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 these for a church event and they were DELICIOUS. Everyone loved them and I brought home an empty bowl! I’m making another batch right now for those who requested more muffins. Thanks for a great recipe!
I love lemon & poppy seed recipes; we have an old recipe for a cake with a pudding frosting. Anyway…
If time for the overnight chill is the muffin batter already portioned into the tin?
Hi Rita! Tessa talks about this in the pink tip box, above the recipe: “Chill the batter altogether in one bowl as opposed to chilling it in the individual muffin cavities to prevent it from drying out. Bake directly from the fridge.” I hope that helps 🙂 Happy baking!
Was looking for a lemon poppy muffin recipe that wouldn’t use yogurt or sour cream, and this one really delivered. Muffins were moist and flavorful, with just the right amount of sweetness and lemon flavor. Mine only needed 17 minutes in the oven and yielded a great texture with a sturdy crumb. Highly recommend using this recipe!!!
So glad I found this recipe, totally delicious!!! Next time I will try the overnight with the batter. Thank you.
Easy batter to make, they are being refrigerated now. Looking forward to baking them tomorrow. I don’t bake muffins often but this batter won’t “pour” into the muffin papers. It’s pretty stiff, should I add more liquid until the batter actually pours? I am in a very dry state at altitude but I don’t think that had anything to do with it.
Hi Anne! The muffin batter should be relatively thick, but if it’s exceptionally thick, it’s possible something happened along the way! How do you measure your ingredients? By volume (using cups), or by weight (using a digital kitchen scale)? When measuring by volume, it’s so easy to mis-measure ingredients (namely flour) and throw off the entire chemistry of a recipe, resulting in things like overly-thick muffin batter. Tessa talks about how to best measure ingredients to ensure accuracy every time, in this article here! Fingers crossed your muffins will still turn out beautifully and taste delicious! 🙂
I was a bit skeptical because all other recipes used yogurt and it seemed like a lot of baking powder. I didn’t have whole milk so I substituted water and half and half. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract. Not only did these muffins look great – they tasted incredible! I did cut the baking time down to about 16 minutes. Had the right amount of brown and crunch. Added the glaze (cut in half) to make this great muffin even better. Highly recommend.
Happy to hear how much you enjoyed these muffins, Diane!
Happy with how these turned out! I made the recipe almost exactly, however I did add an extra teaspoon of lemon juice. I used fresh lemons I just picked and refrigerated the batter over night. Next time I might use a touch less sugar as I find them quite sweet (my lemons might have been on the sweeter side). I haven’t got around to add on the glaze, which I’m sure it will give it an extra lemony flavour. I am always a fan of more lemon, but I think the lemon in these was well balanced. I overcooked them a bit but still very moist.
Hi Mikaela! Glad to hear that you enjoyed these muffins!! Just be cautious about lowering the sugar next time; yes, sugar obviously contributes to the sweetness, but it also moistens, provides tender structure, assists with gluten formation, extends the shelf-life (meaning it will be fresh and moist longer), and assists in creating a taller and lighter finished product – just to name a few things! Reducing the sugar content in a recipe doesn’t just lower sweetness; it messes with the recipe’s chemistry and creates a totally different baked good. Of course, feel free to experiment as you like, but I just wanted to mention that! Happy baking 🙂
Simple and delicious. My girls helped make this and we all love them. Great recipe.
Yay! So happy to hear that you and your girls enjoyed these muffins so much, Rebecca!
I just made these; I refrigerated over night, result was tall moist muffins. My only issue was they were burnt at 17 minutes, I’ll have to watch them more closely. They will likely be done at 15 minutes. I wanted a little more of a kick with the glaze, so I added a bit more lemon juice, but that made it too runny, this wasn’t a deal breaker. Live and learn, I’ll make them again for sure and maybe try lemon extract. Thank you.
Hi Ron! I’m glad you enjoyed these muffins, even if they got a little dark on top! Just a thought: perhaps your oven runs a little hot? Ovens are almost always lying to us about their real temperature! We recommend using an oven thermometer, to ensure accuracy, and make sure your baked goods are baking correctly! Tessa talks about oven temperature accuracy and using an oven thermometer, in this article here! As for your glaze, I definitely recommend lemon extract, as you mentioned, for a great lemon punch, without adding too much excess liquid! Good luck with your next batch! Happy baking 🙂
I have made this recipe many times and I love it. It also works as a lemon loaf which I’ve done a few times with the same recipe. Only difference is you have to adjust for a longer baking time and when the toothpick comes out clean you know it’s done. For the reviewer who said it wasn’t enough lemon flavour, I think it’s a preference. There’s no harm in adding more zest or juice to your liking. You can add lemon extract as well but also make sure your lemons are fresh. I also find the flavours come out more when you put the batter in the fridge over night like Tessa posted. The next day it smells way more lemony than when I just made it.
Hi Nina! So happy you enjoyed these muffins (or as a loaf, too- fun tip there!!).
Thanks for the other tips to other readers about the lemony flavor, too – I think you’re totally right, and there’s never any harm in adding more zest or a teaspoon or so of lemon extract. A little bit more lemon juice should be okay, but too much more will add too much liquid to the recipe and throw off the proportions. Great tips, though – thank you again! 🙂
Delicious! Well balanced in flavor and texture. The muffins alone taste lemony, but the lemon glaze sharpens up the whole effect. I’m at high altitude (5800 feet) so I lowered the baking soda and baking powder just a bit and they rose perfectly. I had a good result at 18 minutes cooking time. Thank you for the work you go through to provide nice recipes like this to us amateur bakers.
I’m so excited to hear that these muffins were not only delicious, but worked for you at high altitude with little adjustment! Thank you for taking the time to let us know! 🙂
Absolutely delicious!
So happy you loved these muffins, Gerpha!! 🙂