Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (2024)

Tangy and zesty sourdough lemon poppy seed muffins bursting with fresh lemon flavor and a hint of nutty sweetness from the poppyseeds. These muffins are sure to make your taste buds dance with delight.

These flavorful muffins are surprisingly easy to make, perfect for a lazy Sunday morning brunch or a tasty afternoon snack.

The crunchy poppyseed topping adds a satisfying texture and a sweet, nutty flavor, while the light and airy texture of the muffin itself comes from whisking together the wet and dry ingredients separately.

I love making muffins for breakfast or snacks. Start them the night before, let them ferment overnight, and then bake them in the morning. Warm homemade muffins first thing in the morning. No one will complain, I promise.

So grab your apron and a bowl, and let the fun begin as you create a batch of delicious and unique sourdough lemon poppyseed muffins.

Why you will love this recipe:

Great way to use extra sourdough discard.Especially if you are just getting started with sourdough recipes and are still in the thick of the frequent feedings.

Can be long fermented for better digestion and nutrition.Not only are fermented grains easier to digest but the phytic acid is also broken down during the process making the nutrients available in the grains more bioavailable for your body to absorb.

Delicious muffins.Yummy burst of fresh lemon flavor and crunchy poppy seeds with a sweet glaze.

Tips:

• These sourdough muffins can be made quick or long fermented.
• The lemon drizzle over top adds the more delicious sweet flavor. You can totally opt out if you want, but it is so good.
• If you are opting for the dairy free version using water and oil, I would suggest using a touch less oil. I tested it and they were absolutely delicious. More like cake, but on the moist side.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosurehere.

Tools you may need:

Stand mixer with paddle attachment, a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or just a whisk will work. I suggest using a stand mixer if you are going to long ferment the muffin batter.

Muffin tin

Measuring cup

Ice cream scoop: This is totally optional, but it makes scooping the muffin batter into the muffin pan super simple and perfectly even.

Muffin liners

Kitchen scale (if wanting to measure in grams)

Ingredients

All purpose flour

Baking powder and Baking soda – This is what gives the muffins their rise.

Poppy seeds

Sugar

Salt

Wet Ingredients:

Sourdough starter discard – You could also use an active sourdough starter if that is what you have on hand. If using the quick version, active starter will not give you a tangy of a flavor.

Milk –You can also use water for a dairy free version.

Unsalted butter – For a dairy free version, you could swap the butter out for melted coconut oil, avocado oil, or even olive oil.

Eggs

Fresh lemon juice – This adds the most delicious fresh lemon flavor. If you are in a pinch bottled lemon juice will also work. I just find fresh lemons to taste better.

Vanilla extract – Homemade or store-bought

Lemon Glaze

Powdered sugar
Fresh lemon juice

How To Make Sourdough Lemon Poppyseed Muffins – Quick Version

Preheat your oven to 400 F and prepare your muffin tins. You can either use paper liners, or grease them with cooking spray or coconut oil rubbed inside each tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, sugar and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, milk, melted butter, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla until well incorporated.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the starter mixture and gently combine. Be careful not to over mix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick (or cake tester) inserted in the middle comes out clean. The edges of the sourdough lemon poppy seed muffins should start to turn golden brown.

Remove to a wire rack to cool.

For the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until combined. You can either drizzle it over the top with a spoon, or add it to a piping bag. I use a ziplock bag with the corner clipped off.

Enjoy!

Long Ferment Option 1

This is what I typically do, and the muffins in the photos were made this way with a 12 hour ferment.

The night before, add the all purpose flour, sourdough starter, and milk to a bowl and combine.

Cover with plastic wrap, a tight lid, or a beeswax wrap. Allow to sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours.

The next day, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add in the baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla to the fermented batter.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Note: if you are uncomfortable with leaving out milk overnight, you could substitute with water.

Long Ferment Option 2

I am comfortable allowing the milk to sit out for a lengthy period of time, but this is milk from our farm that we trust. Use discretion here. If you prefer to ferment in the refrigerator, you can mix up the entire batter with all of the ingredients from the original instructions, and put it covered in the fridge for 12 hours or up to 2 days

Storage:

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days. Freeze for longer term storage.

FAQ:

Find More Sourdough Muffin Recipes:

• ​Sourdough Blueberry Muffins
• Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• ​Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins
• The Best Sourdough Banana Muffins
• Sourdough Carrot Muffins

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars!Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone