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If you want to start off your next brunch party with a little burst of citrus happiness, look no further. These orange poppy seed muffins with yogurt, vanilla, and a crunchy sugared topping are beyond delicious and easy to make from scratch. Enjoy them with friends over a nice chat and some cozy coffee!

Orange poppy seed muffins on a wood board next to oranges, orange leaves, and white bowls on a white counter.

Getting older is so wild. One day you’re waking up on Sunday afternoons with a splitting headache and the taste of gin still lingering in your mouth. And the next thing you know it, your weekends are spent in the actual AM with a cup of coffee and a thick novel.

The common denominator of these situations is that both require a nice pastry. Whether it’s strawberry cream cheese danish, my super soft cookie butter banana bread, or a fluffy muffin, you’re going to need something carb-y to elevate your morning. (Or revive your spirit from said gin.)

Back when I was in pastry school, we used to make a ton of muffins for the student cafe. Testing recipe after recipe gave me the chance to figure out the perfect muffin situation (well, to me at least). This version is based on my favorite lemon poppy seed muffins we used to make for the coffeeshop. But, I used orange zest instead just to switch things up a little!

If you’re looking for your next weekend baking project, look no further. These muffins are bright and citrusy, crunchy and nutty, and come together quickly for no fuss, high reward.

Lots of orange zest is key

White and brown bowls of flour, poppy seeds, eggs, sugar, oil, yogurt, vanilla, orange zest, milk, and salt.

The oils in orange zest will give these muffins a good pop of citrus without extract! But feel free to use lemons, Meyer lemons, or grapefruit for a more complex flavor. Other than that, you just need basic staples like all-purpose flour, baking powder, Morton’s Kosher salt, poppy seeds, granulated sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt, whole milk, neutral oil, vanilla extract, and raw sugar.

The yogurt is my secret trick to muffins that are super moist and have a little tang. But make sure you’re using whole milk yogurt – you need the fat for the best texture. Whole milk ricotta cheese is good too!

Bake these muffins

Six steps to making quick bread. In photo 1, a white bowl of flour on a white counter. In photo 2, the bowl has black seeds in it. In photo 3, a whisk is whisking the mixture together. In photo 4, a white bowl of sugar. In photo 5, the sugar is topped with citrus zest. In photo 6, hands are rubbing the sugar and zest together.
Start by mixing the flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds together in a medium mixing bowl. Then, add the sugar and orange zest to a large mixing bowl. Using clean hands, “rub” the sugar and zest between your fingers to release the oils in the orange peel.

To zest oranges, I definitely recommend a citrus zester. Just wash the orange, grip it well, and run it along the zester, rotating the orange to zest the entire outside. Avoid zesting the pith (white layer) which is bitter. You want just the zest for all that lovely citrus flavor!

Six steps to making orange poppy seed muffins. In photo 1, a white bowl has sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and yogurt. In photo 2, the mixture is whisked. In photo 3, the bowl has flour in it. In photo 4, the bowl has batter in it. In photo 5, the batter is divided between muffin liners in a pan. In photo 6, the muffins are topped with raw sugar.
Add the eggs, yogurt, milk, oil, and vanilla to the orange sugar. Whisk until smooth. Then, add the flour mixture in two batches. Use a #16 scoop to divide the batter between the muffin liners. Sprinkle with raw sugar and bake. Let the muffins cool and enjoy.

Don’t over-mix the batter! You want to mix it just until the flour mixture is fully combined. Mixing the batter too much can over-develop the gluten in the flour which will make the muffins dense instead of moist and fluffy.

Bakery-style muffins

These are a few tips that I learned in pastry school for getting those super tall, gorgeous muffin tops! It’s honestly so much easier than you’d think.

  • Stagger the liners in a diamond shape which allows for more airflow and helps the muffins rise even more.
  • Make sure to fill the liners with batter all the way to the top! That will help us get a gorgeous rise for those classic tall muffin tops.
  • If you have time, let the batter sit for 30-60 minutes before scooping. This gives the baking powder a head start.

The secret to great (not just ok) muffins is to properly measure the ingredients with a scale instead of measuring cups. Adding too much flour can make the muffins dry and dense. If you don’t have a scale, then make sure you’re measuring the flour the right way. First, fluff the flour with a whisk or fork. Then, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off without packing it in.

A muffin with a bite taken out of it on a wood board next to orange poppy seed muffins, oranges, and white bowls on a white counter.

Storing muffins

To store leftover muffins, place them on a countertop and cover them loosely with a clean linen for up to 2 days. The linen is key for keeping the muffin tops crunchy. If you store them in an airtight container, the moisture in the muffins will cause the raw sugar topping to melt.

Don’t worry about the muffins drying out on the counter! They have plenty of fat from the oil, egg yolks, and yogurt to keep them moist. They will dry out just a bit on the counter but not enough to affect the overall taste and texture.

Make-ahead & freeze

If you want to store muffins for longer than 2 days, or if you want to make them in advance, I recommend freezing the muffins. Just wrap the baked muffins in plastic wrap or parchment paper and then place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Unwrap the muffins and defrost them at room temp for 1 hour before serving.

A citrus muffin with a bite taken out of it on a white plate next to sliced navel oranges, leaves, muffins, and a brown bowl of sugar on a beige counter.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

5 from 1 vote

Easy Orange Poppy Seed Muffins with Yogurt

Yield: 10 bakery-style muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
If you want to start off your next brunch party with a little burst of citrus happiness, look no further. These orange poppy seed muffins with yogurt, vanilla, and a crunchy sugared topping are beyond delicious and easy to make from scratch! Enjoy them with friends over a nice chat and some cozy coffee. *Please keep in mind that this is a high-altitude baking recipe. Please see recipe notes for sea-level recommendations.
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Ingredients

  • 270 grams all purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 24 grams poppy seeds (3 Tablespoons)
  • 14 grams fresh orange zest (2 Tablespoons – about 2 oranges)
  • 135 grams sugar (2/3 cup)
  • 2 large eggs, room-temperature
  • 227 grams whole milk Greek yogurt (1 cup)
  • 160 milliliters whole milk (2/3 cup)
  • 112 milliliters neutral oil, avocado, canola, etc. (1/2 cup)
  • 15 milliliters vanilla extract (1 Tablespoon)
  • Raw sugar, for sprinkling

Equipment

  • Kitchen scale (or measuring cups)
  • Zester
  • Mixing bowls
  • Cupcake pan
  • Muffin liners
  • #16 scoop

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line every other cavity of a cupcake tin with jumbo muffin liners.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds until combined. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the orange zest and sugar. Using your fingers, rub the orange zest into the sugar until the mixture is pale orange, very fragrant, and starting to clump together a bit. This should take about 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the eggs, Greek yogurt, whole milk, oil, and vanilla extract to the orange sugar. Whisk until smooth.
  • Add half of the flour mixture 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!
  • Using a #16 scoop, divide the batter evenly between the 10 muffin liners. Make sure to fill to the very top of the cupcake cavity with batter. Sprinkle the top of each muffin generously with the Turbinado sugar.
  • Bake the muffins at 400°F (204°C) for 5-6 minutes until the muffins have a good rise on them. Without opening the oven, reduce the heat to 350°F (177°C). Bake the muffins for 14-15 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 wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy fresh with hot coffee or tea!

Notes

This is a high-altitude recipe tested at 4,500 feet. If you live at sea-level, increase the baking powder to 1 Tablespoon. The muffins also may take 1-2 minutes longer to bake.
The secret to great muffins is to properly measure the ingredients with a scale instead of measuring cups. If you don’t have a scale, then make sure you’re measuring the flour the right way. First, fluff the flour with a whisk or fork. Then, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off without packing it in.
When zesting the oranges, you only want the outside orange layer. Avoid zesting the pith (the white layer underneath the zest) which will make the muffins bitter.
Staggering the liners in a diamond shape allows for more airflow. This will make the muffins super tall!
If you do not have tall bakery-style muffin liners, you can use regular cupcake liners. You will end up with 16-18 muffins instead of 8. Reduce the cook time by a couple of minutes to prevent over-baking.
Use a toothpick or skewer to test the muffins. They’re done when an inserted toothpick or skewer has a few moist crumbs on it. Don’t over-bake or the muffins will dry out.
Store the muffins on the counter covered with a linen for up to 2 days. Don’t store them in an airtight container, or the moisture in the muffins will cause the sugar on top to melt.
Cuisine: American
Course: Bread & Dough, Breakfast, Brunch
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 346kcal, Carbohydrates: 45.3g, Protein: 6.4g, Fat: 15.7g, Saturated Fat: 2.9g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 202mg, Potassium: 166mg, Fiber: 1.2g, Sugar: 23.1g, Calcium: 116mg, Iron: 2mg
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