Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
After having “surveyed” many friends and family members on their favorite foods, I was actually rather surprised to discover that lemon poppy seed muffins were a favorite for many of them. I gathered several recipes from various cookbooks, and to be honest, wasn’t pleased with any of them; Feeling discouraged, I got to work and created a new recipe (a low-fat, low calorie version of course!!) And finally, I was pleased with the results. This muffin is moist, lemony, and delicious. Unlike the other versions that I tested, which had a dense, heavy and almost cake-like consistency, this recipe had a light, fluffy texture.
Equipment
- oven
- 6 cup jumbo muffin tin (or 12 cup regular sized muffin tin)
- 1 large bowl
- 1 separate bowl
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- ¾ cups skim milk
- 1 container fat free lemon, vanilla or plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 small lemons)
- ⅓ cup poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 6 cup jumbo muffin tin (or a 12 cup regular sized muffin tin) with nonstick cooking spray (or use paper liners).
- In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the applesauce, oil, yogurt, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients to the well.
- Once everything is almost combined, stir in the poppy seeds and mix again until everything is just moistened. Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 10 – 15 minutes.
Video
Notes
Adding a Glaze: For an extra touch of sweetness and visual appeal, consider drizzling a simple lemon glaze over your muffins. Mix powdered sugar with freshly squeezed lemon juice until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency. Drizzle the glaze over cooled muffins and let it set before serving. It's a delightful finishing touch!