Why It Works
- Rubbing lemon zest with the sugar helps draw out its fragrant oils, resulting in a more flavorful muffin.
- Creaming room-temperature butter with sugar aerates the cake batter and helps it rise in the oven.
When I graduated from college and was at my first office job, I tried setting myself up for success by preparing breakfasts, lunches, and dinners ahead of time. On days when I had nothing left in my fridge or freezer, though, I often zipped across the street from my office to a popular bakery to load up on snacks before heading out for the day. They had many delicious offerings, including a chocolate and almond croissant, savory cheese scones, and tender cinnamon rolls. However, the item that called out to me the most was their lemon–poppy seed muffin. Studded with crunchy poppy seeds and packed with the fresh, zesty flavor of citrus, the muffin was sweet and tart enough to feel like dessert, but because it was a muffin, I decided it could pass for breakfast.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Though it has been many years since I’ve frequented that bakery, I still think of those muffins often, and I recently decided to recreate them in my kitchen. It’s a relatively straightforward batter that comes together with the help of my stand mixer. (Though I like using my stand mixer for ease, a hand mixer will work just fine.) For a muffin that truly packs a punch, I toss a hefty quantity (32 grams!) of lemon zest with sugar, which helps draw out the zest’s fragrant oils, then beat the citrus sugar with room temperature butter. I incorporate baking powder and baking soda to help leaven the muffins, and adequately creaming the sugar and butter together also helps aerate the batter, resulting in an even rise and a fine crumb. A couple of tablespoons of poppy seeds provide just the right amount of crunch, and a simple glaze of lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar gives the muffins an additional boost of bright citrus flavor.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
I may no longer live off of coffee shop pastries, but these lemon–poppy seed muffins, which are tender, tangy, and wonderfully zesty, are ones I’d happily keep on my kitchen counter to snack on each day.
How to Make Bakery-Worthy Lemon–Poppy Seed Muffins
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200 g granulated sugar (7 ounces; 1 cup), divided
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170 g unsalted butter (6 ounces; 1 1/2 sticks), room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
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32 g (1/4 cup) lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice from 4 lemons
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340 g all-purpose flour (12 ounces; 2 1/3 cups)
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2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon baking soda
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3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
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2 tablespoons (18 g) poppy seeds
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2 large eggs, room temperature
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk, room temperature
For the Glaze:
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2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
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57 g confectioners’ sugar (2 ounces; 1/2 cup), plus more as needed
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Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or reusable baking cups; set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar with lemon zest, using your fingers to rub them together until mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Let sit for 5 minutes. (Alternatively, sugar and lemon zest can be combined in a large bowl and an electric hand mixer can be used.)
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
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In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds; set aside.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
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Add butter to lemon and sugar mixture and mix on low speed to roughly incorporate. Increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy and light, pausing to scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running, add eggs one at a time, letting each fully incorporate before adding the next, then drizzle in vanilla.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
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Stop mixer and scrape down bowl. On low speed, add 1/2 of the flour mixture, beat until just combined, then add milk and lemon juice and beat until combined. Add remaining flour and resume mixing on medium speed for about 3 seconds to ensure everything is well combined.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
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Evenly divide batter between baking cups, filling each about 2/3 of the way. Bake until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted into center comes out clean and muffins spring back when touched, about 25 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
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While the muffins cool, prepare the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. For a thicker frosting, whisk in additional confectioners’ sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency. Using a spoon, drizzle or spread glaze over cooled muffins.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Special Equipment
12-cup muffin tin; paper or reusable baking cups; stand mixer or electric hand mixer; flexible spatula; whisk
Make-Ahead and Storage
Once cooled, muffins can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.