Bakery-style Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Recipe with fresh lemon flavor, a soft crumb, and a simple glaze. Made in just one bowl, this recipe is as easy as it is delicious.
author’s note
The Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins I Could Never Forget!
Years ago my sister worked at the cutest little bakery that my whole family became obsessed with. Anytime I stopped in to see her, I’d leave with something new to try. Over the years I’ve slowly recreated several of our favorites at home, like their turkey bacon avocado sandwich and salad, bread pudding, and French toast.
One day I realized I was craving one of their lemon muffins and it hit me that I had never tried recreating those bakery-style lemon poppy seed muffins. That immediately sent me into the kitchen to start testing.
After several batches and a few tweaks, this Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Recipe tasted even better than I remembered. Soft, moist muffins with the best lemon flavor and tall bakery-style tops, finished with a sweet lemon glaze. Now when that craving hits, I can make them right at home.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Recipe Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps or Helpful Tips |
|---|---|
| Greek yogurt | I love Greek Gods’ full-fat honey-vanilla yogurt. Full-fat sour cream works too. |
| Lemon zest | Always zest the lemon before juicing. |
| Lemon extract | Optional but highly recommended for stronger lemon flavor. |
| Vegetable oil | Canola oil works just as well. |
| Whole milk | Any milk works, but whole milk gives the richest texture. |
| Cornstarch | Arrowroot will work as a sub. |
| Poppy seeds | Stir well so they distribute evenly in the batter. |
How To Make This Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Recipe
- Prep: Let eggs, yogurt, and milk reach room temp.
- Wet Ingredients: Whisking well here helps create a light, fluffy texture.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add dry to wet and be sure to not over-mix.
- Stir in Milk: Pour in milk and stir until smooth.
- Fill Muffin Pan: Use a ¼ cup measure for evenly sized muffins.
- Bake: Ovens vary—start checking at 18 mins. Let cool.
- Make & Add Glaze: Glaze only what you’ll eat that day.
Reader’s Notes & Tips
My Top Tips For Success
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for a stronger lemon flavor.
- Mix until just combined to keep muffins soft and fluffy.
- Insert a toothpick in the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, they’re done. If wet, bake a few minutes longer.
- Take lemon poppy seed muffin recipe out of the tin soon after baking so the bottoms don’t get soggy; cool on a rack.
Storage
Store this lemon poppy seed muffin recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week; for longer storage, freeze and consume within 1-3 months.
More Muffin Recipes:
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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup honey vanilla Greek yogurt at room temperature; or use sour cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
- 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons milk at room temperature; I use whole
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Coarse sparkling sugar optional
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 lemon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously coat a muffin pan with cooking spray. Measure and set out your eggs, yogurt, and milk to reach room temperature (see note 1). Zest the lemons with a zester to get 1 tablespoon lemon zest and juice with a citrus juicer to get 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
- In a large bowl, combine all the wet ingredients except the milk. Whisk until smooth and well-blended.
- Over the wet ingredients, evenly sprinkle the flour, then layer on the other dry ingredients. Gently mix everything together with a spatula until just combined, ensuring there are no dry streaks.
- Pour in the milk and mix until smooth and incorporated.
- Spoon batter into a 1/4 cup measuring cup to perfectly fill it to the top. Then scoop that batter out into each muffin cavity. This should yield about 14 muffins. Optional: sprinkle 1/4 up to 1/2 tsp coarse sparkling sugar atop each muffin. Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Once baked, remove the muffins from the oven. Allow them to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. After that, gently remove the muffins and place them on a cooling rack. Let them cool for an additional 10–15 minutes.
- Glaze: Whisk together glaze ingredients, adding lemon juice gradually until you have a thick glaze. Transfer to a plastic bag and seal. Cut off the tip and pipe over the muffins. Glaze only the muffins you want to enjoy the same day!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
