Description
Delight in these bakery-quality Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins featuring super tall muffin tops, a moist texture, and bright fresh lemon flavor enhanced by a homemade lemon simple syrup brushed on top.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups (320g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (65g) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract (or lemon extract)
- 2 tbsp lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 1 cup (255ml) milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (118ml) fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- Lemon peel from 1 lemon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds until thoroughly combined to create the dry base for the muffins.
- In another bowl, mix melted unsalted butter, vegetable oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, almond or lemon extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk until smooth and well incorporated to form the wet mixture.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together until just combined, being careful not to overmix to maintain a light texture.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- While the batter rests, add fresh lemon juice and sugar to a saucepan. Place over medium heat, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes allowing the sugar to dissolve fully and flavors to meld.
- Carefully peel the zest from one lemon using a paring knife, avoiding too much pith. Place the zest in a heat-safe bowl and pour the hot lemon syrup over it. Let this cool at room temperature to infuse the syrup with bright lemon flavor.
- Close to the end of the batter rest time, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
- Using a large 2-ounce scoop or about 1/4 cup measuring cup, fill each muffin liner generously to the top and slightly over to achieve a high rise.
- Bake initially at 425°F for 8 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for an additional 8 to 10 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- When muffins come out of the oven, generously brush them with the cooled lemon simple syrup to add moisture and a citrus glaze.
- Let muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Optionally, sprinkle more poppy seeds on top before serving. Enjoy warm for the best experience.
Notes
- Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
- Store in an airtight container for freshness.
- Optionally add more lemon zest for a stronger flavor.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 46 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
