Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (with Optional Lemon Curd)

Lemon poppy seed muffins on a wire rack.

5 from 3 votes

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (with Optional Lemon Curd)

These bright and tender Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are bursting with citrus flavor and made extra moist with Greek yogurt. Dip them in a zippy lemon glaze for the perfect bakery-style finish, or take things up a notch and fill them with luscious lemon curd for a muffin-meets-tart moment you won’t forget!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Resting Batter15

Total Time50

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: muffins

Calories: 290kcal

Author: Cynthia Christensen

Equipment

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

¾ cup granulated sugar
Zest of two lemons
2 tablespoons lemon juice from about ½ a lemon
2 large eggs room temperature
1 cup Greek yogurt whole milk preferred
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
4 tablespoon vegetable oil

Dry ingredients

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice from about ½ a lemon
1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk

Optional filling

Lemon curd 👈 homemade or store-bought

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep: Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin (and/or liners) with nonstick spray.
Infuse the sugar: In a large bowl, zest the lemons directly into the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until fragrant and yellow.
Add wet ingredients: Stir in the lemon juice, eggs, and Greek yogurt until smooth. Fold in the poppy seeds.
Add fats: Melt the butter, then stir in the oil to cool it down. Add to the bowl and mix well.
Add dry ingredients: Sprinkle flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the top. Gently fold everything together just until no dry streaks remain.
Rest the batter: Let the batter sit for 15 minutes. This helps hydrate the flour and poppy seeds.
Scoop: Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin wells.
Add lemon curd filling (optional): If filling with curd, spray or wet the back of a tablespoon and press into the center of each muffin to make a well. Spoon in a heaping tablespoon of lemon curd.
Bake: Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temp to 350°F and bake for 15–18 more minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or muffins reach 190°F internally.
Cool: Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and cream until smooth. Dip warm muffin tops into the glaze and swirl gently. Let set on the rack until cooled and set.

Video

Notes

Storage: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze (unglazed) muffins for up to 2 months.

Reheating: Reheat muffins in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds or warm in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.

Curd lovers unite: Whether you made classic lemon poppy seed muffins or the lemon curd–filled version, if you still want more lemony goodness, go ahead and spoon on extra curd after baking. You’re worth it.

Nutrition