A super simple and extra moist lemon poppy seed muffin made with just twelve ingredients in under 30 minutes. Topped with a drizzle of sweet vanilla glaze, breakfast never looked so good!

Rise and shine bakers and say hello to your favorite new lemon poppy seed muffins! I don’t think I’m alone in my cravings for simple, pared down recipes lately. Since we’re friends I can admit I’ve baked like five batches of these in the last two weeks. My husband devours anything with the words lemon and poppy seed in the same sentence and my kiddos can’t get enough of them. These muffins are like a bit of sunshine on a cloudy day and if a quick, delicious, vanilla glazed baked good first thing in the morning is your thing, these muffins are for you.

Weeks ago when the world as we know it flipped upside down, I let you know that I would be keeping things light and bright with a side of sweet here in my little corner of the internet. With so much negative news coming at us on the daily, I want this blog to be a source of inspiration and joy for you. I’m serving up good food and good moods one sweet treat at a time. These quick and easy, super moist lemon poppy seed gems are no exception. With just twelve simple ingredients, no fancy techniques, and less than twenty minutes in the oven, these muffins are a must make. Just thirty minutes and a muffin pan stand between you and a soft, fluffy, sweet and zesty muffin. So let’s get started.

INGREDIENTS FOR LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS

The best part about these muffins, aside from how delicious they are of course, is that they can be whipped up in no time with just a handful of standard ingredients. There isn’t anything fancy about these simply scrumptious muffins so grab a couple of lemons and check your pantry for these basics.

Flour. Regular ‘ol all purpose flour is all we need for this easy muffin recipe. Just grab whatever you have in your pantry and you’re good to go! This recipe works great with gluten free flour too. Just be sure to spoon and level your flour correctly when measuring your ingredients so you don’t end up with a dry muffin.

Butter. I love using butter in this recipe instead of oil because it delivers a rich, delicious flavor every time. Because we cream the butter and sugar together in this recipe, don’t try substituting the butter for oil here.

Eggs. Three large eggs give these muffins their light and fluffy texture. Set your eggs out the night before you plan to bake or if you are in a hurry, place them in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes before mixing your batter.

Baking powder and baking soda. This recipe calls for both baking powder and baking soda. They work together with the eggs to give the muffins a nice rise and that soft crumb.

Sugar. These muffins are the perfect balance of tart and sweet thanks to a heaping cup of sugar. The muffins are not overly sweet and the added glaze on top made with confectioner’s sugar is as delicious as it is pretty.

Greek yogurt. Yogurt is my favorite secret ingredient in muffins and cakes because it creates a light and tender crumb. Full fat greek yogurt will keep your muffins moist and super soft, even days after you make them. If you cannot find greek yogurt, you can swap sour cream or whole milk yogurt. Just avoid anything with added flavoring.

Lemons. Fresh is always best so definitely grab some lemons at the market or pick some off your neighbor’s tree. You can return the favor in the form of freshly baked muffins. The flavor of fresh lemon zest can’t be beat so I don’t recommend using lemon extract.

Poppy seeds. Well it wouldn’t really be a lemon poppy seed muffin without the poppy seeds, now would it? The recipe calls for one and a half tablespoons of poppy seeds but if you are really a fan you can always add more. Up to two tablespoons should do it. And trust me when I say these muffins are totally worth getting those pesky little black seeds stuck in your teeth for!

TIPS FOR GETTING THOSE PERFECTLY DOMED MUFFIN TOPS

Use room temperature ingredients. For best results, be sure your dairy ingredients such as eggs, butter, and yogurt are at room temperature before mixing the batter. This will ensure that your batter is smooth and free of lumps since warm ingredients combine together faster. This reduces the need for over mixing which can lead to not so fluffy muffins.

Check your leaveners. Expired baking soda or baking powder can lead to dense, deflated muffins. Be sure to mark the date on your containers when you purchase and replace both baking soda and baking powder every few months.

Do not over mix. Muffin batter needs a delicate hand so don’t be tempted to over mix. A few tiny streaks of flour remaining is exactly what you are looking for. Stop there and you’ll have fluffy, perfectly domed muffin tops.

Bake at a high temperature. Wanna know the real secret to those perfectly domed muffin tops? It’s all about the oven temperature. For those perfect domes, bake the muffins in a preheated 425 degree oven for the first 6-7 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees for the remainder of the bake. The blast of heat helps to activate the leaveners in the batter and tah-dah….magical muffin tops!

HOW TO MAKE A QUICK GLAZE

I am a big fan of a little glaze on top of my muffins, loaf cakes, bundt cakes and even scones. It just adds that tiny bit of sweetness that I crave and makes baked goods look so pretty. This three ingredient glaze is my favorite and it’s a cinch to whip up in two minutes or less. Just sift the powdered sugar, add a touch of milk and a dollop of greek yogurt to add thickness. I sort of eyeball this and adjust as I go. It should be noted that cold milk and yogurt straight from the fridge are totally fine for the glaze. Just whisk the ingredients together vigoursly and there you have it. The perfect drizzle for those magical muffin tops. If you love lemon and want a bit of extra tangy citrus flavor, substitute the milk with lemon juice. Either way, this easy glaze is not to be missed.

CAN THESE LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS BE MADE GLUTEN FREE?

Absolutely! I tested these muffins two ways and they are equally delicious made with gluten free flour. I love a simple 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour like this one from Bob’s Red Mill, but if you use a flour blend that does not contain xanthum gum, add 3/4 tsp to the dry ingredients alongside the flour. This will give the muffins some structure and help keep them moist. Keep in mind that gluten free goodies often dry out faster than those made with regular flour so these muffins will be best enjoyed the same day they are made.

I hope you are all hanging in there as we continue to hunker down at home. Our new normal is just around the bend and it looks promising. Speaking of, promise me you’ll make these lemon poppy seed muffins. They making staying in so much sweeter and I’ve yet to find a more delicious way to start the day. Sending love from six feet away.

Happy baking!