Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

These Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins are bakery-worthy with their domed tops, tender crumb, and tangy-sweet glaze made from real blueberry juice. I tested this recipe over 5 times to strike the perfect balance between light and cakey but also moist – truly the best of both worlds! They are not *too* sweet, making them just as welcome at brunch as they are for a midweek treat.

What sets this recipe apart is the attention to detail in building flavor. Rubbing lemon zest into the sugar, for instance, releases fragrant oils and gives the muffins the citrusy punch of a lemon dessert. The blueberries stay juicy, the poppyseeds add that subtle nutty crunch, and the glaze—you’d never believe the color comes from warmed fresh blueberries!

My favorite part? That natural blueberry and lemon glaze. The vibrant color and depth of flavor make the muffins a showstopper. Whether you’re baking for a crowd or just want a stash of something joyful in the freezer, these muffins deliver. If you want something extra lemony, try my Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
• Ingredients
• How to Make Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
• Substitutions and Variations
• Storing Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Top Tips
• More recipes you may like:
• Rate This for Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins Recipe
• Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

• The glaze – No artificial color, just naturally vibrant from the blueberry juice and and a little sour from the lemon.
• Perfect texture — Lemon poppyseed muffins are usually more moist and dense, while blueberry muffins are light and cakey. This recipe nails that perfect in-between to satisfy all preferences!
• Great flavor — These muffins are chock full of blueberries (you’ll have some in every bite) which provide extra sweetness and moisture. They balance so well with the sour lemons and nutty poppyseeds.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour – Forms the base structure for the blueberry lemon poppy seed muffins.
• Baking soda and baking powder – Helps the muffins rise evenly and get that signature dome and tender crumb
• Kosher salt – Balances the sweetness; kosher salt has larger flakes than table salt, making it easier to control and less salty by volume.
• Butter – Adds richness and flavor; melted butter also means no creaming in this recipe!
• White sugar – Sweetens the blueberry lemon poppyseed muffin recipe and absorbs the lemon zest oils for more citrus flavor.
• Eggs – Provide structure and help bind the batter.
• Vanilla extract – Because what is a muffin without vanilla extract.
• Greek yogurt – Keeps the muffins moist but not too dense, and adds structure.
• Lemons – Both zest and juice! The zest delivers citrus flavor when rubbed into sugar, and the juice brings tartness to the batter and glaze.
• Poppyseeds – Add nutty texture and a speckled visual touch.
• Milk – Loosens the batter just enough for a soft, tender crumb.
• Blueberries – Bursts of juicy sweetness throughout the muffins, and the juice used for the glaze.
• Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the glaze while ensuring a smooth consistency.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

1. Prep the oven and muffin tin – Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a metal muffin tin with 18 paper liners and set aside.
2. Mix the dry ingredients – In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter – You can do so in one of two ways.
   • Stovetop: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter until fully liquid. (Note that if you are making the glaze to top these lemon blueberry poppyseed muffins, you can use the same saucepan for the blueberries as you do with melting butter if you choose this method.)
   • Microwave: Add butter to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 15–20 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted.
4. Infuse the sugar – Zest 3 lemons directly into a large bowl. Add the sugar. Use your hands to rub the zest into the sugar for about 1 minute, until the sugar turns yellow and smells lemony.
5. Mix the wet ingredients – To the lemon sugar, add melted butter and stir to combine. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and Greek yogurt. Stir again. Then add poppy seeds and the juice of 2 lemons (reserve the 3rd lemon’s juice for the glaze).
   • TIP: Roll the lemons back and forth on your table or counter with slight pressure from your hands AFTER you have zested the lemons in order to make them juicier. If you roll them before you zest, the lemon essential oils found on the rind will poof out into the air!
6. Combine wet and dry – Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until halfway combined. Then add the milk and continue stirring just until combined. Fold in the blueberries gently to avoid streaking. Do not overmix the batter in order to avoid a dense muffin.
7. Bake the lemon blueberry poppy seed muffins – Use a spoon or cookie scoop to divide the batter into the prepared liners. Fill each to the top. Bake at 425°F for 8 minutes, then—without opening the oven—lower the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 10 more minutes. This method creates a burst of heat that helps the muffins rise tall and cook evenly. Let muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully before glazing.
8. Make the glaze – In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine blueberries and vanilla extract. Cook 5–10 minutes until the berries burst. Optional: mash them gently with a spatula to encourage bursting.
9. Strain and mix glaze – Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Using the same sieve, pour the blueberry mixture in. Use the back of a spatula or spoon to press the blueberries to extract the juice into the bowl with the powdered sugar (only about 2 tablespoons of juice is needed, no more, so no need to press too hard). Add lemon juice and whisk until smooth. Discard blueberry pulp (or save to add into a yogurt bowl, oatmeal, chia seed pudding, pancakes, etc).
10. Glaze the muffins – Once the muffins are fully cooled, drizzle or spoon the glaze over the tops.

Substitutions and Variations

• Swap Greek yogurt for sour cream if easier.
• Add a crumble topping made of oats, flour, brown sugar, and butter before baking the blueberry lemon poppyseed muffins for extra texture.
• Make the glaze with lemon juice alone for quicker topping! Or simply serve as is without a glaze

Storing Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Muffins keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days; consider rewarming slightly before serving.

Freeze unglazed blueberry lemon poppy seed muffins for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and glaze before serving.

Make ahead: The muffins and the glaze can be made and stored separately for up to 3 days ahead. Refrigerate them separately. Bring the glaze to room temperature and stir before topping the muffins.