Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable)

Moist, citrusy muffins studded with poppy seeds and finished with a tangy lemon glaze.

# What you'll need:

→ Dry Ingredients

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

→ Wet Ingredients

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

→ Lemon Glaze

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly.
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, whole milk, melted butter, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogenous.
04 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and gently fold using a spatula until just combined, leaving some lumps to avoid overmixing.
05 - Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
06 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk sifted powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth; adjust consistency by adding up to 1 more tablespoon lemon juice if needed.
09 - Drizzle glaze over cooled muffins and allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They stay impossibly moist for days, which means you can actually enjoy them without rushing.
  • The lemon glaze is the kind of thing that makes people think you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • These are forgiving enough for a first-time baker but impressive enough to serve at brunch.
02 -
  • Overmixing is the number one reason these turn out dense instead of tender, so seriously stop when you see lumps.
  • Using room temperature eggs and cooled butter prevents the eggs from cooking when they hit the wet ingredients.
  • The glaze needs to go on cooled muffins or it will melt right off and pool at the bottom.
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before you juice them—trying to zest a juiced lemon is a study in frustration.
  • If you want extra intensity, add a few drops of lemon extract to the batter, but start with less than you think you need.

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