These gluten-free lemon poppy seed muffins are incredibly soft and fluffy, bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Speckled with poppy seeds and finished with a tangy lemon glaze, they strike the perfect balance of bright, sweet, and citrusy in every bite.
Katie's Recipe Notes
I originally published this recipe in 2020, but recently went back to revisit it. This has always been one of those recipes I felt should be a favorite but, for whatever reason, it never really took off.
When I made the recipe again, the lemon flavor was just as good as I remembered; bright and fresh. But the texture felt a little more dense than I'd like.
So I made a couple small tweaks to improve it. I switched from butter to oil, which made the biggest difference in producing a softer, more tender crumb.
I also increased the baking powder very slightly and bumped the oven temp a bit, to give them a better rise. Everything else stayed the same and I'm proud to share these muffins are even better than before! The updated recipe is below.
Featured Review:
These taste like a bakery style muffin. So soft, fluffy, and full of flavor. Everyone loved them!
-Erin
Ingredients
- Measure for Measure Gluten-free Flour Blend: I tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill and Cup4Cup. Always choose a flour blend with a binder, such as Xanthan gum, included.
- Almond Flour: I love the bit of extra flavor and extra tenderness that almond flour provides in this recipe. If you'd rather skip this ingredient, just use the same amount of gluten-free flour instead.
- Fresh Lemons: Fresh lemon juice makes a big difference. Bottled juice won't give you the same bright flavor. We will also use the zest from the lemon to give the muffins even more lemony oomph!
- Poppyseeds: For that classic lemon poppy seed texture.
- Butter, Milk & Sour Cream: This combination gives you a soft, tender muffin that stays soft and moist, even days later. You can substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream.
How to make Gluten-Free Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
- In a large mixing bowl, blend together the oil and sugar on low speed until smooth and fully combined.
- Add the eggs, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until the batter is smooth and well blended.
- Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. This will make a thick batter.
- Divide the muffin batter evenly amongst a 12-cup muffin pan lined with cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake according to recipe card below.
- Once the muffins are cool, make the lemon glaze. It's a simple mixture of powdered sugar and lemon juice drizzled over the cooled muffins.
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Can you freeze lemon poppy seed muffins?
Freezer:
These muffins freeze really well. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer until solid. Once frozen transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. They will last up to 2 months.
Room temperature:
You can also store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. They stay soft and tender thanks to the oil.
Check the Temp!
Gluten-free muffins need to be fully baked to avoid sinking or a gummy center. If you're unsure if the muffins are done, check the internal temperature with a digital thermometer. It should be 200-205°F.
More Recipe Tips
- Zest the lemon before juicing it. It's really hard to remove zest from a lemon that has already been squeezed.
- Pop the lemon in the microwave for 15 seconds before juicing. This can make it easier to get all the juices from the lemon.
- You don't have to let the batter rest, I tried that and noted no discernible difference in texture. I find that if you're using a high quality blend, this step isn't necessary.
Gluten-Free Quick Bread Recipes To Try Next
Recipe
Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (Bob's Red Mill 1:1, Cup4Cup, or Pamela's Artisan Blend)
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 fresh lemon)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup avocado oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 fresh lemon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Icing
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 fresh lemon)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin tins with parchment paper liners.
- Whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, poppy seeds, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, blend together the oil and sugar. Then mix in the eggs, milk, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, blend until well combined.
- Divide batter amongst 12 muffin cups, filling about ⅔ full with batter.
- Bake at 375°F 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the muffins rest in the pan 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Lemon Icing
- In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over cooled muffins.
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Estimated Nutrition
* Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should be used as an estimate only. See the nutrition policy for more information.
Kay says
The BEST poppyseed muffins! I replaced the lemon juice in the frosting with a tap of almond extract. My family said they were better than Perkins! I’d say that’s a win
Sylvia Frias says
Followed the exact recipe. Best muffins I’ve ever had!! Better than AP flour. I checked at 20 minutes and they were done. Depends on your oven. Thank you for this recipe!
Katie | Wheat by the Wayside says
Oh yes, ovens vary! Glad you checked on them! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Erin Louise says
I just made these muffins about 2 hours ago and I am absolutely in love with them. I have tried 2 other Lemon Poppyseed muffin recipes from other websites/cookbooks before and they didn't turn out nearly as well as these. All of my roommates ate one and could also not stop talking about how incredible they were. They are so full of flavor and were the perfect moist/fluffiness. It was like eating a gourmet muffin from a bakery! So easy and quick and so worth it! Highly recommend this recipe to everyone!
Katie | Wheat by the Wayside says
Erin! I am so happy you loved these muffins! Thank you for sharing!
Sreya Dutta says
Going to try for the first time. Do I really need the sour cream?
Katie Olesen says
I haven’t tried the recipe without. If you don’t like sour cream you could also substitute yogurt.