Bursting with juicy blueberries and bright lemon flavor, these Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are tender, moist, and topped with a delicious lemon sugar crunch. They’re easy to make and perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a grab-and-go snack!
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| Yield: | Prep time: | Bake time: |
|---|---|---|
| 10 muffins | 45 mins | 20 mins |
Muffins are a breakfast staple, but these Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins take it up a notch with a combination of sweet, juicy blueberries and bright, zesty lemon to wake up your taste buds. Add a little crunch from poppy seeds, and you have the perfect muffin. Plus, they’re easy to make, freeze beautifully, and can be easily scaled for just a few or a crowd.
Pair these Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with a warm cup of coffee or tea, or serve them alongside a mushroom, spinach and goat cheese frittata and this quick & easy fruit salad dressing to your favorite fruits for a complete brunch spread!
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Why you'll love these muffins
✔︎ Extra Lemony Flavor – These muffins pack a citrusy punch thanks to both fresh lemon zest and juice in the batter, plus a lemon zest sugar sprinkle on top for an extra burst of brightness.
✔︎ Moist and Tender Texture – Thanks to the addition of sour cream (or yogurt), these muffins stay tender and delicious for days.
✔︎ Easy to Make – Simple ingredients and no fancy equipment required.
✔︎ Perfect for Meal Prep – Make a batch and freeze for a quick grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Flour – This recipe was tested with all-purpose flour, but you can also use a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute like King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour or Cup4Cup gluten-free flour.
- Double-acting baking powder – Essential for a good rise, as it activates twice (once when mixed, once while baking). Most baking powders sold in grocery stores are double-acting but check the label to be sure.
- Poppy seeds – Add a slight crunch and nutty flavor. If you don't have them, you can skip them entirely.
- Blueberries – Fresh or frozen berries both work! If using frozen, don't thaw them. They may need an extra minute or two cooking time as frozen berries tend to release liquid when baked.
- Salted butter – Adds richness; unsalted butter can be used with a pinch of salt.
- Neutral oil – A little bit of canola or vegetable oil helps keeps the muffins moist.
- Lemons – You’ll need both the zest and juice for maximum citrus flavor.
- Eggs – I used large eggs for recipe testing.
- Sour Cream – Adds moisture and a slight tang; Greek yogurt is a good substitute.
Instructions
Muffins are one of the easiest things to make, even for beginner bakers.
1. Add flour, baking powder and poppy seeds to a bowl. Whisk to combine and stir in blueberries.
2. Cream together butter, sugar, oil and lemon zest.
3. Beat in eggs, sour cream and lemon juice. Add flour mixture to the batter and stir until just combined. Allow to rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
4. Portion the muffin batter into your prepared pans. Use your fingers to rub more sugar and lemon zest together and sprinkle over the muffins before baking.
FAQs
Yes! Instead, sprinkle muffins with turbinado sugar for a crunchy, bakery-style top.
Yes! No need to thaw—just fold them into the batter frozen. It might take a few extra minutes to bake through due to the extra moisture in frozen berries.
Resting allows the flour to fully hydrate, resulting in taller, fluffier muffins.
Tips for Muffin Success
➤ Use Room Temperature Ingredients – This helps create a smooth batter and even baking.
➤ Don’t Overmix the Batter – Overmixing can lead to dense muffins. Stir just until the dry ingredients are just combined. You might still see a streak of flour here and there.
➤ Let the Batter Rest – For taller, bakery-style muffin domes, let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes before baking. This allows the flour to hydrate fully and helps create a better rise. I've even let the muffin batter sit in the fridge overnight and the batter still puffs up beautifully when baked.
➤ Full Muffin Cups – Fill each cup all the way to the top for nicely domed muffins. I find a large scoop works really well for this.
➤ Use Every Other Muffin Well – For sky-high muffins, leave empty spaces between them by filling every other muffin well. This allows for better air circulation and encourages a higher rise.
➤ Start with a High Oven Temperature – Bake at 425°F for the first 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F for the remaining time. This quick burst of heat helps the muffins rise higher and develop a beautifully domed top.
➤ Check for Doneness Early – Ovens vary, so start checking a few minutes before the suggested baking time. A toothpick should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
✘ Room Temperature: Store baked muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
✘ Refrigerate: Keep baked muffins in the fridge for up to 5 days.
✘ Freeze: Wrap cooled muffins individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven before serving.
✘ Night before: Make the batter through the resting stage. Cover and refrigerate. Then bake in the morning according to recipe directions.
Scaling the Recipe
Need fewer muffins? Halve the ingredients to make 5 muffins instead of 10.
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Recipe
Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 ½ cups blueberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, canola or vegetable
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Lemon-Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 heaping teaspoons lemon zest
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease every other well in two muffin pans for a total of ten wells, including the rims.
- Add flour, baking powder and poppy seeds to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Gently stir in the blueberries.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder, 2 tablespoons poppy seeds, 1 ½ cups blueberries
- Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the 1 cup sugar, butter, oil and 2 tablespoons lemon zest together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, mix well and then beat in the sour cream and lemon juice.1 cup granulated sugar, 8 tablespoons salted butter,, 2 tablespoons neutral oil,, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, 2 large eggs,, ¾ cup sour cream,, 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir using a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not over mix. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. (See notes for longer rest time.)
- Evenly divide batter among muffin pan wells, filling only every other well (5 muffins per pan). They will be VERY full.
- Use your fingers to rub remaining 2 teaspoons lemon zest and ¼ cup sugar together. Sprinkle lemon sugar over each muffin.¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 heaping teaspoons lemon zest
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes and lower temperature to 350°F for 15-17 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin will come out clean.
- Cool muffins in pans for five minutes and then remove muffins and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Tips for the best muffins:
-
Use Room Temperature Ingredients – This helps create a smooth batter and even baking.
-
Don’t Overmix the Batter – Overmixing can lead to dense muffins. Stir just until the dry ingredients are just combined. You might still see a streak of flour here and there.
-
Let the Batter Rest – For taller, bakery-style muffin domes, let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes before baking. This allows the flour to hydrate fully and helps create a better rise. Want piping hot muffins in the morning? Cover the batter, refrigerate it overnight and bake as directed.
-
Full Muffin Cups – Fill each cup all the way to the top for nicely domed muffins. I find a large scoop works really well for this.
-
Use Every Other Muffin Well – For sky-high muffins, leave empty spaces between them by filling every other muffin well. This allows for better air circulation and encourages a higher rise.
-
Start with a High Oven Temperature – Bake at 425°F for the first 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F for the remaining time. This quick burst of heat helps the muffins rise higher and develop a beautifully domed top.
-
Check for Doneness Early – Ovens vary, so start checking a few minutes before the suggested baking time. A toothpick should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
-
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
-
Refrigerate: Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
-
Freeze: Wrap cooled muffins individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven before serving. The lemon-sugar topping may dissolve into the muffin after reheating but it will still taste delicious.
Scaling the Recipe
- Need fewer muffins? Halve the ingredients to make 5 muffins instead of 10.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
This was a wonderful recipe! I added about a tablespoon or two of lemon juice to offset the 2 tablespoons of flour that I added to the frozen berries in order to suspend them in the batter better.
So glad you enjoyed them, Araya! Appreciate you stopping back to let us know how well they turned out for you.
The lemon-blueberry combo is my absolute favorite for muffins. These look delicious!
Hard to beat those two together, Becca. Thanks for stopping by!
Poppy seeds are one of my favorite muffin ingredients. Love that you added them to yours!
I agree; poppy seeds are underrated. Love the crunchy bite they add to foods!
So right. What is not to love about a classic like this! I love lemon with blueberry too.
Oh yum, your muffins look and sound delicious!