Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Print version)

Moist muffins with zesty lemon and crunchy poppy seeds, finished with a sweet lemon glaze.

# What you need:

→ Muffins

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
03 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from approximately 2 lemons)
04 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 3/4 cup whole milk
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
11 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Lemon Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, lemon zest, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, melted butter, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
06 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth and pourable.
09 - Drizzle glaze over cooled muffins before serving.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The lemon flavor is so bright it wakes up your whole morning without being too sweet.
  • Poppy seeds add a gentle crunch that makes every bite feel a little more interesting.
  • The glaze soaks in just enough to keep the tops glossy and the crumb moist for days.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step for the melted butter or you'll end up with scrambled eggs in your batter.
  • Use fresh lemon juice for the glaze, bottled juice makes it taste artificial and flat.
  • Fill the cups evenly so they all bake at the same rate and none of them spill over the edges.
03 -
  • Zest the lemons before you juice them, it's nearly impossible to zest a lemon half.
  • Let the glaze sit for a minute after mixing so any lumps dissolve completely.
  • If your muffins dome unevenly, your oven might have hot spots, try rotating the pan halfway through baking.

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