Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable Version)
Moist, zesty muffins infused with fresh lemon and crunchy poppy seeds. Perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea.
# Ingredient List:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tbsp poppy seeds
04 - 2 tsp baking powder
05 - ½ tsp baking soda
06 - ¼ tsp salt
→ Wet Ingredients
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - ¾ cup whole milk
09 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
11 - Zest of 2 lemons
12 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
# Step-by-Step Instructions:
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 evenly 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. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined—do not overmix. Small lumps are acceptable and will ensure 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 golden brown.
07 - Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Tips from hearthlykitchen:
01 -
- The texture is incredibly moist without being dense or heavy, which took me dozens of attempts to finally get right
- Fresh lemon juice and zest create this bright, wake-you-up flavor that artificial extract can never quite capture
02 -
- Overmixing creates tough, rubbery muffins, so I literally count to ten and stop even if it still looks a bit lumpy
- Fresh lemon juice reacts with baking soda immediately, so have your oven ready before you mix wet and dry ingredients together
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients combine more easily and create a more uniform texture, so set everything out about 30 minutes before you start
- Zest your lemons before juicing them, or you'll make the whole process frustratingly difficult