Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Homemade Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins can play triple duty as a brunch menu addition, snack recipe, or spring dessert idea. Tangy yet sweet, this easy muffin recipe is one of my most popular muffin recipes ever.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Cooling Time 15

Total Time 55

Servings muffins

Calories 153kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

For the muffins:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (see note 1)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon lemon zest (see note 2)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled

For the glaze:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the muffins:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners and coat with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1 cup sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a second bowl, whisk together yogurt, eggs, and lemon zest. Fold yogurt mixture into flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Carefully fold in melted butter.
Using a greased 1/3-cup dry measuring cup, divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, about 25 to 30 minutes. Rotate muffin tin halfway through.
Let muffins cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and brush with glaze (instructions follow).

To make the glaze:

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and lemon juice. Cook until thickened and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Brush warm syrup on slightly cooled muffins. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Plain yogurt: In addition to a stick of melted butter and a couple eggs, this is the key element to yielding a remarkably moist crumb.
Lemon zest and juice: Zest the citrus for the muffin batter, then slice it open to juice for the glaze.
Yield: This recipe makes 24 regular-sized muffins, ideal for a brunch buffet, a weekday breakfast with yogurt or eggs, in a basket as a food gift for a host, new parent, or neighbor, or even as a just-sweet-enough dessert.
Storage: Store Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Freezer: Allow unglazed Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins to cool, then wrap in 2 layers of plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, then glaze and enjoy.

Nutrition