With spring comes brighter, sunnier days and the feeling of a fresh new take on the days ahead. Well, at least it does for me, which inspires me to create fresh, bright recipes! And it doesn’t get any fresher than citrus! The flavour of lemon brightens these muffins to a whole new level that you just won’t be able to resist!
Muffins are such an easy quick treat to bake. We all have our go-to muffins that we bake time after time; like the popular banana or blueberry muffin. Why not try adding these lemon muffins to your repertoire? They are a little different than your average muffin yet simple to whip up!
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Poppy seeds
- Lemons
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar & icing sugar
- Plain yogurt
- Eggs
- Baking powder& baking soda
- Salt
Poppy Seeds
Let’s talk about poppy seeds! Other than the fact they are fun to add to baking (like in these lemon poppy seed muffins) they also have a lot of health benefits too. The poppy plant has been used as traditional health/wellness remedies for centuries.
- They are rich in nutrients and antioxidants
- Poppy seeds may contain pain-relieving compounds
- They may boost heart and skin health
- Because they are rich in fibre they may aid digestion
If you want to learn more on the benefits of poppy seeds check out Healthline’s website; click here!
Muffin Tips
If you want that perfect light muffin every time, remember these top tips:
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always keep a light hand when mixing your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients. The more you mix the batter the tougher/denser the muffins will be. Mix the batter until just incorporated!
- Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature; eggs, dairy, liquid, etc. When all your ingredients are at the same temperature the batter will have an even texture and will rise properly/evenly as it bakes. This will create a light muffin!
- Use an ice cream scoop to measure out the batter. This will give you a uniform amount in each muffin cup, which means all the muffins will bake evenly! You should have 12 perfectly baked muffins!
Freezing Muffins
Don’t be afraid of the freezer! It’s better to freeze half your muffins then let them go stale! In fact these lemon poppy seed muffins freeze really well. Just place them into an airtight freezer bag or container and take muffins out as you’d like. Let them come to room temperature or soften muffins in the toaster oven (or microwave).
How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Step One: Make your batter; add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently mix just until combined. Be carful not to overmix the batter as this will create a dense, dry muffin. Bake and let muffins cool.
Step Two: Meanwhile make the lemon glaze by adding icing sugar, lemon juice and warm water together. Drizzle the glaze over the muffin tops and enjoy!
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
These simple lemon poppy seed muffins are light, tender, tangy and full of flavour. They are drizzled with a lemon glaze to add just the right amount of sweetness. The poppy seeds add texture within the muffins, creating a little crunch with each bite.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 18 mins
- Total Time: 33 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Quick Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- zest of one large lemon
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
Glaze (optional)
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons warm water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ËšF. Line a muffin tin with paper cups and set aside.
- In a large bowl add flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In another large bowl add melted butter and sugar, mix until well combined. Next, add yogurt, eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and well incorporated.
- Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently mix just until combined (careful not to overmix as this will create a dense, dry muffin).
- Scoop batter evenly into prepared muffin tins.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for approx. 18 -20 minutes or until the centre of the muffin springs back a little when pressed.
- Let muffins cool on a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile make your glaze. In a small bowl add icing sugar, lemon juice and water. Whisk until smooth. If the glaze is a little thick add 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Drizzle icing over cooled muffins.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 227
- Sugar: 14.4g
- Sodium: 185mg
- Fat: 9.6g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 30.7g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Protein: 4.7g
- Cholesterol: 53mg
FAQ’s
Lemon poppy seed muffins freeze really well. Just place them into an airtight freezer bag or container and take muffins out as you’d like. Let them come to room temperature or soften muffins in the toaster oven (or microwave).
Yes, you can prepare your muffin batter approx. one day ahead and place the batter in the fridge. Then simply follow the baking instructions within the recipe. You can also freeze the batter for up to one month. Let the batter come to room temperature before scooping into muffin tins and make sure not to overmix the batter as it defrosts.
Don’t overmix the batter. Always keep a light hand when mixing your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients. The more you mix the batter the tougher/denser the muffins will be.  Mix the batter until just incorporated! Also, make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature; eggs, dairy, liquid, etc. When all your ingredients are at the same temperature the batter will have an even texture and will rise properly/evenly as it bakes. This will create a light muffin!
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Leave a Rating and Comment!
I love hearing from you! Leave a comment with any questions or how your recipe turned out (your email address will not be published)!
I was elated by these muffins! They rose as a muffin should, in a way mine never have before. Thank you not only for the scrumptious recipe but for the technique for not over mixing them. You can bet I’ll be baking more muffins going forward.
This makes me so happy Katie and happy to hear the tips were useful for you! Can’t wait for you to try more recipes! Happy Baking!