Recipes Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast Breads & Pastries Muffins Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins 5.0 (1) 1 Review Studded with tea-steeped poppy seeds and drizzled with a sweet honey glaze, these tender muffins are great for dessert or breakfast. By Melissa Gray Melissa Gray Melissa Gray is a Recipe Developer and Food Stylist for Dotdash Meredith, working on titles such as Food & Wine, Southern Living, Real Simple, and Health. She has been cooking professionally since she was 16 years old but could always be found cooking and baking with her mom even from a young age. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 11, 2024 Tested by Marianne Williams Tested by Marianne Williams Marianne Williams has been a test kitchen professional for Dotdash Meredith since 2016. Her recipes have been featured in many publications, including Food & Wine, Real Simple, Southern Living, Health, Rachael Ray and other print and digital brands. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Servings: 12 Yield: 12 muffins Macerating — soaking an ingredient in liquid to soften and draw out its natural flavors — is one easy way to start cooking with tea. F&W recipe developer Melissa Gray macerates poppy seeds in black tea to soften the seeds’ crunchy texture and draw out their underlying floral flavor. The softer seeds offer a more tender crunch when dispersed throughout the muffin. Here, she leans on golden Assam, a black tea from India with notes of brown butter and toasty malt. However, this recipe is versatile with any black tea. Serve these muffins with fresh-squeezed orange juice or a nice hot cup of tea. Frequently Asked Questions Can I freeze muffins? You can freeze baked muffins in an airtight container or ziplock plastic bag for up to two months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight to enjoy the following day. What is golden Assam tea? Golden Assam tea is an Indian black tea with full-bodied, malted flavor, and a decent amount of caffeine. Any black tea will work here but golden Assam is a deeper and richer in flavor. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Filling a muffin pan with batter can be messy. Using a spring-loaded cookie scoop helps you keep your hands clean and fill each cup with an even amount of batter. Alternatively, you can use a regular ice cream scoop. Make ahead Soak the poppy seeds in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 12 hours. Muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. Ingredients 1 cup water 1 teaspoon loose-leaf golden Assam black tea (such as Harney & Sons Golden Monkey) 1/4 cup poppy seeds 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 2 large eggs 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup whole milk 2 teaspoons grated Meyer lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice 2 ounces powdered sugar 2 teaspoons honey Directions Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan or a tea kettle over high until a thermometer registers 200°F, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour 1/4 cup hot water into a medium-size heatproof bowl; discard remaining water. Stir tea leaves into water; cover and steep 5 minutes. Pour tea through a fine wire-mesh strainer, and return to bowl; discard tea leaves. Measure out 1 tablespoon steeped tea, and set aside. Stir poppy seeds into remaining tea in bowl, and let soak, covered, at room temperature, until slightly plumped, for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tray with muffin liners; set aside. Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk together eggs, butter, milk, and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl until smooth. Add about one-third of flour mixture to butter mixture; stir and fold with a rubber spatula until almost incorporated. Repeat process with another one-third of flour mixture. Add final one-third flour mixture and soaked poppy seeds with any remaining soaking liquid to batter; fold until just incorporated. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tray, about 1/3 cup per well. Bake in preheated oven until muffins are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs, 15 to 18 minutes. Let muffins cool to room temperature in tray on a wire rack, about 30 minutes. Whisk together powdered sugar, honey, and reserved 1 tablespoon tea in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over muffins; let stand 10 minutes before serving. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, April 2024 Rate It Print