Easy Orange Poppy Seed Muffin recipe

Homemade Orange Poppy Seed Muffins with a simple orange glaze are perfect with a cup of coffee to start the day! The subtle orange flavors and sweet glaze on the muffin tops makes these a family favorite. Easy recipe.

You’ve had classic lemon poppy seed muffins. Now it’s time to change it up with these orange muffins. These moist muffins have the same nutty flavor from the poppy seeds with a softer citrus flavor. Great for breakfast, a coffee break or a sweet treat. 

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• Recipe Ingredients Notes
• To to Make it
• Variations
• Pro Tips
• How to Store
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More recipes you’ll love!
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Recipe Ingredients Notes

• Self rising flour. This type of flour has the rising agent included so you won’t need to add baking powder or baking soda. If you want to make your own self rising flour combine 2 cups of all purpose flour (regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend) and 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
• Granulated sugar. White sugar sweetens the orange poppyseed muffins perfectly. They are not overly sweet.
• Poppy seeds. These tiny black seeds can be found with the spices in your grocery store.
• Milk. We used whole milk (dairy) for the fat content. Any milk should work though we have only tested whole milk.
• Canola oil. Canola oil or vegetable oil can be used. It makes the muffins moist and soft without being greasy.
• Orange juice. Use freshly squeezed orange juice for best flavor. You’ll add 1/4 cup to the muffins and 1.5 tablespoons in the glaze.
• Egg. One large egg.
• Vanilla extract. Gives a homey flavor to the muffins.
• Orange zest. Use the zest from one orange. See notes about zesting under Pro Tips below.
• Powdered sugar. Confectioner’s sugar is used to make the glaze.

To to Make it

 STEP 1. Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°c). Line a 12 cavity muffin tin (or muffin tins) with paper baking liners, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

STEP 2. Make the batter

In a large mixing bowl combine the self rising flour, sugar and poppy seeds. Stir until well combined and set aside (photos 1-2).

In a second medium bowl combine the milk, oil, orange juice, egg, vanilla extract and orange zest (photo 3). Mix until well combined (photo 4).

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients (photo 5). Stir until just combined (photo 6). Do not overmix.

STEP 3. Scoop and Bake

Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups (note they will be almost filled to the top)(photo 7).

Bake for 20 minutes, or until turning golden and cooked through. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out with no crumbs (photo 8).

STEP 4. Cool

Allow the homemade muffins to cool for 10 minutes in the muffin pan, before transferring to a cooling wire rack to cool completely.

STEP 5. Glaze (optional)

This glaze is optional but really does finish the muffins with just a bit more sweetness.

In a small bowl add the powdered sugar and 1.5 tablespoons of orange juice (photo 9). Stir to combine (photos 10-11). You’ll need just enough juice to make a glaze of drizzling consistency (you may need to use more or less than the 1.5 tablespoon of juice).

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins (photo 12). Allow to set for a few minutes before serving.

Variations

• Want even more orange flavor? Add 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract to the muffin batter.
• ​Leave off the glaze. The glaze on these muffins is completely optional, and the muffins are just as good without it.
• ​Add chocolate chips. For something different, try adding 1/2 cup of white or milk chocolate chips to the batter, either alongside or in place of the poppy seeds.
• Use butter instead of oil. The oil makes the muffins very moist without being heavy. But if you prefer or need to use butter substitute with 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter.

Pro Tips

• Zesting the orange. When zesting the orange, be sure to only zest the orange layer of the skin. Avoid zesting the white layer, as this layer can be quite bitter.
• Do not over-mix the batter. Mixing the batter until the ingredients are only just combined results in light and fluffy muffins.
• Use a scoop. I use a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to add the batter to the muffin liners. It’s faster and less messy.
• How to know they are done. The muffins are cooked through when an inserted skewer or toothpick comes out without any wet batter attached.
• Glazing tip. Place the wire rack over a sheet of parchment paper before glazing. Excess glaze will drip down onto the paper for easy clean up.

How to Store

Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Line the container with a paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.

How to freeze:  Allow the muffins to cool completely. Freeze in an airtight container or zipper top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and warm before serving for best flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

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