Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Lemon Glaze
Today we’re making the best lemon poppy seed muffins, which are supremely tender with a slight crunch from poppy seeds. The muffins themselves are lightly sweetened with a touch of maple syrup, but a bright lemon glaze provides a sweet sparkle. As always, they can easily be made gluten-free, and nobody will have a clue.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups (220g) almond flour
- ¾ cup (109g) gluten-free flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure) or regular all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup (98g) maple syrup
- ⅓ cup (57g) extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice from about 1 ½-2 medium lemons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
Lemon Glaze
- ½ cup (60g) confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus more as needed
Instructions
Mix the dry ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C) with a rack in the middle. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, gluten-free flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. If the almond flour is clumpy, use your fingers to break up any clumps.
Mix the wet ingredients
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla paste, and almond extract.
Finish the batter and bake
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (I start with a whisk then switch to a rubber spatula).
- Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups (an ice cream scoop with a lever works well for this). Bake the muffins, rotating the pan halfway through, until they’re pale golden, firm to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes (if you’re using a dark-colored pan, check them at 13 minutes). Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack and let them cool completely.
Glaze the muffins
- In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice. The glaze should be thick but pourable—if needed, add a bit more lemon juice. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the muffins (it will harden as the muffins sit).
Notes
Recipe Tips
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- It’s best to use a light-colored pan for muffins, which will result in more even browning (a dark pan can cause the sides of muffins to brown quicker, so check on them early).
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- Try these Carrot Sunshine Muffins, another favorite!