Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable)
Moist, zesty muffins infused with fresh lemon and crunchy poppy seeds. Ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tbsp poppy seeds
04 - 2 tsp baking powder
05 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
06 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Wet Ingredients
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 3/4 cup whole milk
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
11 - Zest of 2 lemons
12 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly with butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined—do not overmix; a few small lumps are acceptable.
05 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
06 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
07 - Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- These muffins stay incredibly moist for days, thanks to the perfect ratio of butter to milk and the brightness from fresh lemon juice keeping everything tender
- The crunch of poppy seeds against the soft crumb creates this addictive texture that makes them impossible to eat just one of
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients incorporate better and create a more tender texture, so try to set your eggs and milk out about 30 minutes before baking
- The muffins are done when they're golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, but start checking at 18 minutes since ovens vary and overbaked lemon muffins lose their bright flavor
03 -
- Zest your lemons before juicing them, it's infinitely easier to handle a whole lemon than trying to zest a slippery, squeezed half
- For the most intense lemon flavor, let your batter rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking to let the flour hydrate and the lemon zest really infuse everything