Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Fresh, vibrant, and tangy lemon balanced with a sweet glaze.
Texture: Soft and tender inside with tall, domed tops and slightly crisp edges.
Ease: Simple mixing method, no mixer or special equipment required!
Why you’ll love this recipe: The quickest and easiest way to turn your kitchen into a fancy cafe.
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Most lemon poppy seed muffins fall into one of two camps: ultra tall and pretty but dry. Or, moist yet flat. I wanted both.
After multiple test batches, I found the sweet spot comes down to three things: a slightly higher bake temperature, a mix of butter and oil, and letting the batter rest (just for 15 minutes!) before baking.
The result? Muffins that rise high with a soft, almost plush crumb and actually taste like lemon without any funky ingredients.
Recipe Ingredients
Muffins are simple, so each ingredient packs a powerful punch.
All-Purpose Flour: Measured correctly (preferably by weight). Too much flour = dense and rubbery muffins.
Buttermilk: This is key for tenderness and flavor. The buttermilk acidity prevents too much gluten formation and the thick texture creates taller muffins. Use plain kefir as 1:1 substitute.
Butter + Oil (Important!): Butter brings flavor, while oil keeps the muffins soft for longer. In testing, using only butter made the muffins slightly drier the next day. Use any neutral oil (vegetable, avocado, etc.).
Baking Powder: This recipe uses a full tablespoon for strong lift. If you’re at altitude, you may need to reduce the measurement slightly.
Lemon Zest + Juice: Zest is where the real flavor lives! The icing contains both juice and zest for maximum lemon flavor, so don’t skip it. You’ll need about 4 medium lemons total (I always buy more in case I’m stuck with a dry lemon).
Poppy Seeds: Always check freshness. If they smell stale or oily, they’ll taste that way in the muffins. I learned this the hard way!
Almond Extract (Optional): In addition to the vanilla, a tiny amount of almond extract enhances the lemon flavor without making the muffins taste almondy. I highly recommend trying it!
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Step by Step)
Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt.
Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet.
Stir gently to combine. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Don’t overmix.
Rest the batter. If time permits, allow the batter to sit for 15-20 minutes so it thickens slightly for taller muffins.
Fill muffin tin. Line every other cavity with liners and fill completely full for tall muffins. Use two tins, or bake in batches, cooling tin between bakes.
Bake. For 18-19 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Make the glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until a thick icing forms. It should fall off the whisk in ribbons.
Glaze. Using a spoon, pour icing over cooled muffins.
Garnish with lemon zest. This isn’t only pretty, but adds extra lemon flavor!
Tessa’s Tips for Taller Muffins
- Fill your muffin tin cavities completely full with batter. This will result in taller muffins with more pronounced muffin tops (and those slightly crisp edges!).
- Space out your muffins. Fill only every other cavity with muffin batter. This is done most easily with two muffin tins. This allows extra room for the muffins to rise tall, as well as enough air flow to cook the muffins more evenly.
- Rest your batter for at least 15 minutes before baking. You can do this in the mixing bowl or in the muffin tin. Rest up to overnight, covered.
Sprinkle of Science
While the batter rests, the starches in the flour have time to absorb more liquid. This thickens the batter without adding extra flour, allowing the muffins to rise higher without creating a drier or denser texture.
This also allows the baking powder to activate to aerate the batter. It’s double acting, meaning it activates once when exposed to liquid, and again with the heat of the oven.
Storage & Make ahead
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To make ahead, mix the batter and refrigerate overnight, then bake straight from the fridge.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze unglazed muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Glaze after thawing for best texture.
Test Kitchen Notes
The first version of this recipe was published in 2012, then revamped and updated in 2020. Recently, in 2026, I decided to make the recipe and felt underwhelmed by the results.
I’ve learned a lot in just 6 years, so I began testing out some tweaks to achieve taller, more flavorful muffins without sacrificing a soft and tender texture.
1. Adjusting Ratios
I increased the flour and sugar slightly for better structure, as well as switching to buttermilk for better flavor and height, and adding more lemon zest. Lastly, a touch of oil alongside the melted butter helped create a tender texture that stays soft for longer.
2. Baking Temperatures
Next up I experimented with baking temperatures. The key to tall muffins is a high temperature, but I didn’t want the edges to burn!
3. Resting Batter
The original recipe recommended an overnight rise, so my recipe tester experimented with resting intervals and we learned we really only needed a 15-minute rest (but an overnight rise works too if you want to prep ahead).
Frequently Asked Questions
Fill the muffin cups completely full, fill every other cavity, and let the batter rest before baking. These three steps create a thicker batter and better heat circulation, which leads to higher domes.
Yes, but your muffins won’t rise as tall. Even 15 minutes makes a noticeable difference in height and texture. Which is about the time it takes to preheat the oven and clean up!
The best substitute is plain kefir. Adding lemon juice or vinegar to milk just doesn’t have the same effect but can work in a pinch if you’re out of options.
Overmixing is the most common cause. Stir just until combined, lumps are okay. Too much flour or expired baking powder can also lead to dense muffins.
Yes! Bake and store for up to 2 days, or freeze without glaze for longer storage. You can also mix the batter and refrigerate overnight, then bake straight from the fridge.
Yep, just omit them! The muffins will still have great flavor.
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Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 2 1/4 cups (286 grams) all-purpose flour,
measured correctly - 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds*
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (240 grams) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as avocado or canola)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest**
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract, optional
For the lemon glaze:
- 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest, for garnish**
Instructions
Make the muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two standard muffin tins with 9 paper liners, spacing them in every other cavity to allow for air flow and larger muffin tops.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cooled melted butter, oil, eggs, lemon zest, juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using). Pour into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- If time permits, rest the batter at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes to encourage taller muffin tops. You can also chill this batter, covered, overnight in the fridge. Bake from the fridge.
- Fill each muffin liner completely full with batter. The batter should mound slightly above the rim.
- Bake until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 to 19 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze:
- In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until a smooth, thick glaze forms. Drizzle or dip the cooled muffins. Top with lemon zest. If transporting or storing, let the glaze set beforehand.
- Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Muffins can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
This recipe was originally published in 2012 and updated in 2026 with recipe improvements, new photos, and more baking tips. Photos by Joanie Simon.
I made your lemon poppy seed muffins with the previous recipe a few months ago and it was excellent. My mom said they were the best lemon poppy seed muffins she’s ever had. That recipe was a keeper and I planned to use it as my go to for lemon poppy seed muffins for basically the rest of my life. So I find myself feeling super irritated that the recipe has now changed. What was changed from the previous recipe and how can I get a copy of that? I guess that will teach me not to wait to print out the recipes that I love right away.
Voilà the ingredient list from these muffins as they were published in 2024. (Aren’t you proud of me?)
Ingredients
▢ 2 cups (254 grams) all-purpose flour (new: 2 1/4 C./ 286g)
▢ 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar (new: 1 C./200g)
▢ 2 tablespoons poppy seeds – no change
▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder – no change
▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (removed in new version)
▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine salt – no change
▢ 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature (now buttermilk)
▢ 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled – no change
▢ 1 large egg, at room temperature (new: 2 eggs plus 2 T. oil)
▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice – no change
▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (new: 2 T. zest)
For the lemon glaze:
▢ 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar – no change
▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice – no change
New: lemon zest for garnish
Instructions from 2024:
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, egg, juice, and zest. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix – there should be a couple streaks of flour remaining.* Divide evenly among the muffin tin cups.
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool until barely warm.
Serve, or store in an airtight at room temperature for 3 days. Muffins can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Make the glaze:
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon juice with a fork until a smooth and thick glaze forms. Drizzle or dip each muffin top with the glaze. Let set before serving.
Thank you John!!! You are THE MAN right now (and yes, I am proud of you 😄) Rockstar status you are.
Thank you for noting the gram weight of buttermilk. I don’t keep fresh buttermilk around but when I do use it, I freeze leftover liquid into cubes which store well. Using gram wt it’s easy to pull out the proper number of frozen cubes. Recipe is wonderful! Tips are very helpful.
Yes, freezing buttermilk is a game changer! We’re so glad to hear you loved the recipe, Diane 🙂
Absolutely delicious with a great, huge dome! I really wanted the lemon to pop, so I zested the lemons into the sugar first (granulated for the batter and powdered for the glaze) and really rubbed and smooshed it in with my fingertips for a minute or so. Wow! What a difference! Such bright lemony taste everywhere! Thanks for yet another great recipe, Tessa!
Yum, great thinking, John. So happy you loved them!
Just as a by the way, there may be a small discrepancy to adjust in your recipe card. The “Yield” says 12 muffins, but the directions say, or at least imply, only 9. I was able to fill 9 cavities to the level described in the directions.
Yes, sorry about that. Updated!
Thank you! Sorry to clog up this space, but thought I’d mention something. After reading a tip from Nik Sharma, the grandlings and I have started adding ground coriander to most baked items containing citrus, and especially lemon and lime. For these muffins, we stirred 1 tsp. freshly ground coriander seeds into the hot melted butter (to “bloom” it), and the muffins are truly spectacular!
I love, love, love lemon poppyseed muffins and can’t wait to try your recipe. One thing our café had I haven’t been able to duplicate is instead of glaze, they made the tops crunchy and sweet.. I assume with sugar. Do you know how I could do that? Thanks!
Hi Jenny! Topping each muffin with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar (per cavity) before baking can create that crunchy, crackly texture I think you’re talking about! They might also use some sort of crunchy sparkling sugar — like this one from King Arthur Baking. Let us know if you try either!
Wonderful recipe. Will make it again. One extra step I did was to rub the lemon zest into the sugar first…
They were delicious! I definitely recommend using more lemon (I used 1 whole lemon and it still wasn’t tangy enough to my liking) and I substituted with oatmilk and it still came out great!
these are the best!! not nearly as dry as another recipe i tried. cut back on the lemon zest and they still have a distinct lemon flavour.
these are the best!! not nearly as dry as another recipe i tried. cut back on the lemon zest and they still have a distinct lemon flavour. will definitely make again💫
dude im so cracked at baking you dont even know i added not enough baking soda whoops still fire tho
Hi! I was wondering if you have the oven temp and bake time for mini size muffins?
Hi Priya! We haven’t tested this recipe as mini muffins, but I’d recommend reducing the bake time to around 9-12 minutes. Just keep an eye on the color—they’re done when the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let us know how they turn out if you give it a try!
Hi! I love all your recipes so far!!! Thank you for all the added info from your experimenting and the science behind it. Amazing <3
I was wondering if the lemon can be swappped with orange to make orange poppyseed muffins? Any chance you’ve tried that?
Hi Gwen! Thanks so much for the kind comment! 🙂 We haven’t tried this recipe with orange instead, but I’m sure it’d be a great swap! Feel free to experiment with it and let us know how it goes. It sounds delish!
Thanks for the reply Emily! I did – swapped the lemon juice & zest for orange juice & zest. In general, I personally feel the taste of orange to be less bold as compared to lemon, so I increased the juice to about 3 tbsp, and the zest to 2 tablespoons (zest of approx 1.5 large navel oranges, adding 1/2 tsp of orange extract. Oh, I also browned the butter, because.. why not?
They turned out amazing! I felt the orange flavour was not quite prominent enough (for my liking) on the first day, but I had a taste again on the 2nd day and it had developed to have a lovely orange punch to it.
As usual, HTH recipes worked perfectly. Thank you!!! <3
Yum! Love the addition of brown butter, too! I’ll have to give that a try 🙂 I wonder if prepping the batter and letting it rest in the fridge overnight would make the orange flavor more pronounced the day they’re baked? It’s something worth trying for sure. Thanks for sharing your results!