Start your day with these Lemon Coconut Poppy Seed Muffins. A delicious blend of zesty lemon, sweet coconut, and nutty poppy seeds.
These Lemon Coconut Poppy Seed Muffins are soft, moist, and bursting with bright, fresh flavor in every bite. Zesty lemon adds a refreshing citrus punch, while sweet coconut brings a subtle tropical twist that perfectly balances the tang. Poppy seeds add a delicate crunch and a hint of nuttiness, giving these muffins a classic bakery-style texture. Then, they are topped with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze to tie everything together.
For more muffin recipes to start your day you have to check out my Coffee Cake Muffins, Banana Nut Muffins, and Double Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Table of Contents
Why We Love These Lemon Muffins
- Everything you need is easy to find and simple to work with and it takes less than 30 minutes to make!
- Enjoy them for breakfast, as a snack, or with tea in the afternoon.
- These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are naturally dairy-free.
Recipe Ingredients
Lemon Zest + Juice – Fresh lemon juice and zest will give your muffins the brightest, most vibrant fresh lemon flavor.
Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is the fat that gives these muffins a rich, slightly nutty flavor while making the crumb moist and tender. It’s the perfect complement to the coconut and lemon.
Poppy Seeds – These tiny seeds add a mild nutty flavor and a slight crunch to the muffins.
For a full list of ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Lemon Coconut Poppy Seed Muffins
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Line one muffin pan with liners, and set aside.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), combine sugar, coconut oil, and lemon zest. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix until combined.
Step 3: In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. Whisk together.
Step 4: Combine coconut milk, cultured coconut, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Alternate adding dry ingredients and wet ingredients to the sugar/oil mixture. Once the mixture has come together, be careful not to overmix! Scoop batter into the liners, filling ¾ of the way full.
Step 5: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 18–20 minutes or until the tops become lightly golden brown in color. Remove and allow to cool in the muffin pan for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: If desired, prepare the glaze by combining all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Turn cooled muffins upside down and swirl the tops in the glaze. Continue swirling to remove any excess glaze.
Expert Tips
Zest the Lemon First – Zesting the lemon before juicing it makes the process easier. You’ll get more zest, and it’s less likely to make a mess when you juice the lemon afterward.
Don’t Skip the Muffin Liner – Using muffin or cupcake liners helps the muffins bake evenly and makes cleanup easier. It also helps retain moisture, keeping the muffins soft longer.
FAQs
Absolutely! You can swap the coconut milk for other non-dairy options like almond milk or oat milk. Just keep in mind, coconut milk gives the muffins a unique flavor and may affect the texture slightly.
If your muffins are a bit dense, try mixing just until the ingredients are combined to keep them light and airy. Also, make sure your baking powder is fresh!
Storage Information
STORE these Lemon and Coconut Muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 1 week.
If you’d like to FREEZE them, wrap the muffins individually in plastic wrap or foil and place them in a freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. To REHEAT, simply thaw at room temperature or microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Lemon Coconut Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- ½ cup Dairy Free Cultured Coconut Milk (vanilla)
- 1/2 cup Dairy Free Coconut Milk (vanilla)
- 1 lemon - juiced and zest
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
Optional Lemon Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Line one muffin pan with liners, and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), combine sugar, coconut oil, and lemon zest. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix until combined.
- In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. Whisk together.
- Combine coconut milk, cultured coconut, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Alternate adding dry ingredients and wet ingredients to the sugar/oil mixture. Once the mixture has come together, be careful not to overmix! Scoop batter into the liners, filling ¾ of the way full.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 18–20 minutes or until the tops become lightly golden brown in color. Remove and allow to cool in the muffin pan for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If desired, prepare the glaze by combining all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Turn cooled muffins upside down and swirl the tops in the glaze. Continue swirling to remove any excess glaze.
NOTES
- Adding vanilla-flavored coconut products eliminates the need for vanilla extract. However, if you love vanilla (or don’t have vanilla-flavored coconut products), you can add ½ tsp. to the batter.
- Try substituting 1 cup of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a healthier version.
- For a vegan version, try using your favorite egg replacer.
- For a non-dairy version, substitute the coconut oil for butter, the coconut milk for whole milk, and the cultured coconut for your favorite coconut-flavored yogurt.
- These muffins are delicious with or without the glaze!
Yum, these muffins look amazing. I love the combination of lemon and poppyseed and I love the substitutions you’ve made! (Also, it was great to meet you and the babe officially last night!)
Thanks Aimee! It was good to meet you too! Can’t wait to see your little one!
These are so bright an cheery, I love baking with coconut oil!
Love that lemony glaze — asing coconut oil and milk is brilliant!
*using* 🙂