These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are perfectly light and fluffy and bursting with luscious lemon flavor in every bite! These easy-to-make vegan muffins are perfect for breakfast on the go or as a snack!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Moist, Tender and Fluffy: These lemon and poppy seed muffins are moist, soft and a light interior; have that bakery-style firm top, classic zesty lemon flavors and a sweetness from cane sugar giving you these delicious vegan lemon and poppy seed muffins.
- Simple Recipe: This simple lemon poppy seed muffins recipe has 12 ingredients, the batter comes together quickly in one bowl and no mixer is needed to make these easy Lemon poppy Seed Muffins. It’s very possible you already have the ingredients on hand.
- Easy Meal Prep: Homemade Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are gone in a flash at my house, so I always double the recipe, that way I’ve got ready to grab muffins right from my freezer. Yes, these muffins can easily be frozen, in an airtight container, they will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
For more easy baking recipes, check out my Blueberry Bread, Apple Cider Donuts, and Vegan Cinnamon Rolls next. Or if you just love vegan muffins check out my Vegan Pumpkin Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, Vegan Blueberry Muffins, Chocolate Banana Muffins or my Vegan Strawberry Muffins.
Ingredients
Here's a look at the simple ingredients you need to make the best lemon poppy seed muffins recipe. Be sure to check the recipe card for the full list and quantities you will need for each item.
- Melted Vegan Butter: Adds fat and keeps the muffins moist. I have used both Miyoko's and Earth Balance, but feel free to use your favorite brand of plant-based butter.
- Cane Sugar: Makes the muffins sweet. Feel free to add an extra sprinkle of sugar on top of each muffin.
- Non-Dairy Yogurt: This is the key to achieving the perfect muffin texture. I used plain vanilla unsweetened almond milk yogurt, but you can use soy or coconut milk yogurt.
- Unsweetened Oat Milk: I prefer the creaminess of oat milk, but feel free to use another type of plant-based milk.
- Lemon Juice, Extract, & Zest: These work together to give the muffins the perfect amount of tangy lemon flavor. You can also add a bit of zest on top of each muffin if you’d like.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the foundation for the muffins. I used unbleached flour.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents work together to help the muffins rise while baking.
- Sea Salt: Brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Poppy Seeds: Add a bit of a crunch to the soft and light interior of these lemon muffins.
Variations
- Vanilla Glaze or Frosting: These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins truthfully are perfect, but I get it; some times you’d like an extra sweet topping. If you’d prefer to have glazed lemon poppy seed muffins, I’d stick with a thin vegan icing glaze. Some like a thicker, heavier frosting topping, if so feel free to use a vegan frosting you like or try making my delicious Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting; what ever topping you choose these muffins taste awesome.
- Gluten-Free: To make gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins, replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. If your flour blend does not have xanthan gum, you will need to add it in. I like the King Arthur 1:1 gluten free baking flour.
- Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins: Fold ½ cup fresh blueberries into the batter along with the poppy seeds, it’ll definitely add a juicy, moist, blueberry taste, texture and flavor, along with a little pop of color to these tasty lemon poppyseed muffins.
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Step 1: After gathering your ingredients, preheat your oven to 375° F and grease your muffin tin with cooking spray or vegan butter.
Step 2: Whisk the melted vegan butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add in the vegan yogurt, oat milk, and lemon juice, and whisk to combine.
Step 4: Whisk in the vanilla.
Step 5: Add the lemon zest.
Step 6: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and fold gently with a silicone spatula.
Step 7: Add the poppy seeds.
Step 8: Gently fold the poppy seeds into the batter.
Step 9: Transfer the batter to the greased muffin tin (you should get about 7-8 muffins) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.
Step 10: Allow the muffins to cool for 15 minutes in the muffin tin. Then gently loosen the edges with a butter knife to remove them from the muffin tin and transfer to a cooling rack.
Expert Tips
- Double or Triple: This easy lemon poppy seed muffins recipe makes 7-8 muffins, it’s extremely easy to double or triple this recipe, that’ll give you more muffins to enjoy or freeze. Best of all, you’ll have homemade muffins to grab right from your freezer, without needing to bake or clean up again.
- Breakfast, Snack or Dessert: These easy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with yogurt work perfect for breakfast on the go, make a great afternoon snack or a tasty dessert anytime to relax and enjoy a glass of homemade oat milk or almond milk with it.
- Zest Lemons Before Juicing: I do recommend zesting the lemons before they have been cut and juiced, it is much easier than trying to do it afterward.
- Don’t over mix: About 20-30 folds with a spatula should work to ensure everything is well incorporated in these Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. The batter should be slightly bubbly, airy, and a little lumpy. It should not be smooth like cake or cupcake batter.
- Storing: Store these vegan lemon poppy seed muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. You can also freeze them in an airtight container and they’ll last for 3 months, than just let them thaw out in the fridge overnight
Recipe FAQs
I don’t recommend using muffin liners for this recipe because the muffins will stick to them. Instead of using liners, simply spray or grease your muffin tin and pour the batter directly into each well.
Use the dry cup method to measure the butter. First, add the butter to a dry measuring cup and pack down firmly. Then smooth the top of the butter and scoop it into a microwave-safe bowl to melt it.
You will need approximately 3 medium lemons to get the amount of lemon juice and zest needed for this recipe.
The best substitute for poppy seeds in this lemon muffin recipe would be chia seeds. They can be swapped at a 1:1 ratio but make sure you pop them in the oven right away and don't let them sit otherwise the chia seeds will soak up the liquid in the batter.
Store bought poppy seeds do not need to be soaked before adding them into your poppy seed muffin batter.
Yes, you can just sprinkle some on the top of the muffin batter before baking the muffins if you do not like them mixed into the whole muffins.
More Vegan Muffin Recipes
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Large bowls
- Spatula
- whisk
- muffin tin
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS:
- ¼ cup vegan butter (melted)
- ½ cup cane sugar
- ½ cup non dairy yogurt (plain vanilla)
- ⅓ cup oat milk
- ¼ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 ⅔ cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
toppings:
- Extra sprinkle of sugar on top
- Extra sprinkle of lemon zest on top
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375° F. Spray or butter your muffin pan.
- In a large mixing bowl start with the butter and melt it in the microwave. Then whisk in the sugar.
- Add in the yogurt, milk and lemon juice and whisk.
- Add the vanilla.
- Zest the lemon and add it to the wet mixture and whisk.
- Next add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and using a spatula fold it together gently to avoid overmixing the batter. About 30 folds should combine it well, some lumps are ok.
- Add the poppy seeds and gently fold a couple more times until combined.
- Take your sprayed or buttered muffin pan, these muffins do not like cupcake liners they will stick so please just spray or butter/grease your muffin pan.
- Pour the batter into 7-8 muffin holes and place in the oven to bake for 33 minutes.
- Let cool 15 minutes before loosening edges gently with butter knife and removing them. Store in a sealed container for 3-5 days.
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