Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

These lemon poppy seed muffins come out perfect every time, moist inside and gorgeous outside with domed, bakery-style tops. I tested and perfected my muffin recipes for 6 months so I could give you these foolproof steps to perfect muffins!

Want to save this recipe?

Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email *

Save Recipe

These are the Best Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

There is nothing like pulling warm muffins out of the oven at home, filling your kitchen with the smell of homemade muffins! Lemon poppyseed muffins had to make it into my collection of muffin recipes.

Packed full of zesty lemon flavor, these poppy seed muffins make the perfect breakfast, afternoon snack, or my favorite – the late night snack! Muffins are good any time of day or night, and the perfect lemon poppy seed muffin, made with fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest, will make your day a little brighter!

The tartness of the lemon in this lemon poppy seed muffin recipe pairs perfectly with the nutty flavor of the poppy seeds. The crunchy poppy seeds also add a nice texture to these tender muffins. Not only are these delicious muffins, but I’m sharing all my best tips for creating gorgeous bakery-style muffin tops below. Happy Baking!

Why You’ll Love These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

• Perfect any-time food
• Best flavor with fresh lemons
• Can be made ahead and frozen
• Beautiful bakery style muffins

What You’ll Need for Bakery Style Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

These simple ingredients make the best lemon poppy seed muffins! Keep scrolling to get the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.

• All purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Poppy seeds
• Large eggs
• Buttermilk
• Butter: Make sure it’s melted and cooled
• Lemon zest: Fresh lemon zest is best
• Fresh lemon juice: Juice from fresh lemons is best for a stronger lemon flavor!

How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

These easy lemon poppy seed muffins look like they came from a bakery, but are so easy to make! Get the entire recipe in the recipe card below.

Note: This recipe requires that the batter rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.  I cannot guarantee the same results if the batter doesn’t rest for 30 minutes in the fridge. 

1. Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Stir with a spoon to combine and set aside.
2. Combine wet ingredients. In a larger mixing bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, melted and cooled butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir to combine with a fork or spatula for 30 seconds. 
3. Combine all ingredients. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing by hand just until combined. The batter will be very thick!
4. Let batter rest. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge. I cannot guarantee the same results if the batter doesn’t rest for 30 minutes in the fridge. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
5. Add batter to muffin tin. For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other well allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other.
6. Fill liners. Fill the paper liners super duper full with batter – see this photo. My muffins probably had about 8-10 heaping tablespoons of batter in each muffin liner. Use a butter knife to smooth the tops of the muffins if lumpy. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.

7. Refrigerate batter waiting to be baked. While one pan is baking, be sure to refrigerate the other pan if it has batter in it. Or refrigerate the remaining batter if still in the bowl.  
8. Bake. Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF, then keep the muffins in the oven, and turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
9. Cool. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to bump the temperature back up to 425ºF.
10. Add extra sanding sugar. I like to sprinkle a little extra sanding sugar on my muffins right when they come out of the oven. 

How to Create Bakery Style Muffins

Bakery style muffins are known for their domed tops. Plus who doesn’t love them? I used a few techniques to help “lift” these muffins so they would have large, domed tops!

1. The Rest Period

Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency (ref the kitchen whisper). Our 15 minute rest is just a quick rest. 

2. Fill Every Other Muffin Cup

This tip has been a game changer! For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.

3. Fill Them To The Top

Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’re heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.

4. Bake at High Temperature Initially

Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) initially, then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, setting the outer surface of the muffin, producing a dome shape.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins No Yogurt Tips

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Chia seeds: Use chia seeds instead of poppy seeds if you don’t have poppy seeds or can’t eat them.
• Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins: Instead of all-purpose flour, you can use a gluten-free flour blend. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.
• Simple Lemon Glaze. Add a simple sweet lemon glaze to make these moist muffins even more decadent.
• Lemon Blueberry Muffins. Make these into lemon blueberry muffins just by adding fresh blueberries.

Storing the Best Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

How to Store Muffins

If you’ll be eating the muffins within 24 hours of baking, you can leave them uncovered on the counter. The muffins will not dry out while left at room temperature for 1 day. 

In fact, muffins are so moist they can become soggy and those crunchy, sugary tops can disappear when stored in an airtight container.

But I have a trick to help that – paper towels. 

For longer storage, 2-4 days, line the bottom of an airtight container with paper towels. Place the muffins in a single layer in the container then cover the muffins with any additional layer of paper towels. The paper towels will act like a sponge, absorbing the moisture they release while they are stored. 

If the paper towels become too moist around day 2 or day 3, replace them with fresh paper towels. 

Freezing Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Butter

Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Then place them in a ziploc bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw, leave them at room temperature until defrosted, about 1 hour. Or unwrap them and microwave at 20 second intervals until defrosted.

More Lemon Recipes

• Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
• Lemon Crumb Cake
• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Mini Lemon Cheesecakes

4.65 from 17 ratings

Tap stars to rate!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (No Yogurt)

By: Beth

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 muffins

SaveSaved Pin Rate Print

These lemon poppy seed muffins come out perfect every time, moist inside and gorgeous outside with domed, bakery-style tops. I tested and perfected my muffin recipes for 6 months so I could give you these foolproof steps to perfect muffins!

Equipment

• Sanding Sugar
• Kitchen Scale
• Bakery Style Muffins Cookbook

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 ½ cups all purpose flour, 420 grams
• ▢ 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 tsp baking powder
• ▢ ½ tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk
• ▢ ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
• ▢ zest of 2 lemons
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Instructions 

• This recipe requires that the batter rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking. I cannot guarantee the same results if the batter doesn’t rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
• In a mixing bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Stir with a spoon to combine and set aside.
• In a larger mixing bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, melted and cooled butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir to combine with a fork or spatula for 30 seconds.
• Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing by hand just until combined. The batter will be very thick!
• Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge. I cannot guarantee the same results if the batter doesn’t rest for 30 minutes in the fridge. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
• For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other well allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other.
• Fill the liners super duper full with batter – see this photo. My muffins probably had about 8-10 heaping tablespoons of batter in each muffin liner. Use a butter knife to smooth the tops of the muffins if lumpy. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
• While one pan is baking, be sure to refrigerate the other pan if it has batter in it. Or refrigerate the remaining batter if still in the bowl. Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF, then keep the muffins in the oven, and turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing. Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to bump the temperature back up to 425ºF.
• I like to sprinkle a little extra sanding sugar on my muffins right when they come out of the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 571mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!