brightness.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're done in under an hour from start to finish, with most of that time spent waiting for the oven to do its thing.
  • The poppy seeds give you that satisfying little crunch that makes each bite feel intentional.
  • Fresh lemon flavor actually comes through—no artificial aftertaste, just honest citrus brightness.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the difference between tender muffins and hockey pucks—fold just until the dry ingredients disappear, then stop.
  • Fresh lemon zest matters more than you think; it's where the actual flavor lives, so don't be shy with it.
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before you juice them—it's impossible to zest a squeezed lemon, and you want all that bright flavor in there.
  • Room-temperature eggs and cooled butter prevent the wet ingredients from curdling when they mix, making a smoother batter.
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