These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are bright, fluffy, and extra lemony. They're incredibly easy to make with sour cream and fresh lemon juice. Instead of making an icing, I brush the tops with fresh lemon juice, and it gives them an amazing pop of freshness.
Looking for more easy muffin recipes? Try my Banana Muffins or Carrot Muffins next!
About This Recipe
I've been meaning to make lemon poppy seed muffins for a while now. When I was gathering the ingredients in my kitchen, I found two bags of unopened poppy seeds in my spice drawer. They had expired. I remember buying them long ago with the intention of making lemon poppy seed muffins, but for some reason, I never got around to it!
Well, that finally changed yesterday afternoon...and I regret not making them sooner... because they turned out fantastic! They were soft, fluffy, and perfectly lemony. At the end of baking, I brushed the muffin tops with some extra lemon juice, and it gave them such a bright and refreshing flavor.
Oh, and FYI, I did go to the grocery store to get new poppy seeds. I planned to share these with my wife's coworkers, so I didn't want them to taste funny. I probably would've just used the expired poppy seeds if it were just for myself.
Key Ingredients
All-purpose flour: Always fluff the flour first, then spoon and level it into a measuring cup. This will ensure you do not end up adding too much flour.
Poppy seeds: Of course, we need some poppy seeds.
Baking powder + baking soda: These give the muffins their rise. The baking soda will react immediately with the lemon juice to provide some initial leavening, while the baking powder will allow them to rise even more during baking.
Sour cream: This is my secret to extra-moist muffins. Most recipes use milk, but I completely replace it with sour cream. I use 14% fat sour cream. You can also use plain yogurt.
Vegetable oil: These give extra moisture to the crumb.
Lemon juice + zest: I use ยผ cup of lemon juice plus the zest to infuse the muffins with extra lemon flavor. I also brush the tops of the muffins with lemon juice to add extra brightness after baking.
Eggs: For moisture and binding the ingredients together.
Vanilla extract: For warm vanilla flavor.
Salt: To enhance all the flavors.
Instructions
STEP 1: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and baking soda together.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, whisk the sour cream, sugar, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
STEP 3: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixtures and mix until JUST combined.
STEP 4: Spoon the batter into the liners to the very top.
STEP 5: Bake at 425ยฐF for 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350ยฐF and bake for another 16โ17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then brush the tops with fresh lemon juice.
๐ Recipe
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour (spooned and levelled)
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ยฝ cup vegetable oil
- ยผ cup fresh lemon juice (plus more for brushing)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425ยฐF and line a 12-cup muffin tray with liners or use baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and baking soda together.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sour cream, sugar, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixtures and mix until JUST combined.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin liners to the very top.
- Bake at 425ยฐF for 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350ยฐF and bake for another 16โ17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then brush the tops with fresh lemon juice.
Leave a Reply