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    Home » Dessert

    Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

    Posted: Sep 2, 2020 · Updated: Jul 29, 2021 by Tonje

    1385 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    These healthy lemon poppy seed muffins are light and airy, with a delicious lemony flavor. They are an amazing baked treat, best served with a cup of tea for breakfast.

    Lemon poppy seed muffins on a chopping board.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Top tips
    • Serving suggestions
    • Variations
    • Leftovers
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read more about it in the privacy policy.

    Muffins don't typically tend to be healthy - and attempts to make them a little healthier don't always work out. But this recipe creates the most lovely, light, fluffy and moist lemon poppy seed muffins.

    Using some simple substitutions, we can make amazing muffins with ingredients you probably already keep in your pantry. No special ingredients required.

    If you love these lemon muffins, you might also want to check out my healthy banana oat muffins with raisins, Banana Carrot Muffins, Blueberry Protein Muffins, Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins or these easy puff pastry cinnamon rolls.

    Ingredients

    To make this recipe, you will need Greek yogurt, olive oil, vanilla extract, poppy seeds, white whole wheat flour, lemon (juice + zest), eggs, honey, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

    Muffins typically include sour cream, butter and sugar. In this recipe we replace these with Greek yogurt, olive oil and honey. The result is the same good muffins that you're used to, but made with better ingredients.

    Lemon poppy seed muffins ingredients.

    💡 TIP! If you don't have white whole wheat flour available, you can also use regular all purpose flour.

    Instructions

    Preheat your oven to 360 °F / 180 °C / 160 °C fan oven. Zest two lemons using a microplane, and squeeze the juice out of one lemon. Measure and prepare the other ingredients.

    Ingredients in a mixing bowl.

    Combine all the wet ingredients in a bowl; eggs, Greek yogurt, olive oil, vanilla extract, honey, lemon juice.

    Mixed ingredients in a mixing bowl.

    Then, add the dry ingredients; baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour and lemon zest. Mix the ingredients together until just combined.

    Lemon poppy seed muffin batter.

    Place muffin liners in a muffin pan. Fill the liners about ⅔ full of the batter. Place them in the oven, and bake for about 17 min, or until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

    Muffin batter in muffin trays.

    Discover more healthy snack recipes.

    Top tips

    Here are my best advice to make the best healthy lemon poppy seed muffins:

    • Don't over mix the batter! Only stir until the ingredients are just combined.
    • Fill the muffin liners ⅔ full. This prevents them from expanding too much, and gives them a nice shape.
    • Use a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the middle of the lemon poppy seed muffins to ensure that they have cooked through.
    • The muffins can burn quickly, so keep an eye on them. Overcooked muffins are dry and unpleasant.
    Muffins and lemons on a table.

    Serving suggestions

    • Top the muffins with your favorite icing if you want an extra sweet treat.
    • Iced Chai Latte with Almond Milk - Serve the muffins with your morning coffee.
    • Strawberry Basil Sauce - Add some strawberry sauce on top, because fruits are delicious.
    • Cilantro tea - The muffins go really well with this easy tea made with fresh herbs.
    A hand holding a muffin with a bite taken out of it.

    Variations

    Fruity: Add some finely diced fresh fruit or berries, such as raspberries or oranges.

    Vegan: Use a vegan egg substitute and vegan yogurt for a vegan friendly version of the recipe.

    Double lemon: Double up on the lemon zest, or coat the muffins with a lemon flavored icing or frosting if you want to increase the lemon flavor.

    Healthy lemon poppyseed muffins in a muffin pan.

    Leftovers

    Muffins store really well. You can keep them in an airtight container in your pantry for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 12 months.

    Defrost the frozen muffins before serving them. They are usually served at room temperature, but you can choose to warm them up for a few seconds in a microwave if you prefer warm muffins.

    As they can keep for a very long time, this recipe is perfect for batch baking! Simply double or triple the recipe to make a larger amount, and freeze the lemon poppy seed muffins for a rainy day.

    Healthy lemon muffins in a muffin pan.

    Frequently asked questions

    How can you make healthier muffins?

    Substitute healthier ingredients. Replace sour cream with Greek yogurt, sugar with honey and butter with olive oil.

    Can you use a muffin pan without liners?

    Yes. You can avoid using liners by spraying the muffin pan well with a cooking spray. This will prevent the muffins from sticking to the pan.

    Recipe

    Healthy lemon poppy seed muffins.

    Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

    These healthy lemon poppy seed muffins are light and airy, with a delicious lemony flavor. They are an amazing baked treat, best served with a cup of tea for breakfast.
    No ratings yet
    Created by: Tonje
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 17 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 20 muffins
    Calories 134 kcal
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    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups white whole wheat flour (or all purpose flour) (500 ml / 250 g)
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup honey (120 ml)
    • ½ cup olive oil (120 ml)
    • ½ cup Greek yogurt (120 ml)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 lemons (juice from 1 + zest from 2)
    • 3 tablespoons poppy seeds

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat your oven to 360 °F / 180 °C / 160 °C fan oven.
    • Zest two lemons using a microplane, and squeeze the juice out of one lemon. Measure and prepare the other ingredients.
    • Combine all the wet ingredients in a bowl; eggs, Greek yogurt, olive oil, vanilla extract, honey, lemon juice.
    • Then, add the dry ingredients; baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour and lemon zest. Mix the ingredients together until just combined.
    • Place muffin liners in a muffin pan. Fill the liners about ⅔ full with the batter.
    • Place them in the oven, and bake for about 17 min, or until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

    Video

    Notes

    • Don’t over mix the batter! Only stir until the ingredients are just combined.
    • Fill the muffin liners ⅔ full. This prevents them from expanding too much, and gives them a nice form.
    • Use a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the middle of the lemon poppy seed muffins to ensure that they have cooked through.
    • The muffins can burn quickly, so keep an eye on them. Overcooked muffins are dry and unpleasant.
    • Muffins store really well. You can keep them in an airtight container in your pantry for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 12 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 134kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 143mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 24IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword lemon, muffin, poppy seed
    Tried this recipe?Mention @hintofhealthyfood or tag #hintofhealthy!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Patti

      October 09, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      Hi, what are your thoughts on replacing the flour with almond flour?

      Reply
      • Tonje

        October 10, 2020 at 9:54 am

        I have not tried making these with almond flour yet, so I'm not sure. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Tonje! I make easy and healthy everyday recipes that your family will love. Browse my recipe collection to discover new favorites, and make sure to let me know what you think!

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