The BEST Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins! These muffins are super moist and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Enjoy them straight from the oven or topped with our sweet & tart lemon glaze. Guaranteed to be your new go-to recipe!
There’s something about Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins that gets me every time. They’re light and lemony and, when done right, perfectly moist and fluffy with a cake-like crumb and a bright, citrusy flavor.
As someone who has always loved them, I knew exactly what I was looking for in the perfect muffins. And I have to say… after trying countless recipes I found online, I was disappointed. Which is precisely why I had to create my own. And this recipe is truly the BEST.
These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are perfectly moist, thanks to a combination of melted butter, oil, milk, and sour cream. They’re perfectly lemony, thanks to fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and a splash of lemon extract. And they’re perfectly sweet, thanks to the deliciously sweet, tart lemony glaze on top.
If you’re ready to make the best muffins of your life, look no further! This recipe is IT… complete with plenty of tips to ensure success.
what you’ll need for this recipe
*Dividing the ingredients into “wet” and “dry” is an easy way to keep track of the long ingredient list.
Wet ingredients – Granulated sugar, eggs, baking oil, milk, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon juice, lemon zest & poppy seeds.
Dry ingredients – All purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
Extras – In this case, the “extra” ingredient is sour cream. Sour cream adds both moisture and richness to this muffins.
how to make lemon poppy seed muffins
*Dividing the wet ingredients from the dry ingredients is also extremely helpful in the mixing process. I combine all the wet ingredients and mix well before adding the dry ingredients. This ensures that the batter isn’t overly mixed, which can affect that texture of the finished product.
Combine the wet ingredients. Combining the wet together first allows you to not over-mix the batter once you add in the dry ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients. I combine these in a separate bowl and add them to the wet ingredients once they’re already mixed.
Fold in the extra. Once everything else is mixed, fold in the sour cream (or Greek yogurt.)
Bake. Bake at 375° F for 18-22 minutes, checking after 18 minutes.
Pro Tips
Zest the lemons first, then cut in half and squeeze out the juice.
For big muffin tops, be sure to fill each muffin tin all the way to the top (and then some)
For best results, use a combination of butter and oil, NOT all one or the other. Using butter alone yields denser muffins. Using oil alone yields less flavorful muffins.
Don’t over-bake. Ensure a moist muffin bottom by baking just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Don’t wait for the tops to be golden brown!)
Recipe Variations
- Substitute gluten free flour for all purpose (follow substitution instruction)
- Use almond extract in place of vanilla
- Add additional lemon zest or lemon extract for more intense lemon flavor
- Substitute Greek yogurt (plain, vanilla, or lemon) for the sour cream
- Add chopped nuts to the batter
- Top with vanilla glaze instead of lemon glaze
- Add additional poppy seeds and lemon zest to the glaze
storage tips
Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. *To maximize freshness, add a paper towel to the container to soak up excess moisture.
More Delicious Muffin Recipes
Be sure to check out some more of our favorite recipes… because you can never have too many muffins in your life!
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest (zest of 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream OR plain Greek yogurt
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 Tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 large eggs, 2 Tablespoons lemon zest, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, and 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds. Stir by hand until mixed.
- In a separate bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir by hand just until combined.
- Gently fold in 1 cup sour cream and stir just until no white streaks remain.
- Line 2 muffin tins (24 cups) with paper liners OR spray generously with cooking spray.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, fill each muffin tin all the way to the top. (This recipe yields 12-14 muffins.)
- Bake at 375° for 18 minutes, then check for doneness. *Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Return to the oven for up to 5 more minutes, just until done.
- Remove muffins from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once muffins are cool, make the glaze by combining 1 cup powdered sugar and 3-4 Tablespoons lemon juice in a small shallow bowl. Dip each muffin top into the glaze, then set on a wire rack to dry.
Notes
Pro Tips
- Zest the lemons first, then cut in half and squeeze out the juice.
- For big muffin tops, be sure to fill each muffin tin all the way to the top (and then some)
- For best results, use a combination of butter and oil, NOT all one or the other. Using butter alone yields denser muffins. Using oil alone yields less flavorful muffins.
- Don’t over-bake. Ensure a moist muffin bottom by baking just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Don’t wait for the tops to be golden brown!)
Storage Tips
Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. *To maximize freshness, add a paper towel to the container to soak up excess moisture.Recipe Variations
-
- Substitute gluten free flour for all purpose (follow substitution instruction)
-
- Use almond extract in place of vanilla
-
- Add additional lemon zest or lemon extract for more intense lemon flavor
-
- Substitute Greek yogurt (plain, vanilla, or lemon) for the sour cream
-
- Add chopped nuts to the batter
-
- Top with vanilla glaze instead of lemon glaze
-
- Add additional poppy seeds and lemon zest to the glaze
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