These lemon poppy seed muffins are tart and tender with a bright burst of citrus and a crunch from the poppy seeds. They are a perfect morning treat!

You know if you take a quick bread recipe and make it into muffins, then it is perfectly acceptable to eat them for breakfast, right?! At least in our house it is! And these are a great breakfast!

6 lemon poppy seed muffins with lemon glaze. There are two lemons in the background.

I am a lover of all things lemon, especially in baked goods. And these muffins are perfect for breakfast on-the-go or brunch with friends! Have I mentioned that they are topped with a luscious glaze? You’re going to love them!

Sometimes I feel like I need to be a lemon spokesperson. That little tart guy often gets forgotten about in a world full of chocolate (hello Nutella stuff double chocolate banana muffins!), but sometimes I just crave that bright lemon flavor! These muffins totally satisfy that craving!

I’ll let some of my favorite lemon treats speak for themselves! I mean, lemon poppy seed bundt cake, classic lemon bars, and sweet glazed lemon cookies, just to name a few!

A lemon glazed lemon poppy seed muffin with the paper liner peeled back. there is another muffin in the background.

Ingredients for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Your grocery list for these muffins is exactly what you would expect. No surprises. Just good ol’ baked good ingredients. Head down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Poppy Seeds
  • Baking Powder
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt
  • Sour Cream
  • Whole Milk
  • Vanilla
  • Almond Extract
  • Lemon
  • Eggs
  • Canola Oil

Lemon Glaze

  • Powdered Sugar
  • Whole Milk
  • Almond Extract
  • Lemon Juice
  • Coarse Sugar

Lemon poppy seed muffins sitting on a wire cooling rack. They have a lemon glaze on top.

How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Here is what you do…combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients, bake, glaze, consume. That’s it! Ok, here’s a little more detail…

Muffins

  1. Preheat oven line muffins tins .
  2. Whisk together all the dry ingredients.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together until just combined.
  5. Fill the muffin tins.
  6. Bake.

Glaze

  1. Whisk together all the ingredients.
  2. Brush onto muffins and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

For the full details, head down to the recipe card below.

A lemon poppy seed muffin that is broken in half. You can see the poppy seeds in the muffin.

Tips for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

There are couple tips we learned while testing this recipe that are going to make these muffins fantastic.

  • When combining the wet and dry ingredients, do not over mix the batter!
  • Fill the muffin tins or liners all the way full, this will allow the yummy muffin top to form.
  • Place the muffins in a 400 degree oven, close the door, and then immediately lower the temp to 375. This will create a tall rise on the muffins.
  • You can replace the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt if you want a healthier alternative.

Can You Freeze Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins?

Muffins freeze well. Allow muffins to cool completely, then place them on a pan in the freezer for 2 hours.

When they are frozen, transfer the muffins to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

A lemon poppy seed muffin that has the paper liner peeled back. The muffin is glazed with a lemon glaze and there is another muffin and a lemon, a container of poppy seeds in the background.

How Do You Reheat Muffins?

Reheat in a microwave for 30-40 seconds, or reheat in a 400 degree oven.  Wrap muffins in foil and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Are Poppy Seeds Good For You?

Poppy seeds are a rich source of essential minerals including calcium and iron.

Poppy seeds are also known to relieve exhaustion and decrease anxiety.

 

If you are looking for a light and tender muffin for breakfast that is easy to prepare and topped with a bright lemon glaze, then these lemon poppy seed muffins are for you! Move over all you chocolate muffins, these lemon dreams are here to stay!

More Delicious Muffin Recipes:

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

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Servings: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Muffins

  • 3 Cups Flour
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Poppy Seeds
  • 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/4 Cups Sour Cream
  • 1/4 Cup Whole Milk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 teaspoons Almond Extract
  • 1 Lemon, zested
  • 2 Eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 Cup Canola oil

Lemon Glaze

  • 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Whole Milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract
  • Lemon Juice, from 1/2 lemon
  • Sugar, Coarse, for topping

Instructions

For The Muffins

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line muffins tins with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, combine sour cream, zest, milk, vanilla, almond, eggs, and oil.  
  • Carefully pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined using a rubber spatula in a folding motion. Do not over stir!  Batter will be thick due to the sour cream.  Fill muffin tin wells full with batter and place in the oven  Immediately lower the temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  

For The Glaze

  • While muffins are baking, make your glaze by whisking together ingredients.  If you want a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar or less milk.  Brush onto muffins when they come out of the oven and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.

Notes

Store in a covered container, or in a zip lock bag at room temperature for 1-2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 355kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 5gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 177mgPotassium: 208mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 197IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 2mg
Author: Sweet Basil
Course: Yeast Bread Recipes and Quick Bread Recipes

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6 lemon poppy seed muffins with lemon glaze. There are two lemons in the background.

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