Name: lemon poppyseed muffins
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: 210 g self-raising flour; 155 g golden caster sugar; zest of 2 lemons; 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds (toasted); 3 eggs; 90 g natural yoghurt; 160 g butter (melted and cooled); 200 g butter; 350 g sifted icing sugar; Juice of 1 lemon (You can substitute for a small amount of water if you don't want lemon icing)

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We absolutely love baking in our home. This is a great fun activity to do with little ones and these lemon poppyseed muffins are JUST like the ones you buy from a certain coffee shop chain!

I first made this recipe when I was making a homemade lemonade and had some leftover lemons and lemon peel that I wanted to use up.

I love to cut food waste and also I love to save money on fruits and vegetables, so sometimes I will buy items in bulk from a local market vendor.

My husband is the main fan of lemon in our home, especially lemon chicken, and Lemon Bars, but these lemon and poppyseed muffins have been a hit with absolutely everyone – including me! We also love raspberry cupcakes and mini lemon loaf when we want something a little different.

Making desserts for my family is something that I really enjoy and I really feel that a little something sweet can round a meal off perfectly. These muffins are fantastic for when you have guests too or even just for a nice mid afternoon snack!

If you’re a dessert fan yourself then be sure to check out my air fryer desserts too. If you want to try something a little more creative then check out these Mermaid Cupcakes.

Three lemon poppyseed muffins complete with icing on the top

Ingredients for lemon and poppyseed muffins:

For the muffins:

210g self-raising flour

155g golden caster sugar

The zest of 2 lemons

1 tablespoons of toasted poppy seeds

3 eggs

90g natural yoghurt

160g butter (melted and cooled)

For the lemon icing:

200g butter

350g sifted icing sugar

The juice of 1 lemon

Cooked chocolate chip muffins in a baking tray with text overlay that says ultimate chocolate chip muffins

Method for making lemon poppyseed muffins:

Preheat the oven to 180C (gas mark 4).

Line a 12 hole muffin tray with muffin cases.

Combine together the flour, sugar, lemon zest and toasted poppyseeds.

Beat the eggs into the yoghurt, one at a time.

Tip your yoghurt and egg wet mixture into your dry mixture.

Add the melted and cooled butter.

Combine, but do not overwork the mixture.

You want it to be lump free but not become stodgy.

Bake the muffins for 18-22 minutes. Use a cake tester to ensure that the muffins are cooked fully. They’ll be pale in colour and have a spring to the texture.

Leave in the muffin tray for around 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Once cool prepare the icing.

Beat the butter until softened. Slowly add the icing sugar and lemon juice.

I would suggest 2-3 tablespoons of icing sugar and a few drops of lemon juice at a time.

Mix thoroughly. If mixing by hand then use a metal whisk. I like to use my food processor for this as it saves a lot of time and makes a fluffier icing.

Place your icing into a piping bag and chill for 2-3 hours.

Pipe using the nozzle of your choice.

Enjoy!

Lemon poppyseed muffins - the muffins before icing

Can you freeze lemon and poppyseed muffins?

Absolutely! For best results I would freeze before they are iced and then aim to consume within 1 month. Defrost in the fridge overnight or on the side at room temperature for around 1 hour.

Are lemon poppyseed muffins healthy?

I am a firm believer in everything in moderation! These are absolutely delicious and you’ll be missing out if you don’t enjoy these.

While the ingredients together are not healthy you could make some changes, such as using a lighter flour, and skipping the icing, but personally I feel that these are perfect as they are!

Frozen churros that have been cooked in the air fryer. Four churros on a black slate board with a glass circular dish with melted chocolate sauce.

Can you make these without butter?

I’ve used margarine, and even dairy-free spread with great results. Just stick to the same quantities and you should be grand!

Can you make them without lemon zest?

Yes, if you don’t have fresh lemon on hand then use a few drops of lemon juice. I prefer to use fresh where possible but I know that it isn’t always possible – especially if you’ve got a craving and want to make them right away!

A piece of millionaire's shortbread with chocolate feathering detail to the top

Want to use lemon curd in this?

I would recommend baking the cupcakes and then spooning out a small amount of the cake from the top middle of each muffin. Then spoon in a little lemon curd before you make your icing. Once you’ve iced the muffins you can gently heat a little curd, to melt it slightly, and then drizzle this over the top of the muffins too.

Want to use cake mix instead?

A box cake mix will work for this, but I’d recommend adding the zest still, as well as the poppyseeds of course. Make the icing up the same at the end to get the lovely tart lemon flavour.

Chocolate chip banana muffins on wooden serving trays on a woven brown serving tray with handles. There is a blue napkin and a rose gold fork

Products I use when making my lemon poppyseed muffins:

*Muffin tray

*Cooling rack

*Piping set

Fancy baking something else other than lemon poppyseed muffins?

Triple chocolate muffins
Midnight cookies or air fryer cookies
Millionaire’s shortbread
Homemade oat biscuits
Serve your cakes with easy salted caramel sauce or chocolate sauce recipe

How to make homemade lemon poppyseed muffins:

lemon poppyseed muffins

Sweet and nutty lemon poppyseed muffins that are just like their famous coffee shop counterparts!

Course Dessert

Cuisine British

Keyword baking, lemon, muffin

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes

Total Time 27 minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 375 kcal

Author Katykicker

Ingredients

210 g self-raising flour
155 g golden caster sugar
zest of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon of poppy seeds toasted
3 eggs
90 g natural yoghurt
160 g butter melted and cooled

For the lemon poppyseed muffin icing:

200 g butter
350 g sifted icing sugar
Juice of 1 lemon You can substitute for a small amount of water if you don’t want lemon icing

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180C (gas mark 4).
Prepare a 12 hole muffin tray and line with muffin cases.
Mix together the flour, sugar, lemon zest and toasted poppy seeds in a large mixing bowl. I toasted my poppy seeds in a griddle pan for just a few minutes first.
Beat the eggs into the yoghurt, one at a time.
Tip this mixture into the dry ingredients. Then add this to the melted and cooled butter. Mix this together until lump-free but do not overmix. You want the mixture to be free of lumps but not stodgy.
Bake the muffins for around 18-22 minutes. The lemon and poppyseed muffins are cooked when a cake tester comes out clean.
The cakes may have a slightly pale colour to them. They will be cooked perfectly when they have a nice spring to them.
Leave the cakes in the muffin tray to cool for at least 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Method for lemon poppyseed muffin icing:

Beat the butter, until softened. Slowly add the icing sugar and lemon juice.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of icing sugar at a time and a drizzle of the lemon juice. Beat this icing by hand, using a metal whisk.
If you want to make the icing a deeper yellow you could add icing colour. Use sparingly as it often darkens once dry.
Once the icing is ready place into a piping bag and chill for several hours.
Pipe icing using the nozzle of your choice. I used a star tip for this finish.

Recipe Notes

These lemon poppyseed muffins go down a treat and best of all they are perfect to be frozen too.