Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

This easy lemon poppy seed muffin recipe gets a healthy boost with almonds and yogurt to make a moist muffin everyone will declare the very best.

Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

You know how there are some ingredients that you just can’t say no to when it comes to a particular food? Like, for me, the only cake that’s worth its weight in birthday candles is German Chocolate Cake. Or if I’m choosing an artisanal cheese it’s going to be a stinky, gooey, triple cream.

So when my Ali Smudge wanders through the bakery section of the grocery store, I don’t even have to wonder what request she’s about to pose. Because it’s always the same. And it’s always for a lemon poppy seed muffin.

This lemon muffin recipe originally comes from Cooks Illustrated and is one of the best, delivering a solid base for add-ins to make all of your muffin dreams come true.

These muffins bake up light and with a tasty crumb, far from the greasy, heavy versions you’ll find in the grocery store.

see more: 37 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Jumpstart Your Day

What’s in These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins?

These muffins have all the poppy seed muffin basics, but instead of sour cream, I use yogurt to create a moist muffin crumb.  I used regular whole milk yogurt in the muffin mix, but you could use low-fat or whole Greek yogurt instead.

While I love them plain, I added a little something extra to the regular poppy seed muffin. I can sometimes find them with a cream cheese drizzle frosting, but what I really love on my poppy seed muffin is toasty sliced almonds. I love the bit of crunch and depth of nutty flavor after they’ve been baked in the oven.

But topping them with sliced almonds isn’t quite enough for me so I add almond extract too.

Per usual, I couldn’t leave well enough alone so I also added a few zests of lemon to add even more tart to the yogurt in the mix.

see more: 19 Healthy Breakfasts for When You Don’t Have Time to Eat

How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Don’t let the slivered almonds on top fool you, these lemon poppy seed muffins are a cinch to make. Simply whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl, then cream the butter and sugar together in another bowl.

To the butter mixture, add in the eggs, almond extract, and lemon zest. Add the yogurt and dry ingredients to the butter mixture, then stir in the poppy seeds last.

Divide the batter among 12 muffin cups and top generously with slivered almonds. Bake the lemon and almond poppy seed muffins until they’re golden on top and the centers are set.

Can I Freeze Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins?

Yes, quite easily. First let these lemon muffins cool completely and then seal them inside a freezer bag. When you’re ready to eat a frozen muffin, set it on your counter to thaw.

Do I Have to Use Almonds?

No, if you have a nut allergy or are out of slivered almonds you can omit them from the recipe. You can also use vanilla extract in place of the almond extract.

Tips for Making Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Give your lemon a good wash under warm tap water before zesting it to remove any lingering chemicals or bacteria on the peel. And when zesting the lemon, try not to get too much of the pith (the white stuff underneath the skin) into the zest because it’s quite bitter.

Also, I’ve only made this lemon poppy seed muffin recipe with all-purpose flour so I can’t offer advice on making these muffins gluten-free. Same goes for making them vegan.

And if you don’t have Greek yogurt on hand, you can use sour cream instead.

More Muffin Recipes to Cure Your Morning Mania

• Gwyneth’s Blueberry Muffins
• Banana Bread Muffins with Toasted Coconut
• Raspberry Almond Crumb Muffins
• Blueberry Bran Muffins
• Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats. 

More Easy Baked Goods to Make

• Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
• Sweet and Sticky Glazed Lemon Buns
• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
• Pull-Apart Cinnamon Pecan Rolls
• Blueberry Oatmeal Bread

Craving more life balance, less stress, and better health? Check out my Nourished Planner, the daily planner to help create simplicity and under-schedule your life.

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