Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable)

Moist, zesty muffins with fresh lemon and crunchy poppy seeds—ready in 35 minutes.

# What You 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 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly with butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix—a few small lumps should remain for tender muffins.
05 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
06 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden.
07 - Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is incredibly moist with these delightful little crunches throughout that keep every bite interesting
  • They come together in under 40 minutes but taste like something from a fancy bakery
02 -
  • Overmixing will make these tough and rubbery, stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together much better than cold ones do
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before cutting them to make sure you don't lose any of those precious oils
  • Use a ice cream scoop for perfectly portioned batter and less mess