Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

I’ve always had a soft spot for muffins, and Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are definitely among my favorites. 

In high school, muffins were the little treat to break up the monotony. There would be a muffin cart in the main hallway once a week.

I’m pretty sure the muffins were from Costco. They weren’t wonderful, but it was nice to have a little sweet indulgence to look forward to.

Muffins will probably always have a place in my heart.

They’re truly a multi-purpose treat. They’re perfect for breakfast, as a snack, or even for dessert.

Unfortunately, most muffins are bland. And in my experience, the muffins that often look the prettiest with the tallest muffin tops are often super cakey and dry – even from a good bakery.

I prefer a nice moist muffin with a bit of a springy texture. I don’t want pound cake. Or cake at all. Which I find is what most packaged muffins feel like. And I certainly don’t want a dry muffin. I want MOIST muffins… everyone’s favorite word 😉

So if you feel the same, or are just curious about the science of muffin baking, check out the tips below.

How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Don’t Overmix Your Muffin Batter!!

• Be very very careful not to overmix the batter once you combine the wet + dry ingredients. This will create rubbery muffins.
• Gently stir until *just* combined.
• If there’s a few small streaks of flour remaining, that’s perfectly fine.

Secret Baking Science Tip: CHILL The Muffin Batter!

• The BEST thing you can do to make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (or any muffins!) more tender and even a little taller is to cover and chill your batter in the fridge overnight before baking.
• It’s very similar to chilling cookie dough.
• Think of it like marinating.
• By chilling the batter, the starch in the flour is able to absorb more moisture, resulting in a more tender muffin.
• It also thickens the batter without making it drier, which helps encourage taller muffin tops without that crumbly or cakey texture.
• This technique works particularly well with muffin batter, which is usually made from melted butter or oil (not creamed butter + sugar) and uses only baking powder as the leavener, which is double acting. Meaning, it’s activated both by the moisture of the batter and the heat of the oven. Baking soda is only activated by acid in the batter, not from the heat of the oven.
• If you don’t believe me, just look at the comparison below. And what the image doesn’t quite capture is just how much more TENDER the chilled batter muffins turned out.

How to Chill Muffin Batter:

1. Chill the batter in one large bowl, as opposed to chilling it in the individual muffin cavities, to prevent it from drying out.
2. Bake directly from the fridge.

How Do I Get MORE Lemon Flavor in These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins?

Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract along with the juice and zest.

How Do I Stop My Muffins From Sticking to the Liner?

• This can sometimes be caused by the brand of liners.
• This is my favorite brand that I order in bulk from Amazon.
• If you find your liners still get stuck and end up ruining your muffins, don’t worry. I’ve actually written an entire article about how to prevent muffin or cupcake liners from sticking here.

What’s the Best Muffin Tin?

I typically don’t like nonstick bakeware, which is why I was so surprised when I fell in love with the Wilton Recipe Right Nonstick Muffin Pan. They bake evenly and achieve lightly golden brown edges and clean up beautifully. I’ve had 3 of these tins for 6+ years and love them!

Can You Freeze Muffins?

Yes! Unglazed Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost on the counter until room temperature. Refresh in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes if desired. If desired, glaze once thawed and at room temperature. 

More Muffin Recipes:

• Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins (with a streusel top!)
• Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Muffins
• Chocolate Coffee Toffee Crunch Muffins
• Bakery Style Banana Muffins

More Lemon Recipes:

• Glazed Lemon Cookies
• Lemon Bundt Cake
• Lemon Cheesecake
• Lemon Yogurt Zucchini Bread
• Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars

This recipe was originally published in 2012 and updated with recipe improvements, new photos, and more baking tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.