Gluten free lemon and poppyseed muffins

Classic combinations are hard to beat, and lemon with poppy seeds is definitely one of these. The combination is found in many cuisines, and a quick search on the internet for lemon and poppy seed muffins brings up hundreds of results – I am very grateful that you are looking at mine :)

Poppy seeds are an ancient Sumerian spice first cultivated in Mesopotamia around 3400 BC. When Alexander the Great conquered Egypt, this marked the beginning of spices, including poppy seeds from the Middle East, being imported into Greece. This was also when the use of poppy seeds in bread began. The use of poppy seeds in Europe continued through the Middle Ages, serving as both medicine and spice. Today, the world’s main poppy seed producer is the Czech Republic, followed by Turkey and Spain. They add a lovely subtle nutty flavour and a bit of crunch to this recipe.

Many lemon and poppy seed recipes use sour cream, but I prefer Greek yoghurt. Whole milk Greek yoghurt and sour cream can be directly substituted 1:1. The yoghurt adds a tangy texture that I believe complements the lemon juice and zest, enhancing the citrus flavour. Avoid using low-fat yoghurt – the thickeners and stabilisers used in low-fat yoghurt can impart a chalky flavour to your finished baked product.

In this recipe, I use almond flour. It adds a fine texture to the crumb of the muffins and provides some stability that gluten-free plain flour doesn't have. Replacing almond flour with more plain flour will give you a more cake-like consistency. Almond flour is different to almond meal. Almond flour is made from blanched, peeled almonds, while almond meal is made from raw, unpeeled almonds. Almond meal is coarser, with brown flecks from the skin, and can be slightly bitter.

The muffin batter is quite thick. For best results in achieving a lovely domed top, use an ice cream scoop. This also ensures evenly sized muffins. Not all ice cream scoops are the same size. It is important to know the volume of your tins. I have two muffin tins with quite different sized cups. In my older tin, I use a Size 12 (70 ml) ice cream scoop, and in my modern tin, I use a Size 20 (45 ml). This also affects the patty tin liners you buy. The liners at the supermarket don't always have size or capacity listed on the packets. For the most professional results, a baking supplier will have a range of clearly sized liners in a wide array of colours and patterns.

For all the tips on making this delicious treat, watch my video in the link.

Makes 12

• 280 g plain flour (gluten free)

• 80 g almond flour

• 150 g castor sugar

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp xanthum gum

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Zest 3 lemons 

• 2 tbl poppy seeds

• 130 g unsalted butter, room temp

• 140 g greek/natural yoghurt

• 2 large eggs

• 4 tbl lemon juice

Icing piped in stripes

• 200 g soft icing mix

• 1 tbl lemon juice

• 2 tbl milk 

Preheat oven 190°C fan/210°C.

Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl whisk together flours, castor sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthum gum, salt, lemon zest and poppy seeds.

Add the butter and using a mixer, beat until resembling breadcrumbs.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, lemon juice and yoghurt.

Add egg mixture to the flours and beat until you have a thick smooth batter with no lumps of flour.

Using an ice-cream scoop, divide the mixture into the liners. The batter is quite thick and will keep the shape of the scoop.

Bake 18-20 minutes until risen, golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before placing on a cake rack to cool.

When cold ice.

Store in an airtight container.

Icing

Mix together the ingredients to make a paste of piping consistency. Using a piping bag with a fine nozzle (size 6) pipe zigzags across each muffin.

edited March 2023

updated November 2023