Easy Orange Poppy Seed Muffins with Yogurt

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!

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 (without any warning I might add) 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 ginger cranberry orange scones, 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.)

If you’re looking for your next weekend baking project, look no further than these poppy muffins. They’re bright and citrusy, crunchy and nutty, and come together quickly for no fuss, high reward. Let’s bake!

Recipe details

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!

• This recipe comes together in about 30 minutes.
• The muffins are moist, fluffy, and have a crunchy sugared topping!
• They’re lovely served with a cup of coffee or tea.
• Serve these muffins for brunch, holidays, or a sweet snack.

The ingredient list

• Flour – all-purpose flour will give the batter stability.
• Baking powder – a bit of baking powder will act as the leavening agent which will help the muffins rise and get those gorgeous tops!
• Salt – to offset the sweetness, you’ll want to add a little bit of salt. I like Morton’s Kosher salt!
• Poppy seeds – a few tablespoons of poppy seeds add a nutty flavor and a little crunch.
• Sugar – regular granulated sugar will add sweetness, moisture, and softness to the muffins.
• Orange zest – the oils in orange zest will give these muffins a ton of citrusy flavor!
• Eggs – the eggs will add structure to the batter and make the muffins lighter and fluffier.
• Greek yogurt – the yogurt is my secret trick to muffins that are super moist and have a little tang. Make sure you’re using whole milk yogurt – you need the fat for the best texture.
• Milk – a splash of whole milk will loosen up the batter and give us a softer crumb.
• Oil – some muffin recipes call for butter but I like oil because it makes the muffins super moist! Any neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado will work.
• Vanilla – to add extra flavor, we’ll add a splash of vanilla extract.
• Turbinado sugar – for that crunchy topping! Sometimes, it’s also called ‘raw sugar’.

Ingredient variations

• Citrus – feel free to use any citrus you like! Try lemons, meyer lemons (if they’re in season), or even grapefruit for a more complex flavor.
• Yogurt – you can also use whole milk ricotta cheese for a richer flavor.
• Gluten-free – replace the flour with a 1-to-1 GF flour alternative like Cup4Cup.

How to make this recipe

1. Start by mixing the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Then, add the poppy seeds and whisk well. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix the sugar and orange zest. Using clean hands, “rub” the sugar and zest between your fingers to release the oils in the orange peel.

4. Add the eggs, yogurt, milk, oil, and vanilla to the orange sugar. Whisk until smooth.
5. Then, add the flour mixture in two batches, just until the batter comes together. A few lumps are ok!
6. Divide the batter between the muffin liners. Sprinkle with raw sugar and bake. Let the muffins cool and enjoy.

The secret to super citrusy baked goods

This is probably my favorite trick I learned in pastry school! For super citrusy muffins (without zesting a million oranges), you’ll want to “rub” the sugar and orange zest together first. This will help the orange zest release its oils which has all of the flavor. Here’s how!

1. Add the sugar and orange zest to a large mixing bowl.
2. Then, using clean hands, “rub” the sugar and orange zest between your fingers.
3. After about 1-2 minutes, the sugar will be oily and smell super fragrant. At this point, you’re ready to bake!

Serving ideas

Muffins are lovely for casual snacking, but of course, I also love serving them for all kinds of get-togethers. These are some of my favorite serving ideas!

• Enjoy these muffins with coffee, tea, or even cinnamon hot chocolate.
• Bring the muffins to a breakfast or brunch party.
• Serve these muffins with other breakfast favorites like pesto roasted veggie breakfast casserole, bacon hash skillets, or savory croque madame galettes.
• Make them for holidays like Easter, Mother’s Day, Christmas, & more!

Storing, make-ahead, & freezing

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.

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.

Helpful tools

• Kitchen scale
• Mixing bowls
• Zester
• Whisk
• Cupcake pan
• Muffin liners
• #16 scoop

Tips & tricks

• When zesting the oranges, you only want the outside layer. Avoid zesting the pith (the white layer underneath the zest) which will make the muffins bitter.
• Don’t over-mix the batter! You want to whisk everything together just until there are no more flour streaks. Otherwise, you could end up with dense muffins.
• For bakery-style muffins, use jumbo muffin liners. You can also use regular cupcake liners for smaller muffins.
• If you want super tall muffins, make sure to fill the cupcake cavity with batter all the way to the top! That will help us get a gorgeous rise for those classic tall muffin tops.
• Staggering the liners in a diamond shape allows for more airflow. This will make the muffins super tall!
• 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.

More sweet breads

Ricotta Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Streusel
Orange Chocolate Chunk Scones
Rose Cardamom Buns
Vanilla Cardamom Scones

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!

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xo Sara Lynn

Song of the day – No You Girls by Franz Ferdinand