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Lemon poppy seed muffins drizzled with lemon glaze on a platter, with a halved muffin showing its soft interior and fresh lemons in the background.
Inga

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Soft and moist lemon poppy seed muffins made with Greek yogurt, melted butter, and fresh lemon zest, finished with a sweet lemon glaze. An easy homemade treat for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Muffins

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour 313 g
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds 18 g
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 245 g
  • ⅓ cup milk 80 ml
  • ½ cup butter melted and slightly cooled (113 g)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 15 ml
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml

For the Lemon Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar 120 g
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 30 ml

Equipment

  • Standard 12-cup muffin pan
  • Paper muffin liners
  • Two mixing bowls
  • Small bowl for the glaze
  • Whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Fine grater or Microplane
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Kitchen scale
  • Wire cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Prepare the oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.
  3. Make the lemon sugar. In a large bowl, rub the granulated sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until fragrant and slightly damp.
  4. Add the wet ingredients. Add the Greek yogurt, milk, melted and slightly cooled butter, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the lemon sugar. Whisk until well combined.
  5. Combine the mixtures. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. Avoid overmixing.
  6. Fill and bake. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin liners. Bake for 15–17 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Cool. Let the muffins rest in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Prepare the glaze. Stir the powdered sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl until smooth and free of lumps. If needed, adjust with a little more powdered sugar to thicken or a few drops of lemon juice to thin.
  9. Glaze and serve. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins. Let it set before serving or storing.

Notes

  • Measuring flour: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off, or use a kitchen scale.
  • Lemon zest: Grate only the yellow skin, avoiding the bitter white pith.
  • Butter: Unsalted butter lets you control the salt level. Let the melted butter cool slightly before adding it to the eggs.
  • Greek yogurt: Plain full-fat Greek yogurt works especially well. An equal amount of sour cream can be substituted.
  • Baking time: Start checking at 15 minutes to avoid overbaking.
  • Storage: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
  • Freezing: Wrap unglazed muffins individually and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw, then add fresh glaze.
  • Nutrition: Estimated using unsalted butter, whole milk, full-fat Greek yogurt, and all of the glaze.