These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are amazing! My easy recipe uses sour cream for the most tender and moist muffins you”ve ever tasted. With a delicious poppy seed crunch and a ton of citrus flavor from fresh lemon zest and lemon juice, they’re perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. And because I love streusel topping, I’ve added a delicious lemon streusel to these muffins.
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Why This Recipe Will Become Your Go-To Breakfast Treat
I’m so excited to share this lemon muffin recipe with you. Because I love lemon anything, adding this recipe to the blog is a no-brainer. My goal was to come up with a moist citrusy muffin with lots of lemony flavor and I think I got it.
These muffins pack a bright, lemon punch without being overly sweet. Sometimes muffins can be cupcakes in disguise, but not these! I wanted something that felt right for breakfast. And of course, since I love a good crumble topping, I came up with a lemon streusel to top these muffins. The streusel takes these muffins to the next level.
Want even MORE lemon flavor? Try these with my homemade lemon curd! It’s the perfect finishing touch. And if you’re on a muffin kick, check out my banana muffin recipe too.
A Little Bit of Baking Science
If you compare my recipe to similar recipes, you’ll notice I have just a little baking soda. Other recipes have a lot more or none at all. So here is why I have just a little baking soda. The combination of lemon juice, lemon zest, and sour cream creates an acidic batter that inhibits browning. I want some browning on the muffin so I use a little baking soda. Baking soda neutralizes acidity, so I use just 1/4 teaspoon to make sure the lemon flavor really shines through. Trust me, that little bit is all you need for perfectly tender muffins.
Key Ingredients for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Here are the key ingredients for these muffins. Poppy seeds can go rancid, so if that jar or bag in your cabinet has been there a while (about 3 years), I recommend buying fresh poppy seeds.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: For the best results, use fresh-squeezed lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice. You can also use Meyer lemons, but the lemon taste will be less sharp.
- Fresh Lemon Zest: The zest adds a floral flavor. For the best flavor, zest the lemons directly into the sugar and rub the zest into the sugar. Use lemons with a shiny smooth skin.
- Poppy Seeds: If you buy poppy seeds just for this recipe and you don’t normally bake with them, I recommend buying them from the bulk section. That way you get what you need.
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour: Flour provides structure for the muffin. For the best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour. Too much flour will result in dry muffins, and too little will cause them to sink.
- Granulated Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness and moisture. Don’t decrease the amount of sugar otherwise, the muffins will be dry and have a rubbery texture.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: You need both to give these muffins a nice rise. Baking powder can expire, so if it’s been a while since you’ve baked check the expiration date on the package.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter provides moisture and flavor. Use room-temperature butter so it mixes well with the other ingredients.
- Full-Fat Sour Cream: The sour cream provides moisture and a little tang to the muffins. Use room-temperature sour cream. If you add cold sour cream to the batter, you risk resolidifying the butter.
- Large Eggs: Eggs provide moisture, flavor, and structure. They should be at room temperature also.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Step 1: Make the lemon crumble topping and set it aside.
Step 2: Place the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine.
Step 3: Zest the lemons directly into the sugar and use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar.
Step 4: Place the lemon sugar and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until the ingredients are lighter in color and thick.
Step 5: Add the cooled melted butter and whisk until fully incorporated.
Step 6: Whisk in the lemon juice and vanilla extract.
Step 7: Whisk in the sour cream and let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
Step 8: Add half the flour mixture and fold it in with a silicone spatula. Add the remaining flour.
Step 9: Divide the batter between a 12-cup muffin pan lined with paper liners. Sprinkle the lemon streusel on top.
Step 10: Bake the muffins at 400°F then reduce the temperature to 350°F for a total baking time of 18-20 minutes.
The Muffin Method
This recipe uses the muffin method, which means all wet ingredients are combined in one bowl, and dry ingredients are combined in another bowl. The dry ingredients are added to the wet ingredients (or vice versa) and stirred just until combined, creating a tender, light texture by minimizing gluten development.
The instant-read thermometer gives the best indicator of doneness for most baked goods. For muffins, the internal temperature should be 200-205°F (93-96°).
Step 11: Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes
Step 12: Finish cooling the muffins on a wire cooling rack.
Serving Suggestions for These Muffins
These moist lemon poppy seed muffins are good all by themselves, especially while still warm, but I like to eat them with a schmear of butter.
How to Store These Lemon Muffins
The nice thing about these muffins is they will keep for a few days which means you’ll have a nice breakfast or grab-and-go snack for most of the week.
- Room Temperature. Cool the muffins completely and then place them in an airtight container. Store the muffins for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator. Store the muffins in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Bring them to room temperature before eating, or warm slightly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
How to Freeze the Muffins
You can freeze these muffins, but the streusel topping will lose some of its crispness when the muffins thaw. Here are my directions for freezing and thawing these muffins.
- Freeze the Muffins. Cool the muffins completely, then wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap. Place the muffins in a large freezer bag. Label the bag with the date and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the Muffins. Thaw the muffins at room temperature. That will help maintain the crumble. Reheat them in a 350°F to crisp the lemon crumble topping.
Tips for Successfully Making Lemon Muffins
These muffins truly are easy to make and they’re the perfect recipe for the beginning baker, but here are my tips for successfully executing this recipe:
- Use room temperature eggs and sour cream. Room temperature ingredients blend more evenly and create a better emulsion. Room temperature is 65-68°F. Take the eggs out about 60 minutes before baking and the sour cream 30 minutes before.
- Don’t use too many poppy seeds. You may be tempted to add more, but be careful. If too many poppy seeds are added, it overwhelms the lemon flavor and it changes the texture of the muffin.
- Use a kitchen scale. Weighing the flour ensures deliciously consistent results. Weighing the sugar directly into the bowl means you have fewer dirty dishes.
- Use a silicone spatula. When combining wet and dry ingredients, use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, not a whisk or electric mixer.
- Don’t overmix.
More Lemon Poppy Seed Recipes
If you like this combination of lemon (or citrus) and poppy seeds then I recommend these recipes:
If you make these citrusy lemon poppy seed muffins please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Lemon Streusel
These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are amazing! My easy recipe uses sour cream for the most tender and moist muffins you’ve ever tasted. With a delicious poppy seed crunch and a ton of citrus flavor from fresh lemon zest and lemon juice, they’re perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. And because I love streusel topping, I’ve added a delicious lemon streusel to these muffins.
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Batter
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Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Add paper liners to a 12-cup muffin pan.
Make the Lemon Streusel
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Melt the butter over low heat and as soon as it’s almost completely melted take it off the heat. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Zest the lemon directly into the dry ingredients.
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Use your fingers to rub the zest into the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter to the dry ingredients and use a fork to work the butter into the dry ingredients until there are no bits of white flour left, and the streusel forms clumps.
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Place it in the refrigerator while you make the muffin batter.
Make the Lemon Muffin Batter
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Melt the butter over medium low heat and cool until it is barely warm, about 90 degrees F. Crack the eggs into a small bowl.
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Place the all-purpose flour, baking soda, poppy seeds and salt in a bowl and whisk for 30 seconds to combine.
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Place the sugar in a large bowl. Zest the lemons into the same bowl on top of the sugar until you have what appears to be 2 tablespoons. Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar, until the sugar turns yellow and has a sandy texture.
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Add the eggs to the lemon sugar mixture and whisk for about 1 minute until the eggs are thoroughly combined and it’s lighter in color. Whisk in the cool melted butter. Next whisk in the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Let the batter sit for about 5 minutes.
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Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the batter and fold it with a silicone spatula until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. The batter should be lumpy.
Bake the Muffins
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Divide the batter even between the 12 muffin cups (about 69 grams per muffin tin). The muffin cups should be about 3/4 full. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of lemon streusel over each muffin.
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Bake the muffins at 400°F for 5 minutes and then without opening the oven door reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake the muffins for another 12-14 minutes until the internal temperature registers at about 200°F using an instant-read thermometer.
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Remove the muffins from the oven and place the muffin tin on a wire cooling rack. Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then move the muffins to the cooling rack.
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The muffins taste fantastic but if you like a little lemon glaze I’ve given you the perfect recipe.
Store the Muffins
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The muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Warm the muffins in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.
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See the directions in the Recipe Notes for freezing the muffins.
Notes
Freezing Instructions: Cool the muffins completely, then wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap. Place the muffins in a large freezer bag. Label the bag with the date and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the muffins overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for about an hour. Warm the muffins in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or in the oven for 5 minutes at 350°F.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients. Use room-temperature eggs and sour cream. Room temperature ingredients blend more evenly and create a better emulsion. Room temperature is 65-68°F. Take the eggs out about 60 minutes before baking and the sour cream 30 minutes before.
Weigh the Ingredients. Weighing the flour ensures deliciously consistent results, and adding the sugar directly into the bowl means fewer dirty dishes.
Nutrition
Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 286mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2mg