Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

I’m not a big breakfast eater, but I sure do love my cafecito… and a little something sweet.

Sometimes I grab a big mug of black coffee in the morning… and a little something sweet.

When I was growing up breakfast was usually a café con leche… and a little something sweet.

Because Cuban.

Obviously the constant in my Breakfast Life is… a little something sweet. Or is that just a Cuban thing? 

I mix up my bake at home “litte something sweet” repertoire with Pastelitos de Guayaba (duh), Chocolate Chip Muffins, Sweet Tangerine Scones, and today I want to share my perfectly delightful Lemon Poppyseed Muffins. 

They’re the perfect “something sweet.” They’re light and super tasty and just right with a hot cup of coffee, or café con leche, or a cortadito. Ya tu sabes.

My good friends at Melissa’s Produce just sent me a gorgeous box of Organic Produce, which included lots of citrus, including my super favorite for cooking and baking: Meyer Lemons. Thank you so very much, Melissa’s!

Also, if you’re in So Cal, you can have the Organic Family Box delivered right to your door. It’s kind of sweet (no pun intended) to have high quality fresh produce during this weird time.

So, our Melissa’s Challenge for the month of May is to make a recipe with something citrus. This made me super excited, because people, I truly love those Meyer Lemons. 

And because I love them, I actually made two recipes, I will share the other later, but here is where I jumped into the fray with this recipe for my favorite Lemon Poppyseed Muffins. 

They go great with a hot cup of coffee. Or is that just a Cuban thing? 

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter – at room temperature
• 2 Eggs
• 2 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or sea salt)
• 2 tbsp Poppy Seeds
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp. Meyer Lemon Zest
• 1 cup sour cream (full fat)

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed Meyer Lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1.Preheat oven to 450° F. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick baking spray.

2.In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

3.Add sugar and lemon zest, beat on medium high for about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.

4.Add vanilla extract, mix to combine. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one.

5.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

6.Set mixer to low speed, and alternate adding about 1/3 of the dry ingredients and the sour cream at a time until everything has been added.

7. Mix just until combined, do not overmix. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.

8. Using a large spoon or ice cream server, scoop the batter into muffin tin.

9. Bake for 5 minutes at 425° degrees, then reduce the temperature to 400° degrees and continue baking for 14-16 minutes or until centers are fully set.

10.Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

11.To make the glaze: in a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over warm muffins. Allow to cool and set before serving.

Thanks again to Melissa’s Produce for all the tasty Meyer Lemons! 

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