prep time: 30 min | bake time: 15 min | total time: 2.5 hrs
These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are soft, fluffy, and packed with fresh lemon flavor, with little pops of crunch from the poppy seeds. They’re naturally eggless and can easily be made dairy-free, making them a great option for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat.
The lemon zest is what really makes these muffins shine. I rub it into the sugar before mixing the batter, which releases the lemon oils and gives the muffins a bright, fresh lemon flavor throughout.
They’re simple to make, but a few small techniques like resting the batter and starting with a high oven temperature help give them those tall, fluffy muffin tops.
Rub the sugar and fresh lemon zest together with your fingers until fragrant. This releases the natural oils from the zest and gives the muffins a stronger lemon flavor.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, lemon juice, and yogurt until smooth. Add the lemon sugar, oil, and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and gently whisk until just combined. Fold in the poppy seeds.
Don’t overmix the batter, mix just until there are no large pockets of flour.
Cover the batter and let it rest at room temperature for 30 – 45 minutes. This gives the flour time to hydrate and helps create taller, fluffier muffins.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a muffin pan with liners. Fill each liner to the rim with batter and sprinkle with extra poppy seeds and sugar, if desired.
Bake at 400°F for 7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 8–10 minutes, or until the muffins are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
These muffins are easy to make dairy-free with a few simple swaps. Use an unsweetened plant-based milk such as Oatly, Silk Soymilk, or Almond Breeze, and replace the yogurt with a plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt such as Kite Hill or So Delicious.
The rest of the ingredients are naturally dairy-free, but always check the labels of packaged ingredients if you need the recipe to be completely dairy-free.
Rub the lemon zest into the sugar: This releases the natural lemon oils and gives the muffins a stronger lemon flavor.
Rest the batter: Don’t skip the 30–45 minute rest. It helps hydrate the flour and encourages a better rise.
Fill the liners: Fill the muffin liners to the rim for taller muffin tops.
Start with a hot oven: The initial 400°F gives the muffins a quick burst of heat to help them rise before the temperature is lowered.
Don’t overmix: Once the flour is added, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make muffins dense.
Use fresh lemons: Fresh zest and juice make a noticeable difference in the flavor.
Yes. Use an unsweetened dairy-free milk and plain dairy-free yogurt. Oat or soy milk are both good options for baking.
Yes! This recipe is naturally eggless, so you don’t need an egg replacer.
Fresh lemon juice is best for this recipe. Since the muffins also use lemon zest, fresh lemons give you a much brighter, more natural lemon flavor.
Rubbing the zest into the sugar releases the lemon’s natural oils, which gives the muffins a stronger lemon aroma and flavor.
Yes. Let the muffins cool completely, then place them in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. For longer storage, freeze them.
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6 Responses
hello Saloni
lemon blueberry cake turns out awesome just quick one why there is difference in sugar measurement between cupcakes n cake recipe and no cornstarch in lemon cupcakes
,
Can i make Cake from this recipe instead of Muffins
Hi there! Can you use Greek yoghurt for this please? X
Hi Wemi,
Yes, absolutely you can use greek yogurt!
delicious recipes
all fool proof
comes out sooo good and yummyyyy
Hi Shaik
Thank you for the feedback!