Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

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Soft and fluffy lemon poppy seed muffins drizzled with a tangy lemon icing are a ‘must bake’ for any lemon fan.

This easy one bowl recipe combines crunchy poppyseeds with a soft lemon muffin. With zesty lemon in every bite, these simple muffins are based on my popular lemon poppy seed cake and take just 10 minutes to prepare!

Adding poppyseeds to the muffins adds a slight crunch and very mild flavour, and just like these orange poppyseed muffins, sweet lemon and poppy seed muffins are always popular.

Baking with yoghurt adds moisture and gives the lemon muffins a soft and tender texture, same as this delicious lemon and yogurt loaf.

Looking for more muffin variations to choose from?

From fruity raspberry and white chocolate muffins to strawberry banana muffins, healthy chocolate banana muffins to decadent double chocolate muffins, I’m sure t is a muffin for everyone!

Why You’re Going To Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy recipe – this one bowl recipe takes just 10 minutes to prepare.
• Full of lemon flavour – with lemon zest running through the muffin, and a simple lemon icing glaze, you get that sweet and fragrant, zesty lemon flavour in every bite!
• These muffins freeze really well – and thaw quickly, meaning you can add them to a lunch box or bring out for after school.
• Conventional and Thermomix – you can make these poppy seed muffins using either method, both are included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

What You Need

These muffins are a delicious and easy lemon recipe made with basic baking ingredients.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

• Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter to make these muffins. However if you only have salted butter, this will also be fine to use, just omit adding salt.
• Caster sugar – also known as superfine sugar. It has finer sugar grains than granulated sugar and tfore dissolves quicker, giving the muffins a better texture.
• Eggs – it is best to use eggs at room temperature. I recommend using large (60g) eggs.
• Vanilla extract – or you can use vanilla essence or vanilla paste if you prefer.
• Yoghurt – Greek yogurt is a thick yoghurt containing little or no sugar. It adds moisture to the muffin and makes them soft. Use plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt.
• Lemon juice – use either freshly squeezed lemon juice or store bought lemon juice. 
• Plain flour – also known as all-purpose flour.
• Salt.
• Baking powder – this leavening (raising) agent helps the muffins rise.
• Bicarbonate of soda – also known as baking soda, like baking powder this helps the muffins rise.
• Poppy seeds – these seeds are subtle in flavour and add a lovely crunch to the muffins.
• Lemon zest – the finely grated yellow part of the lemon.

For the lemon glaze

• Icing sugar – use pure icing sugar not soft icing sugar so that the glaze will set firmer.
• Lemon juice – if you don’t have fresh lemons on hand then store bought juice is cheap and convenient.

Equipment Required 

You can make these easy muffins by hand using a bowl and spoon, or use a hand mixer, stand mixer or Thermomix.

• 12 hole muffin tray and paper muffin cases.
• Oven – I specify fan-forced oven temperatures in my recipes, so if you have a conventional oven, increase the temperature by between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.

Step By Step Instructions 

For a fresh and light lunch box treat, these easy lemon muffins take just minutes to prepare!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Step 1 – Prepare The Wet Ingredients

Firstly, preheat your oven and line your muffin tin with paper muffin cases.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and Greek yoghurt and beat until combined.

Add the lemon juice and beat until combined.

Step 2 – Add The Dry Ingredients

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in to the wet ingredients.

Add the poppy seeds and lemon zest to the mix.

Mix the batter until just combined. Don’t over mix – it doesn’t matter if t are some lumps in the muffin batter.

Step 3 – Bake

Using a spoon or an ice cream scoop, divide the batter evenly between the 12 lined muffin tins.

Place in the preheated oven and bake until the muffins spring back when touched lightly in the centre.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4 – Glaze The Muffins

To make the lemon glaze, mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the top of the cooled muffins.

Expert Tips

• Have your eggs, butter and yoghurt at room temperaure for the best result.
• For the zest, you only want the yellow part of the lemon skin, the white bit underneath known as the pith, tastes bitter so you want to avoid adding it to your muffins.
• Be careful not to over mix your batter – gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stopping as soon as it just comes together. A few pockets of flour in the batter is fine. Over mixing may result in tougher, more dense muffins.
• For fluffy and moist lemon muffins – try not to overcook the muffins. The muffins are cooked when they spring back when you press gently on the top of them.
• Pure icing sugar is recommended for a light lemon glaze, as soft icing sugar will not firm up enough.
• Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days – if they last that long!

FAQs

Do poppy seeds add flavour to baked goods?

Yes! Poppy seeds add a mild, nutty flavour to muffins, cakes and other baked goods. I definitely recommend using them in these muffins for their texture and flavour, but you could omit them if you don’t have them on hand.

Can I freeze poppyseed lemon muffins?

Yes, the muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, allow them to cool completely then wrap them individually in cling wrap, then store in an airtight container – this prevents freezer burn. Muffins will thaw within a couple of hours.

How do you zest a lemon?

Look for a lemon with no blemishes if possible, then wash very well to remove any wax. Place the zester or fine grater on a board and firmly push the lemon down the rough side of the grater, gently rotating as you bring the lemon up. You only want the top layer of the lemon skin, not the white part underneath as that tastes bitter.

Love zesty lemon recipes as much as I do?

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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Soft and fluffy lemon poppy seed muffins drizzled with a tangy lemon icing are a ‘must bake’ for any lemon fan. This one bowl mix takes only 10 mnutes prep time!

Course: Snack, sweet
Cuisine: Muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 serves
Calories: 267kcal

Ingredients

1. 125 g butter softened to room temperature
2. 165 g (¾ cup) caster sugar
3. 2 eggs room temperature
4. 2 tsp vanilla extract
5. 130 g (½ cup) greek yoghurt
6. 30 g (2 tbsp) lemon juice
7. 200 g (1 ½ cups) plain flour
8. pinch of salt
9. 1 tsp baking powder
10. ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
11. 2 tbsp poppy seeds
12. finely grated zest from 2 lemons (or 1 large lemon)

For the lemon glaze

1. 150 g (1 cup) icing sugar pure icing sugar
2. 30 g (2 tbsp) lemon juice

Instructions

Conventional Method

1. Preheat oven to 200° C (fan-forced) or 390 degrees fahrenheit. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin cases.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between additions.
3. Add the vanilla extract and greek yoghurt and beat until combined.
4. Add the lemon juice and beat until combined.
5. Fold through the sifted plain flour, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, poppyseeds and lemon zest until just combined (be careful not to over mix- the mixture can still be a little lumpy).
6. Spoon into the prepared muffin cases.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until they spring back when touched lightly in the centre.
8. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. To make the lemon glaze, mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the top of the cooled muffins.

Thermomix Method

1. Preheat oven to 200° C (fan-forced) or 390 degrees fahrenheit. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin cases.
2. Place the plain flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into the Thermomix bowl. Press Turbo 5-10 times to sift. Remove from the bowl and set aside until needed.
3. Place the butter and sugar into the Thermomix bowl. Mix for 30 seconds, Speed 4. Scrape down the bowl and repeat for a further 2 times, until pale and creamy.
4. Reduce to Speed 2 and add the eggs one at a time through the MC hole while the blades are turning.
5. Replace the MC and mix for a further 20 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. Add the vanilla extract, greek yoghurt and lemon juice and mix for 20 seconds, Speed 4.
7. Add the flour mix, poppyseeds and lemon zest and mix for 15 seconds, Speed 5 (using the spatula through the MC hole to help mix).
8. Spoon into the prepared muffin cases.
9. Bake for 15 minutes or until they spring back when touched lightly in the centre. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. To make the lemon glaze, mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the top of the cooled muffins.

Notes

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

• Oven temperature – I specify fan-forced oven temperatures in my recipes, so if you have a conventional oven, increase the temperature by between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.
• Use room temperature ingredients for the best result.
• For lemon zest, you only want the yellow part of the lemon skin, the white bit underneath known as the pith, tastes bitter so you want to avoid adding it to your muffins.
• Be careful not to over mix your batter – gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stopping as soon as it just comes together. A few pockets of flour in the batter is fine. Over mixing may result in tougher, more dense muffins
• For fluffy and moist lemon muffins – try not to overcook the muffins. The muffins are cooked when they spring back when you press gently on the top of them.
• Lemon juice – use either freshly squeezed or store bought juice. 
• Storing – store the muffins in an airtight container for 3-4 days. They can be frozen for up to 3 months, by wrapping individually in cling wrap and then placing into an airtight container.

Recipe by CookGoodRecipes.com

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg