This lemon poppy seed muffin recipe has been a staple at Casa Jones for over 12 years. It is bursting with fresh lemon flavor and they turn out perfectly moist every time. Probably because we dip them in a lemon glaze when they are hot out of the oven, which soaks into each one! If you want an easy muffin recipe to make on the weekend, these make a great breakfast on the go recipe!
My oldest son, who is now 23 and married, loves all things lemon. Growing up, these were his favorite muffins and when I was looking through my oldest posts from 2008, I knew I had to update this Jones family favorite with some new photos and a video.
There are a few things I especially love about this lemon poppy seed muffin recipe. First, the lemon flavor is amazing! Not too strong, but not hidden in any way. I’m sure that amazing lemon glaze doesn’t hurt my obsession with these beauties. Also, I love making these on a weekend and using them for a quick breakfast before school or work paired with some yogurt or fruit. These store wonderfully in an airtight container and actually, I prefer them on day 2 or 3 🙂
How to Make Moist Muffins Every Time
- Do not overmix your batter! I know it is tempting to use a whisk and beat it until smooth, but that is death to all types of quick breads, including pancakes and waffles. Use a rubber spatula and mix just until it come together. Don’t be afraid of lumps or a few streaks of flour.
- Use buttermilk, sour cream , or yogurt. The acidity of these three ingredients helps break down the strands of gluten. Not only do they help with moistness, but also tenderness. Plus, they add another layer of flavor.
- What where and how long you bake your muffins. Bake muffins on the middle rack so they don’t get overbaked on the top or bottom. Also, since every oven is slightly different, watch your muffins closely to know when they are done. Don’t go by time. Go by feel. As soon as you can lightly touch the center of the muffins and the bounce back, take them out and remove them from the pan.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Recipe VIDEO
Looking For More Lemon Recipes?
Lemon Bars 
Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Recipe
Super moist and tender! These delicious muffins are perfect for a breakfast on the go.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
Ingredients
Muffin
2/3 cup sugar
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line 12 muffins tins with paper liners.
- Mix sugar and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Rub them together between your palms until the sugar is coated in the oil from the lemon zest. Add the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Mix together.
- Whisk together sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, and melted butter until smooth. Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the wet, and use a rubber spatula to fold it together just until it comes together. Do not overmix or you will end up with dry, rubbery muffins.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin tins and bake for 16-18 minutes, just until the tops are set and bounce back when lightly touched.
- Prepare glaze by mixing powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. Dip tops of hot muffins into the glaze, then set aside to cool completely before serving. Muffins store well in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 246
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 111 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
Keywords: easy muffin recipe, breakfast on the go
Holly Savage says
Love the tree! It’s beautiful. I’ll have to give those mufffins a try, I think we’ll love them.
Anonymous says
Hi Carole,
These are fantastic. Thank you!
I have made them twice since you posted this. I am sure you wouldn’t have wanted a call at 5:30 am when I was stirring these together and I had a question about how much flour to add. Thank goodness you referenced Dorie G…I looked it up. Hello to Don. Betsy Roesler
Carole says
Thanks Betsy! Flour would be a slightly important ingredient 🙂 I’ll make the correction!!!
Nina says
Love your tree…oh, I miss Marshall sometimes. Your tree makes me miss Marshall. There is a great Holiday Christmas Classic station on itunes for free that we love to listen to also. Happy Christmas time!
Don says
These are still my favorite after all these years! The glaze on top is killer!
Mine too! It is hard to just eat one 🙂