Description

These Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are light, fluffy, and bursting with fresh blueberries, zesty lemon, and a delightful crunch from poppy seeds. Perfect for breakfast or a refreshing snack, they feature a sweet lemon sugar topping that adds an extra layer of flavor and texture. The batter benefits from a resting period to ensure tender, well-developed muffins with a golden crust.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 ½ cups blueberries

Wet Ingredients

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 and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Grease every other well in two muffin pans for a total of ten wells, including the rims, to allow for evenly spaced muffins that bake beautifully.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, double-acting baking powder, and poppy seeds. Gently fold in the blueberries to coat them with the flour mixture, helping to prevent them from sinking during baking.
Cream Wet Ingredients: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together the granulated sugar, room temperature butter, neutral oil, and 2 tablespoons lemon zest in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well, then beat in the sour cream and fresh lemon juice until fully incorporated.
Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Gently fold using a rubber spatula until just combined; overmixing could result in tough muffins. Allow the batter to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to improve texture and flavor.
Fill Muffin Pans: Evenly divide the batter among the prepared muffin pans, filling only every other well (5 muffins per pan). The batter will be very full, which helps the muffins rise properly with a rounded top.
Prepare Lemon Sugar Topping: Rub the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon zest and ¼ cup granulated sugar together with your fingers until fragrant. Sprinkle this lemon sugar evenly over each muffin for a sweet, crunchy finish.
Bake Muffins: Bake the muffins at 425°F for 5 minutes to set the exterior, then immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 15-17 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool Muffins: Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pans for five minutes. Then transfer the muffins onto a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring the bottoms stay crisp and muffins don’t become soggy.

Notes

Allowing the batter to rest for at least 30 minutes helps the flour hydrate and results in more tender muffins.
Batter can rest longer at room temperature up to 1 hour if needed but avoid extended resting to prevent over-fermentation.
Coating blueberries with flour before folding prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.
Ensure all wet ingredients are at room temperature for better emulsification and rise.
Filling every other well and making them very full helps the muffins bake evenly and rise well with a nice dome.
Muffins are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for longer storage.