Best Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe

Although citrus is in its peak during the winter and early spring months, lemon poppy seed muffins are great all year round, especially as a brunch or breakfast item. The bright flavor from the lemon juice and zest pair perfectly with the crunch of the poppy seed, making these muffins evergreen, meaning, they're great anytime of year.

All of my lemon muffins are inspired by one include, including my lemon blueberry muffins and my raspberry lemon version, and they're equally as delicious.

What are the ingredients for this lemon poppy seed muffin recipe?

1. Eggs - eggs are essential for baking and especially in muffins.
2. Cane sugar - not only does the sugar aid in the sweetness, but it helps with moisture and fluffiness of the muffins too.
3. Avocado oil: if you don't have avocado oil, you can easily swap for olive or vegetable oil.
4. Whole milk: if you don't have regular milk or even half and half, almond milk works great!
5. Lemon juice + zest - we need the bright lemony flavors to shine through in these muffins.
6. All purpose flour - my trusty and most reliable baking flour is all purpose flour. I love Bob's Red Mill for baking.
7. Baking powder + Baking soda - a little of both I've found is a very trusting duo for getting a good dome on rise of the muffin and overall texture.
8. Salt - salt helps to balance the acidity and fat in the recipe.
9. Poppy seeds - what good is a lemon poppy seed muffin if they don't have poppy seeds in them? After a few trials, I've finally landed on my favorite and preferred amount of poppy seeds for this recipe.

See the recipe card below for more information about specific quantities.

How do I make these muffins?

Step 1: Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl. With your fingers, massage the zest into the sugar to release the oils which will give the muffins a brighter lemony flavor.

Step 2: To the bowl, crack in both eggs and pour in the vanilla extract. Whisk to incorporate.

Step 3: Pour in the oil and milk, then whisk.

Step 4: To the wet ingredients, add in the dry and poppy seeds.

Step 5: Using a spatula, fold in the flour and poppy seed until just combined. Let rest on the counter for 25 minutes.

Step 6: Distribute the muffin batter using every other well of the muffin tin to allow room for the muffins to rise. Place in the oven at 375º for 25 minutes, rotating the racks halfway.

Swaps and Substitutions

I like to make my muffins easily accessible for anyone, especially for those who have dietary needs. See below for some swaps and substitutions if you have dietary restrictions or would prefer some alternatives to the base recipe:

• Gluten Free - you can swap the all-purpose flour with an alternative gluten free flour, I would suggest one that is a 1:1 so that there is no issue with the measurements.
• Dairy Free - swap the milk for almond or oat milk if you are dairy free or would prefer to not have dairy.
• Cane Sugar - if you are looking to lower the sugar, you can opt for coconut sugar, but it will change the texture, color, and overall flavor of these muffins.

Ways to vary this muffin recipe

These muffins are fabulous as is, but if you want to vary how you serve or make them, feel free to consider the following ideas:

• Make a Loaf - instead of making individual muffins, you can pour the batter into a loaf pan and bake it like a quick bread for breakfast. If making a loaf, bake at 350º for 55 minutes.
• Make 'em mini - if you have a miniature muffin tin you can easily make these bite size for a fun little snack for your kids.

Storage and Freezer Information

To Store: You can easily store these muffins in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4-5 days. I don't recommend storing them in the fridge as they will likely dry out.

To Freeze: Place any muffins you'd like to freeze in a ziplock bag. When you want to eat them, you can simply thaw on the counter, they should thaw and be ready to eat within 45 minutes

Hungry for more?

Looking for other yummy muffin recipes like this? Try these:

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Morgan Peaceman

This is the best recipe for lemon poppy seed muffins you have been looking for. Citrusy, moist, with a delicate crumb, I can almost smell them in the oven as I type. Trust me when I say you wont need another recipe, breakfast is served!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 23 minutes mins

Total Time 33 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 12 muffins

Equipment

• 1 kitchen scale
• 1 whisk
• 1 spatula
• mixing bowls
• measuring cups and spoons
• 1 Muffin tin
• 12 Muffin liners

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 large eggs
• 200 grams cane sugar 1 cup
• 4 fl oz avocado oil ½ cup
• 4 fl oz milk ½ cup
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 large lemon squeezed
• 256 grams all purpose flour 2 cups
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375º and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
• Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl. With your fingers, massage the zest into the sugar to release the oils which will give the muffins a brighter lemony flavor.
• To the bowl, crack in both eggs and pour in the vanilla extract. Whisk to incorporate.
• Pour in the oil and milk, then whisk.
• To the wet ingredients, add in the dry and poppy seeds.
• Using a spatula, fold in the flour and poppy seed until just combined. Let rest on the counter for 25 minutes.
• Distribute the muffin batter using every other well of the muffin tin to allow room for the muffins to rise. Place in the oven at 375º for 25 minutes, rotating the racks halfway.

Keyword breakfast muffin, breakfast recipes, lemon poppy seed muffin, muffin recipe

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