Name: Ricotta Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8 Muffins
Cuisine: American

Sunday Table Verified

February 19, 2025

12 Ingredients

MEDIUM

These muffins are the best! They're fluffy, tender, and bursting with lemony flavor. I love making them for breakfast, brunch, or just a simple weekend bake! *Please keep in mind that this is a high-altitude baking recipe. Please see recipe notes for sea-level recommendations.

From the Cook

1/5

Ricotta Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Sunday Table Verified

Ingredients

Muffins

WarningMilk and 6 other allergens identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line every other cavity of a muffin tin with jumbo muffin liners.**

In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest and sugar. Using your fingers, rub the lemon zest into the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow, very fragrant, and starting to clump together a bit. This should only take about 30-60 seconds. Let it sit for a couple of minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds until combined. Set aside.

Add the eggs, ricotta, whole milk, oil, and vanilla extract to the lemon sugar. Whisk until smooth.

Add half of the flour to the wet ingredients. Stir with a whisk or rubber spatula, just until you have a couple streaks of flour left. Then, add the rest of the flour mixture and stir just until combined. The batter will be thick. A few lumps are ok!

Divide the batter evenly between the 8 muffin liners. Make sure to fill the liners to the very top with batter. Sprinkle each muffin generously with Demerara sugar.

Bake the muffins at 400°F for 5-6 minutes until the muffins have a good rise on them. Without opening the oven, reduce the heat to 350°F. Bake the muffins for 12-15 more minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until an inserted toothpick has just a few moist crumbs on it.

Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to set in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer the muffins to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy fresh with hot coffee or tea!

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Smart Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Ricotta Moisture Magic 💧
Drain excess moisture from ricotta cheese using a cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer to prevent soggy muffins and ensure a perfect, light texture.
Zest Distribution Technique 🍋
Rub fresh lemon zest directly into the sugar before mixing to release maximum essential oils and intensify the citrus flavor throughout the muffins.
Poppy Seed Suspension Trick 🥄
Toss poppy seeds in a tablespoon of flour before adding to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
High-Altitude Flour Adjustment 🏔️
For high-altitude baking, reduce the baking powder by 1/4 teaspoon and increase flour by 1-2 tablespoons to compensate for lower air pressure.
Demerara Sugar Crunch Hack 🍬
Sprinkle additional Demerara sugar on top of the muffins just before baking to create a delightful, crunchy caramelized top layer.

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About the Cook

Sunday Table

I’m Sara, the creator behind Sunday Table, sharing cozy, modern small bites and mini desserts made for entertaining. Trained in baking and culinary arts, I’ve been creating elevated, crowd-pleasing recipes since 2012 (with lots of coffee). ☕️