Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Christmas Eve morning the Hubs and I took a last-minute drive to Sauder’s to pick up a few items, while we were there I saw poppy seeds and instantly started craving Lemon Poppy seed muffins, and maybe salad dressing, but mostly muffins.
But first, hi there!
How were your holidays? I swear I blinked and they were over!
We spent a lot of time with friends and family. I said I was going to take a break from the blog, and then I lied and posted 3 more times, AND totally changed the look of my site. I am still not done with the site refresh, but I am much happier with this new layout. I have close to 300 posts on this site, and I think it is 1000 times easier to find stuff now!
Speaking of 1,000…The Home in the Finger Lakes Facebook page has hit 1,000 “likes”!!!
Seriously, this is awesome, thank you so much for all your kind comments, questions, and ideas!
Ok, back to the Lemon Poppyseed Muffins.
I really, really dislike bland lemon flavoring in baked goods, and I run across this a lot.
But not here! With the zest and juice of 3 lemons, these muffins are practically bursting with lemony flavor. But don’t worry, these will not make you pucker, the lemon is perfectly balanced by granulated and brown sugar. The sweet-tart muffins are studded with crunchy poppy seeds that add just the right finishing touch.
These Lemon Poppyseed Muffins start out in a high oven. 425°F is pretty high for a baked good but this ensures your muffins get that pretty little crown on top, and we all know the best part of the muffin is the top 🙂 You will only bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°, and then drop the temperature in the oven down to 375°F. Because all ovens are different, I recommend you keep a close eye on your muffins while they bake. I have used this method for baking muffins 3 times now, and I have found I get best results if I rotate the muffins halfway through the reduced cooking temperature.
I debated on either or not I wanted to put a simple lemon glaze on these muffins. They don’t need any additional flavor, they are wonderful just as they are. But if you are feeling a little more indulgent I am sure a drizzle of glaze would be absolutely fabulous.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
- juice and zest of 3 medium lemons
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and poppy seeds until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, together until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition. Whisk in the sour cream or Greek yogurt and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix together until no pockets of dry ingredients remain. Do not overmix. This will be a very thick batter .
- Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling them all the way to the top. Sprinkle each with turbinado sugar. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C). Keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue to bake for 10-13 minutes longer until tops are lightly golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Notes
Muffins stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Make ahead tip:
For longer storage, freeze muffins for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, pop them in an oven preheated to 350 degrees on a cookie tray covered with tinfoil and heat for 10 minutes, then uncovered for another 3-5 minutes.
Recipe inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction