Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable)

Bakery-style lemon and poppy seed muffins with a sparkling sugar top and bright lemon glaze.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
05 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk, room temperature
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil
11 - Zest of 2 lemons
12 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Topping

14 - 2 tablespoons coarse or sparkling sugar

→ Lemon Glaze

15 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, to reach desired consistency

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds, and granulated sugar until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk or buttermilk, melted and cooled butter, vegetable oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until homogenous.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined; stop when streaks of flour disappear to avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Sprinkle the tops with the coarse sugar.
06 - Bake at 400°F for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow the muffins to rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk the sifted powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle the glaze over cooled muffins and allow it to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crackly sugar crust and zippy lemon glaze make every bite feel like bakery magic at home
  • They stay moist and tender for days—if they last that long
02 -
  • Once, I thought more mixing meant fluffier muffins and ended up with dense, sad domes—fold gently and stop as soon as everything’s combined
  • Switching to buttermilk one rainy day made the crumb unbelievably tender; now I always reach for it when I want bakery-level results
03 -
  • Letting the batter sit for five minutes before baking gives muffins an even taller rise
  • For the most aromatic zest, zest your lemons directly over the batter so the oils go right into the mix
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