Tangy Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Full of zesty lemon and crunchy poppy seeds, these Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are the perfect muffin to make! It's also a great use for your sourdough starter that is hanging out in your refrigerator!

Each bite delivers a burst of citrusy freshness complemented by the subtle crunch of poppy seeds, all embraced by the wholesome goodness of sourdough. Light, moist, and irresistible, these muffins are a delightful treat for any occasion, bringing a touch of homemade charm to your Spring day.

The lemon lover in your life with be asking for these muffins again and again! Check out my sourdough discard lemon loaf too for more lemony goodness!

Baking with sourdough discard is one of my favorite things to do! You can make lots of sourdough recipes with your sourdough starter! There's nothing better than a chocolate chip sourdough muffin or sourdough morning glory muffins too!

Be sure to join our Sourdough Facebook group with other Sourdough fanatics sharing their favorite recipes as well as tips and tricks!

Why You'll Love These Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

• These muffins are a great make ahead breakfast! Bake up a big batch on Sunday and then enjoy them throughout the week. Pop one in the oven to heat it through and slather with butter. A delicious grab and go breakfast!
• These muffins are easy to make! The lemon poppy seed muffins are made by hand, so you don't have to break out any equipment to make these.
• This recipe use some of that precious sourdough starter! I love using my sourdough starter for other things than just bread.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Flour. All purpose flour, bread flour, or a combination or white flour and whole wheat flour will work.
• Sourdough Discard. Unfed, meaning that it is right out of the refrigerator and has not been fed yet. If you don't have a sourdough starter, you can make a sourdough starter from scratch, buy one, or get one from a sourdough friend!
• Lemons. Fresh lemons are best since we are using both the lemon zest and the lemon juice
• Leavening agents. Even though we are using sourdough discard, we need the baking powder and baking soda to make the muffins rise and become light and fluffy.
• Melted Butter. To make these dairy-free, use canola oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, or a light olive oil.
• Poppyseeds. Lemon and poppyseed are a classic combination! The tangy lemon flavor pairs perfectly with the poppyseed crunch and earthy flavor.

What is Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard is the portion of your sourdough starter that you are not feeding. When you are "feeding" your starter to make bread with, you add equal parts flour, water, and starter to a mason jar and let it rise.

You can't feed your entire starter, as it doubles and sometimes triples in size, and that's a lot of starter to have on hand! If you are new to sourdough, be sure to check out how to keep a sourdough starter post all about how to keep your sourdough starter happy.

Step By Step Instructions

Tips and Tricks

• To make these lemon muffins even sweeter, add a lemon icing like this one on blueberry zucchini bread with lemon icing! There's always a brown sugar streusel topping to add to the muffins too!
• Rotate the muffin pan halfway through the baking process to make sure that the muffins bake evenly.
• If you don't have fresh lemons, you could use store bought lemon juice. Increase the amount to 3 tablespoons since you won't be using the lemon zest.

How To Store Sourdough Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Once these Sourdough Lemon Poppyseed Muffins have cooled to room temperature on a wire rack, place them in an airtight container and keep them on the counter for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze the muffins by wrapping them in plastic wrap and place them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. Take out a muffin as you would like and enjoy them throughout the month.

Recipe FAQs