Lemon poppyseed muffins are filled with fresh lemon flavor and have a soft, tender crumb. Perfect for a midday snack or breakfast treat.
Whether its my sourdough lemon cake, fermented lemonade, or sourdough lemon bread, we can’t get enough of lemon flavor at the farmhouse. These muffins are no exception.
Lemon poppy seed muffins are bright, fresh, and full of citrus. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and sour. (Check out my sourdough version here.)
Enjoy them as a side with a savory breakfast dish, like my ground beef sausage or sweet potato hash or as a grab-and-go breakfast for busy mornings.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Bakery-style muffins at home – With a few simple pantry staples, you can enjoy a bakery muffin in the comfort of your own kitchen. It really feels like a special treat paired with my iced lavender latte.
Bright citrus flavor – Fresh lemon zest and juice combine for bursts of citrus flavor in every bite.
Simple lemon glaze – All you need are three ingredients to create a perfect lemon glaze that pairs well with the crunchy poppy seeds. You could also add a layer of lemon buttercream for more of a dessert-style muffin.
Ingredients
Fresh lemon juice – I use organic lemons. Some people prefer to use Meyer lemons because they have a lightly sweeter flavor.
Greek yogurt – If needed, you can substitute sour cream.
Almond extract – Almond extract is optional but helps create a stronger lemon flavor.
Olive oil – Olive oil can be replaced with any neutral oil or melted butter to keep a moist texture in the baked muffins.
Milk – You can substitute coconut milk, but it will add a slight coconut flavor.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers. This helps release the oils in the zest and intensifies the lemon flavor.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: In a separate large bowl, add the lemon sugar mixture. Whisk in the Greek yogurt, olive oil, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth.
Step 4: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold a few times.
Step 5: Add the poppy seeds to the muffin batter and continue folding just until combined with no streaks of flour. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 6: Line a 12 muffin cups with small muffin papers or spray with cooking spray. This recipe makes 12 small muffins or 9 larger muffins. For even sizing, measure about 70 grams of batter per muffin liner. Divide batter into the prepared muffin tin.
Sep 7: Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 8: Allow the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack. Once at room temperature, you can ice the muffin tops. Just before icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the muffins or spread it on with a knife to “flood” the tops.
Tips
- Mix the batter just until combined. Overmixing can result in dense, dry muffins. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Adjust the icing consistency by adding a few more drops of milk (thinner) or more powdered sugar (thicker).
- Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Transfer to the refrigerator for longer storage.
- Make jumbo muffins the first time, then the next time try mini muffins for easy, bite sized treats!
Recipe FAQs
Poppy seeds add a lovely texture and light crunch to baked goods like muffins and cakes. You can even use them in a lemon quick bread.
I used 1/4 cup of lemon juice for bright, lemon flavor.
No, you do not need to soak poppy seeds before baking.
More Muffin Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Healthy & Delicious Morning Glory Muffins
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins Recipe
- Sourdough Blueberry Muffins
- Chocolate Einkorn Protein Muffins
- Sourdough Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Lemon Sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil, or neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Icing
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers. This helps release the oils in the zest and intensifies the lemon flavor.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the lemon sugar mixture. Whisk in the Greek yogurt, olive oil, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold a few times. Add the poppy seeds and continue folding just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with small muffin papers. This recipe makes 12 small muffins or 9 larger muffins. For even sizing, measure about 70 grams of batter per muffin liner.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool completely. Just before icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the muffins or spread it on with a knife to “flood” the tops.
Notes
- Mix the batter just until combined. Over-mixing can result in dense muffins. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Adjust the icing consistency by adding a few drops of milk (thinner) or powdered sugar (thicker).
- Almond extract is optional but adds depth to the lemon flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These lemon poppyseed muffins are heavenly!! They are the perfect treat to enjoy!