Simple Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I love to make “mitzvah meals and snacks.” In other words, using what I have on hand, and not letting food go to waste. Besides making me feel good (and hopefully gaining points with my beloved, a “waste not want not” kind of guy), hopefully the mitzvah food is delicious. And so it was with these Simple Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins.

Now I know that I should be thinking about Passover. And probably filling my freezer with all kinds of flourless treats. Or at least making my seder menu. But let me first, tell you this tale of carb delights – and give you a recipe that may not be Passover-friendly, but is definitely worth keeping.

After checking my refrigerator and freezer, I decided that a lemon and a few frozen cubes of buttermilk were ripe for making into a snack. And I was eager to try the Silpat muffin “tin” I received as a gift not long ago from my favorite limoncello experts. I’m not sure why, but I also had a hankering to use a jar of poppy seeds that I had been saving for my favorite poppy seed cake.

As I began my muffin exploration, I came upon this LA Times recipe for lemon buttermilk muffins and decided to adapt it. While the recipe looked good, I knew I could make it even better – and my own – with a few changes. So I did just that. If you compare the two recipes, you’ll see that I switched up the flavorings – from lemon and cloves to lemon, poppy seed, and cinnamon. Also, I use whole wheat pastry flour for half of the flour, making the muffins just a bit healthier. Finally, I decided that it is easier to specify one lemon, rather than give a measurement for the juice because most lemons yield about the right amount of juice for the glaze.

Tips for Making Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

• Buttermilk. I’ve developed a habit of freezing buttermilk in ice cube trays. Then I can pull out a few cubes and defrost them whenever I need buttermilk for baking. Alternatively, use buttermilk powder, or make your own buttermilk. The DIY formula is simple – just add acid to regular milk or dilute Greek yogurt with milk.
• Lemon. Using a single lemon means that you won’t get exactly the same quantity of rind or juice if your lemon is small or less juicy. Look for a large one and press it to make sure it has a decent amount of juice for the glaze. But don’t sweat it.
• Poppy seeds. I used a rather large jar of poppy seeds. If you have a smaller one, that’s fine. Or if you prefer to use fewer poppy seeds, feel free to use less than a full bottle.

Putting Muffins Together – A Simple Process

• Gather your ingredients. I don’t care whether you call it mise en place or not. And you don’t have to measure out the flours and sugar. But definitely make sure you have what you need.
• Decide if you want more cinnamon. I used 1/4 teaspoon. That amount does not impart a true cinnamon flavor, but adds a touch of complexity to the final result. Although I haven’t tried it, I think you could double the cinnamon (to 1/2 teaspoon) if you’re a fan.
• This is a typical muffin recipe. You put the dry ingredients in one bowl, the “wet” ingredients in another and then mix them just until combined. Once you do that, pour them in muffin cups and bake them relatively quickly. Timing is key because baking soda begins to work once it is in contact with the wet ingredients. Bob’s Red Mill has excellent tips for muffin success.