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Delicious lemon poppy seed muffins with tall, domed tops and moist, fluffy centers, enhanced by a homemade lemon simple syrup glaze brushed on warm muffins.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • ½ cup melted unsalted butter and/or neutral-tasting oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup sour cream (or plain yogurt as a substitute)
  • ½ cup milk
  • Zest of 2 fresh lemons
  • Juice of 2 fresh lemons
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional almond extract can be used for variation)
  • For lemon simple syrup: ½ cup fresh lemon juice and ½ cup granulated sugar
  • Optional additional lemon zest strips for syrup infusion

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds until thoroughly combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter (and/or oil), eggs, sour cream, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract (optional) until smooth.
  4. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined; avoid overmixing to keep the batter light.
  5. Let the batter rest at room temperature for about 1 hour to activate the baking powder, allowing the batter to become aerated and fluffy.
  6. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease the cups. For extra tall muffins, fill every other cup to allow more room for rising.
  7. Carefully scoop the rested batter into the prepared muffin cups without stirring or pressing down, preserving airiness.
  8. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. While muffins bake, prepare the lemon simple syrup by heating fresh lemon juice and sugar over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens slightly (about 10 minutes).
  10. Pour the hot syrup over a bowl filled with thick lemon zest strips and let infuse for added flavor.
  11. Immediately after removing muffins from oven, gently poke the tops with a toothpick and brush the warm lemon simple syrup over them to add moisture and shine.
  12. Allow muffins to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Resting the batter for one hour is a key step for taller, airier muffins due to the pre-activation of baking powder., Filling alternate muffin cups allows more heat circulation and helps muffins rise to have tall domed tops., Avoid overmixing batter after combining wet and dry ingredients to keep the crumb light and fluffy., Lemon simple syrup adds a fresh citrus moisture and shiny finish to the muffins., Muffins are best eaten the same day but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days; warm slightly before serving and add syrup if desired., Freeze muffins individually on a baking sheet then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly before eating., Variations include adding 1 cup blueberries, substituting sour cream with yogurt or buttermilk, using whole wheat or gluten-free flour blends, topping with cinnamon streusel, or finishing with a lemon glaze instead of syrup.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gingerbaking.com/the-best-lemon-poppy-seed-muffins-butternut-bakery/