Best Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins With Sliced Almonds

This fluffy lemon poppy seed muffins recipe is quick, simple, and perfect for breakfast, Easter brunch, or an afternoon snack with a cup of tea. My daughter always claims the ones with the most almonds on top even before they're out of the oven.

For other lemon treats, try my Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars and Lemon Blueberry Cookies. They’re super easy bakes too. Now, let’s juice some lemons!

These lemon poppy seed muffins with almond crunch are irresistibly good! They’re one of our favorite recipes for mornings when we're craving something lemon-y.

Quick to make: Ready in 35 minutes from start to finish.

Simple ingredients: You only need pantry staples!

Bakery-style: These muffins look as good as the ones at your favorite bakery (but taste even better.)

Versatile: Use oranges, add a glaze, or sprinkle in some dried cranberries.

These yogurt-lemon muffins come together with simple ingredients for a moist crumb! Scroll to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full recipe with ingredient amounts.

• All-purpose flour: Provides structure. Avoid cake flour and whole-wheat flour.
• Baking powder & baking soda: These are the raising agents. If they have lumps, sieve them.
• Salt: Kosher salt is best. Don't use coarse salt because it doesn't dissolve well.
• Poppy seeds: Chia seeds and flaxseed can be substituted in a pinch, but bake the batter immediately to prevent thickening.
• Lemons: You will need the juice and zest.
• Vegetable oil: Feel free to use melted butter or canola oil as swaps.
• Granulated sugar: Feel free to use dark brown sugar for a molasses-like flavor, but the muffins will turn out light brown instead of vanilla-yellow. Light brown sugar won't work.
• Eggs: Make sure they're at room temperature. You can use liquid eggs if preferred.
• Vanilla extract: This can be substituted for ¼ teaspoon almond extract or ¼-1/2 teaspoon lemon extract.
• Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and tang. Sour cream and unsweetened plain yogurt are wonderful swaps.
• Sliced almonds: Slivered almonds work too.

See recipe card for quantities.

These fresh lemon poppy seed muffins are a quick, weekday or weekend bake! They're as easy as a box-mix, but way more flavorful and wholesome.

1. Step 1: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds, and lemon zest, then whisk until combined.

2. Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice until smooth and well combined.

3. Step 3: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

Step 4: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin liners, sprinkle the sliced almonds on top, and bake for 18 - 20 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

These bakey-style lemon poppyseed muffins are perfect for switching up depending on what you've got at home and how indulgent you want to be! Try these yummy twists:

Lemon glaze: Make your favorite lemon glaze and drizzle it on top once the muffins have cooled for extra zing.

Cream cheese center: I love freezing teaspoons of softened cream cheese and pressing one into the center of each filled muffin liner before sprinkling with almonds and baking. Think lemon-cream cheese vibes.

Orange poppy muffins: Use fresh orange juice and zest instead of lemon for a citrusy variation.

Nut-free: Skip the almonds if anyone has nut allergies.

Make mini muffins: Bake in a mini muffin tin for 10–12 minutes. Keep a close eye on them because these are done quite fast. You'll need to bake in way more batches, though.

Use add-ins: Gently fold in ¼-1/2 cup dried cranberries or shredded coconut for extra flavor and texture.

These quick, tender muffins with toasty almonds are perfect for every day of the week! Here are our favorite ways to enjoy them:

• Warm with coffee or tea for breakfast. Kids love them with a cold glass of milk.
• Alternate with my Banana Raspberry Muffins and Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins for school snacks or lunchboxes.
• Serve at brunch with my White Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies.
• Place on an Easter-themed dessert table along with my Easter Mini Cheesecake Cups, Easter Pudding Cups, Easter Chocolate Bark, Easter S'mores Dip, and Bunny Bait.
• Pair with fresh fruit or my Banana Split Yogurt for breakfast.

These light and fluffy lemon-poppy muffins are great for prepping in advance! Here’s how to store them for later:

Counter

In an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. Keep them away from direct heat and sunlight. This method isn't recommended if the area where you live is generally warm and high-humidity.

Refrigerator

Up to 5 days. Keep them away from strong-smelling foods like onions to prevent the transfer of odors. Set at room temperature for 5 minutes before digging in.

Freezer

For longer storage, place in freezer-safe bags and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 15-20 minutes.

These simple tips and tricks will make these perfect lemon poppy seed muffins the star of your next spring gathering:

Room temperature ingredients: Set all your ingredients on the counter 15-20 minutes before baking to bring them down to room temperature. This ensures a smooth batter and reduces the chances of over-mixing.

Don’t overmix: Nobody likes dense, rubbery muffins. The key to keeping them light and fluffy is to mix only until just-combined, even if a flew lumps or streaks of flour remain. If the lumps are rather large, try to pick them out with a spoon or dissolve them with your fingers instead of stirring more.

Check early: To ensure moist muffins, check them at 22 minutes. Some ovens have hot spots or distribute heat unevenly, so it's best to check how your muffins are doing before they dry out or burn.

Prevent sticking: Unless I'm absolutely all out of liners, I'll grease the muffin pan with butter. I've had too many muffins stick to the pan, even when using butter, so I prefer paper liners.

Stick to the center: Before preheating the oven, place the oven rack in the center position. This is where heat is more evenly distributed and always yields the best results when baking muffins.

Here’s what other bakers and lemon-lovers are asking about these fluffy lemon poppy seed muffins!

Yes! I recommend mild-flavored olive oil since these muffins' flavor is very subtle and delicate.

Yes! Check the storage section instructions for counter, fridge, and freezer storage methods.

Yes! These homemade muffins will still be great without them.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Easy Lemon Poppyseed Overnight Oats (A Make-Ahead Meal You’ll Love)

Easy Carrot Cake Muffins with Cheesecake Filling (No Frosting Needed!)

The Best Carrot Cake Overnight Oats with Greek Yogurt

Easy Red Velvet Muffins Recipe with Chocolate Chips (Bakery-Style)

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These spring lemon poppy seed muffins with almond crunch are our favorite way to add a burst of citrus to any day of the week! Share your creations on Instagram with @Hungry Whisk, and don’t forget to subscribe for more muffin recipes and recipe cards! Happy baking!