Anytime Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 3, 2009
Yield
Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients
Before You Begin
This recipe can easily be halved and doubled, if desired. If doubling the recipe, mix the batter in a large bowl and take care to evenly incorporate the flavorings. We prefer whole milk yogurt, although the recipe will work with low-fat or nonfat. When storing the batter overnight in the refrigerator, you can either put it in an airtight container or, if you have space, in a muffin tin covered with greased plastic wrap.
Instructions
- Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray; set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, lemon zest, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and beat in half of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the yogurt. Beat in half of the remaining flour mixture, followed by half of the remaining yogurt; repeat with the remaining flour mixture and yogurt. Portion the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin.
- Wrap the muffin tin tightly with plastic wrap sprayed with vegetable oil spray and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 1 month. (After the muffin batter is completely frozen, about 6 hours, the batter balls can be transferred to a zipper-lock bag to save space in the freezer. Transfer the batter balls back to an oiled muffin tin before baking.)
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap the muffins and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes if refrigerated, or 35 to 40 minutes if frozen. Let the muffins cool in the pan 5 minutes before serving.
to store
to serve
Yield
Makes 12 muffinsIngredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
With a couple of minor tweaks to the volume of baking powder and soda, we found that our favorite yogurt-based muffin batter refrigerated well overnight. We found that this make-ahead muffin batter recipe could be stored in its mixing bowl or, even better, in the muffin tins—if covered tightly with plastic wrap. We then made a batch of muffin batter, scooped it into a muffin tin, and placed the tin in the freezer, covering it lightly with plastic wrap. As soon as the batter was frozen, we tipped the “batter balls” out of the pan and stored them in zipper-lock bags in the freezer. Much to our delight, returned to their tins and baked (directly from the freezer), the muffins baked up every bit as good as fresh, requiring only an additional five minutes in the oven.
Before You Begin
This recipe can easily be halved and doubled, if desired. If doubling the recipe, mix the batter in a large bowl and take care to evenly incorporate the flavorings. We prefer whole milk yogurt, although the recipe will work with low-fat or nonfat. When storing the batter overnight in the refrigerator, you can either put it in an airtight container or, if you have space, in a muffin tin covered with greased plastic wrap.
Instructions
- Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray; set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, lemon zest, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and beat in half of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the yogurt. Beat in half of the remaining flour mixture, followed by half of the remaining yogurt; repeat with the remaining flour mixture and yogurt. Portion the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin.
- Wrap the muffin tin tightly with plastic wrap sprayed with vegetable oil spray and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 1 month. (After the muffin batter is completely frozen, about 6 hours, the batter balls can be transferred to a zipper-lock bag to save space in the freezer. Transfer the batter balls back to an oiled muffin tin before baking.)
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap the muffins and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes if refrigerated, or 35 to 40 minutes if frozen. Let the muffins cool in the pan 5 minutes before serving.
to store
to serve
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
0 Comments