Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Print)

Bright, bakery-style muffins with zesty lemon, crunchy poppy seeds, sparkling sugar tops and a silky lemon glaze.

# Components:

→ 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, room temperature (or buttermilk)
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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and granulated sugar until evenly combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk (or buttermilk), melted 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 just until streaks of flour disappear; avoid overmixing to preserve a tender crumb.
05 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Sprinkle the tops with the coarse sugar.
06 - Bake 16 to 18 minutes at 400°F, or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Let the muffins cool 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 in a small bowl until smooth and pourable; adjust liquid to achieve a thick but drizzleable consistency.
09 - Drizzle the glaze over completely cooled muffins and allow it to set before serving.

# Chef Secrets:

01 -
  • The bakery-style domes and sparkly sugar crust make them look and taste fancy, but they come together with little fuss.
  • The punchy lemon glaze gives every bite a zing that keeps you reaching for one more muffin.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter once the wet hits the dry is a guaranteed way to end up with tough muffins – stop as soon as the last streak disappears.
  • Using fresh lemon juice and zest (never bottled) makes an almost shocking difference in how lively the muffins taste.
03 -
  • Weighing your flour instead of scooping packs in less and yields fluffier muffins.
  • Popping the filled pan into a hot oven guarantees those perfect, domed bakery tops.
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