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This post was originally published on March 2, 2019 and was updated on August 1, 2020. This lemon poppy seed muffin recipe is made in one bowl and ready in less than 30 minutes! The tender and sweet muffins are coated in a light lemon glaze that complement the bursting poppy seeds.
There’s nothing like the classic combo of lemon and poppy seed. And, possibly, there’s no baked good that better showcases those flavors than a bakery style muffin!
These muffins are so gosh darn easy. As every muffin recipe should be! They’re made in one bowl and the whole recipe can be turned around in 30 minutes. Morning magic!
For the best lemon muffins, you’ll need:
- Flour + Sugar + Baking Powder & Soda + Salt
- Poppy Seeds
- Fresh Lemon
- Canola Oil
- 1 Egg
- Dairy – I have used Half & Half, Whole Milk, and Sour Cream all with great success!
- Vanilla + Lemon Extract
- Powdered Sugar
Using Poppy Seeds in Baking
This lemon poppy seed muffin recipe is a classic. For good reason! People have been baking with poppy seeds for decades. Whatever genius decided to combine the texture of poppy seeds with the brightness of lemon deserves all the awards! The little seeds come from the poppy plant which is a natural source of opium. So, technically, if you eat enough poppy seeds containing a high enough concentration of opium, a drug test could have a positive result. But! There’s only one tablespoon of seeds in this recipe, and when dispersed among 12 muffins, it becomes a minuscule amount.
How to make lemon poppy seed muffins:
As with all my muffin batters, this one comes together in minutes, uses minimal dishes, and is capital E, capital Z.
- You’ll start by whisking your wet ingredients together in a large measuring cup.
- Then you'll whisk together the dry ingredients, which in a muffin recipe includes sugar. Crazy, I know. The poppy seeds too! And a little lemon zest.
- Gently stir the wet into the dry. It’s even ok if there are a few streaks of flour in the batter.
- Portion into a muffin tin coated with baking spray. I always like to cook my muffins “naked” without wrappers. I think they turn out better and are easier to remove from the pan, as well.
- While the muffins cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice to create a glaze.
- When the lemons are almost totally cooled – drizzle the glaze over the tops. Enjoy that crunchy coating and the tart sweetness.
Storing leftover muffins
Muffins are best the day they are made. It’s just a fact of life. But! Storing leftovers is easy! They can be stored in a plastic airtight container on the counter for one day. Then in the fridge for another day or two. Freeze any remaining muffins in individual ziptop bags for easy grab and go morning snacks! The great thing about these lemon poppy seed muffins being coated in glaze is that the glaze works as a sort of seal to keep the muffins fresher for longer.
Though I doubt they’ll last that long.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup Half & Half
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. lemon extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a muffin tin with baking spray and set aside.
- In a large measuring cup whisk together the oil, egg, half & half, and extracts until smooth. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, lemon zest, and poppy seeds.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix to combine. (It’s ok if the batter is a little lumpy or has streaks of flour in it.)
- Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and bake in preheated oven for 12 – 15 minutes, or until edges begin to turn just lightly golden brown and centers bounce back when lightly pressed.
- Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely.
- While muffins cool, prepare the lemon glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar with the fresh lemon juice. Add the lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time until glaze pours in a thick ribbon off the end of a spoon.
Notes
- Half and Half, Whole Milk, or Sour Cream can all be used in this muffin recipe. I do not recommend 2% or Skim milk, however.
- Muffins can be stored at room temperature in a sealed container for one day. Then, refrigerated for another day or two. From there, store any remaining muffins in zip-top bags in the freezer.
· by Amanda Gajdosik