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Ricotta Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Ricotta Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest(about 3-4 large lemons)

⅔ cup sugar

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ tsp table salt

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

2 eggsroom-temperature

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

⅔ cup whole milk

½ cup neutral oil

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Demerara sugarfor sprinkling

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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Nutrition

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Zest Before Juicing 🍋
Always zest your lemons before cutting them in half to juice, as whole lemons are much easier to zest and yield more fragrant zest for maximum lemony flavor.
Room Temperature Ricotta is Key 🧈
Remove ricotta from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to bring it to room temperature, ensuring smooth, lump-free batter and superior muffin texture.
Bloom Your Poppy Seeds 🌱
Soak poppy seeds in the warm milk for 10-15 minutes before mixing into the batter to hydrate them fully, intensifying their nutty flavor and improving moisture throughout the muffins.
Don't Overmix the Batter 🥄
Fold ingredients together gently until just combined after adding flour—overmixing develops gluten and creates tough, dense muffins instead of the desired fluffy, tender crumb.
Use Demerara Sugar on Top ✨
Sprinkle coarse Demerara sugar over batter before baking to create a beautiful, crunchy sweet topping that doesn't dissolve and adds professional bakery-quality texture and visual appeal.