Lemon Poppyseed Almond Muffins with Streusel Topping

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins. Hello, I love you.

Lemon flavored anything and I’m in love actually. If that’s the case for you too, you’ll have to check out these lemon cookies, this lemon pound cake, or my favorite lemon poppyseed scones. Yum, yum, YUM!

These muffins are soft, fluffy and the batter comes together in minutes. You’ll love how lemony and bright these are and they are piled high with an amazing almond streusel topping.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Flour: be sure to spoon and level the flour by using a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and use the back of a knife to level off the top of it. Using this method helps because you could end up with 50% more than you need if you just scoop the measuring cup into the bag.
• Lemon juice: fresh is best!
• Poppyseeds: of course! This recipe is loaded with 2 Tbsp. poppyseeds.
• Sugar: You’ll need brown sugar for the streusel topping and white sugar for the muffin batter.
• Butter: Using butter in muffins gives them a richer taste, compared to using oil.
• Whole milk: I use whole milk to give these muffins a delicious texture and taste and it can help activate the baking soda and baking powder.
• Other ingredients needed: lemon zest, cardamom, eggs, sliced almonds, lemon extract.

How to make lemon poppyseed muffins

1. Make the streusel first. Set it aside in the fridge while you make the muffins.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. In another bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.
4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined.
5. Scoop into a prepared cupcake tin and top each muffin with the almond streusel.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool and enjoy! (See recipe for optional lemon glaze to drizzle on top).

Tips for making Lemon Poppyseed Almond Muffins:

• Use fresh lemon! It adds a delicious flavor profile and plus you need a little bit of zest too!
• I love the additional flavor lemon extract gives so I highly recommend. But, if you only have vanilla on hand that works too. I’d also recommend almond extract.
• Don’t over mix the batter or over bake! Check muffins at 13 minutes.
• The muffins in my oven at 400° F took exactly 14 minutes but I would insert a toothpick and check the color of the tops of the muffins at 13 minutes to play it safe. Nothing is worse than a dense, dry muffin!
• If you don’t want to use butter, you may substitute it with oil (just note it will be a much more soft muffin).
• If you don’t have milk, you can substitute milk with Greek yogurt or buttermilk at room temperature)

What kitchen tools are needed for this recipe?

• Sometimes I love when all I need is my stand mixer for recipes, but then I hate having to clean it up afterwards. For this recipe, no stand or hand mixer is required. You will need…
• 2 bowls
• A whisk
• Measuring cups/spoons
• Muffins/cupcake tin with cupcake liners
• Zester or microplane.
• Oven!

This recipe makes 12 small cupcake sized muffins so they are great for a party or brunch! Or you can make them in a larger muffin tin, just be aware they may take longer to bake!

I hope you all love this recipe!

the goods

12 cup muffin tin

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Lemon Extract

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Lemon Poppyseed Muffins with Streusel Topping

These moist Lemon Poppyseed Almond Muffins with buttery streusel topping are incredibly tasty, easy to make and no stand mixer required! 

4.78 from 18 reviews

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Servings: 12 muffins

Calories: 318kcal

Author: Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner

Equipment

• 12 cup cupcake tin

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups flour
• ▢ 3/4 cup white sugar
• ▢ 2 Tbsp. poppyseeds
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
• ▢ 2 tsp. baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp. cardamom
• ▢ 1/2 cup whole milk
• ▢ 8 Tbsp. butter, melted and slightly cooled
• ▢ 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon)
• ▢ 2 tsp. lemon extract*

Streusel topping

• ▢ 1/4 cup flour
• ▢ 1/4 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• ▢ 1 tsp. lemon zest
• ▢ 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12 count cupcake tin with cupcake liners or spray with non stick baking spray.
• Make the streusel topping first: combine the flour, brown sugar, almonds and lemon zest in a medium sized bowl. Add the pieces of cold butter into the bowl and use a pastry blender or fork to cut the butter into the mixture until it is the texture of coarse meal. You do not want it to become a cohesive dough. Place in the fridge.
• In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, poppyseeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon zest and cardamom together.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, butter, eggs, lemon juice and lemon extract together until smooth. Gently fold in this mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. It will be very light and fluffy, do not over mix.
• Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into each cupcake tin. Then top each muffin with about ~1 Tbsp. streusel topping. Place in the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then enjoy!
• Optional: you can make a glaze to spoon over the tops! Mix 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 cup powdered sugar together. Stir until desired glaze consistency is reached, adding a touch more lemon juice or powdered sugar as desired. Drizzle glaze over muffins and enjoy!

Video

Notes

• You can use almond extract or vanilla extract if you do not have lemon extract but the lemon extract makes these extra lemon-y!
• To make into a loaf: Follow the same recipe instructions (You may have extra streusel topping), except put in a loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until middle is fully cooked. You may need to place a piece of foil over the top of the bread so the edges do not burn. Once removed from oven, let cool 20 minutes before turning out of the tin. (I know, it’s hard to wait!)

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Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 318kcal

If you want to turn this lemon poppyseed muffin recipe into lemon poppyseed bread…you totally can!

Follow the same exact recipe…but place the batter in an 8 x 4 inch baking dish (loaf pan) that is prepped with cooking spray.

Tent loaf with foil (don’t let foil touch loaf), and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (or with a few small crumbs)!

Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes in loaf pan, then invert loaf onto a wire rack.

Hi, I’m Tawnie!

Welcome to my tiny “korner” on the Internet! I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves cookies as much as kale. (OK, maybe I like cookies a little bit more but shh, don’t tell anyone). I am so glad you’re here! Follow along for hassle free, realistic and approachable recipes.

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