Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Printable Version)

Tangy lemon muffins with crunchy poppy seeds and creamy yogurt, ideal for breakfast or snack time.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 lemons
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
10 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
11 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a separate bowl, rub sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers to release aromatic oils.
04 - Add eggs, Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture. Whisk until smooth.
05 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl. Stir gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, filling each approximately three-quarters full.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They stay impossibly moist for days, thanks to the yogurt keeping the crumb tender and forgiving.
  • The poppy seeds add a subtle crunch that makes every bite feel a little special, without being fussy.
  • You get that bright, fresh lemon taste without any bitter edge—it's just pure sunny flavor.
02 -
  • Don't skip zesting the lemons fresh—bottled zest loses the fragrant oils that make these special, and it changes the whole flavor profile.
  • Resist the urge to overmix once wet and dry come together; a few lumps in the batter disappear as they bake, but overmixing creates tough, dense muffins you won't enjoy.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and help create a tender, even crumb—pull eggs and yogurt out of the fridge 15 minutes before you start.
  • Use a zester with a small blade or a microplane to get the bright yellow zest without any bitter white pith.

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