Lemony, buttery, and pillowy-soft, these light little muffins are loaded with natural lemon flavoring, peppered with poppy seeds, and then finally shellacked with a sweet lemony glaze.
I always seem to fall into a little bit of a depression after the holidays. I mean this in the mildest, least-clinical definition of the word possible, but it seems to be recurrently true that the day after Easter (or Christmas, a birthday, the 4th of July, etc.) always leaves me feeling so… ho-hum… blah… dispirited.
I live for the preparation and anticipation of a holiday celebration, and after days (sometimes weeks) of looking forward to family get-togethers, home-cooked meals spread buffet-style across a white-clothed table, and an extra day off of work, the next day can be a big let-down. It’s not easy to step back into the 9-5 routine, usually with nothing to look forward to except the next big holiday (which I believe now isn’t until the 4th of July!).
This Easter I tried to create a little buffer around the holiday, taking today off of work and trying to chase the post-holiday blues with muffins.
Not just any muffins, of course, but peppy miniature ones packed with real lemons, cheerful, sunny, and bite-sized (so you can enjoy them in multiples, of course) designed to take your mind off of the inevitability of getting back to the grind in the near future.
Shhh, don’t think about it. Just have another muffin.
Made with lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice (though I’d be lying if I said I’ve never substituted bottled), these muffins manage a distinct lemon flavor without any extracts. Their texture is light and soft with pebbly pops of poppy seeds (which I’m borderline addicted to–the texture is downright fun and unlike any other muffin I’ve had before).
The lemon glaze is easy to make and both sweet and tart, made with sugar and lemon juice and drizzled scantily over each muffin for an extra zing.
You can also make these regular-sized (of course), and I included instructions in the recipe for cook-time for both miniature and regular muffins.
Hopefully these muffins help to ease any post-holiday blues you may be having; they certainly seemed to work for me.
Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter 1/2 stick, or 4 Tbsp
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg white lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp water
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 mini muffin trays with paper liners.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, cut butter into 4 pieces and microwave at 15 second increments (stirring between) until butter is completely melted.
- Stir in lemon zest and set the mixture aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, measure out the heavy cream and stir in the lemon juice. Allow this mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes as well.
- In medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Return to your butter mixture and stir in canola oil, sugar, egg, egg white, and vanilla extract. Stir well.
- Add heavy cream/lemon juice mixture and stir well again.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to your wet mixture, begin to fold it into the wet mixture, add poppyseeds, and then continue to fold the mixtures together, taking care not to overmix.
- Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins, filling 3/2-3/4 of the way full.
- Bake on 350F for 15 minutes*
Notes
You may also like:
Lemon Crumble Cheesecake Squares
Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
These muffins area lovely! Spring is here and in full force 🙂 Pinning!
Sam says
Thank you, Medha!
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction says
These mini lemon muffins are super cute, and look so scrumptious, too! I just wanna grab a bunch! 🙂
Sam says
Thanks, Marsha!
P at says
I don’t like poppy sides so I am adding 1/2 cup of currents. I cook all my dried fruit before I use it. It gets soft and plump. My mom did it with dates, raisins etc. Cool first and if you need extra liquid for the recipe add some of the cooking liquid. You can also freeze this liquid in ice cube trays and bag for other recipes.
I get the after Christmas blahs, but I sit for a hour each night with my cocoa in front of the tree with all holiday lights on and candles lit and do some of the following: look at each card we received again and make a list for the following Christmas, write thank you notes for gifts and
goodies and enclose a recipe card with each for a fav dessert. Play
Christmas music during this hour and enjoy your own quiet celebration which you did not have time for prior to the holiday. This is a time to be good to yourself. The blahs wouldn’t dare stay.
Sam says
I love the idea of substituting the currents (Zach doesn’t like poppy seeds either so he would probably like this, too). Thank you for the tips, Pat! I will be trying this out.
I also love what you’ve suggested for chasing away the blahs, what you described after Christmas sounds so cozy, how could anyone be sad in a setting like that?? Focusing inwards (and on gratitude) is a wonderful suggestion. Thank you so much for commenting!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
These are too cute! I am totally feeling a holiday ‘hangover’ today, we took Friday and yesterday off so it is extra hard to go back 🙁 These muffins sound so bright and lemony that I’m sure they’d help kick that funk to the curb!
Sam says
It was SO hard to go back today! Thanks so much, Denise! 🙂
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I think a little bit of ho-hum-ness after a holiday is normal… it’s easy to get into a rut. Well, at least for me! So I feel ya girl! I can’t think of a better way to cheer myself up than with some muffins! And some fabulously mini muffins at that! These are adorable, Sam! Love the lemon and poppy seed combo!! Cheers, dear- and pop these on repeat until you cheer up! 😉
Ambre says
Am I missing something here???? How much poppy seeds??? Can I use the Solo brand poppy seed filling????
Sam says
Hi Ambre, it’s 1 Tbsp. I’m not familiar with the solo poppy seed filling, I’ve only used regular poppy seeds. If this filling is just poppy seeds that will be fine. Hope that helps!