May 4th: Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins

Obviously I didn't make muffins for supper. I actually whipped up the batter on the weekend with the intention of giving some to Casey & Kelly since they are in newborn phase. They're remarkably well-adjusted though and don't appear to need help. They got muffins anyway.


I made a double batch of these muffins so we could have some too and I've been eating them for breakfast this week. These are amazing make-ahead muffins from Cook's Illustrated. You make the batter, freeze it in a muffin pan (I recommend silicone) and then pop the uncooked muffins into a bag or container and keep in the freezer. When you are ready to cook 1 or 12, put the muffin batter balls in the muffin pan again, and bake them from frozen. Genius. I plan to try the banana-pecan version this weekend. But for now:


Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins


3 cups (15 oz) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsps poppy seeds
1 1/2 tbsps grated lemon zest
10 tbsps (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (7 oz) sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt


Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and lemon zest together in a medium bowl; set aside.


Beat butter and sugar together at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.


Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and beat in half of flour mixture, followed by one-third of yogurt. Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, followed by half of remaining yogurt; repeat with remaining flour mixture and remaining yogurt. Portion batter evenly into greased 12-cup muffin pan.


Refrigerate muffin pan, covered, up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 1 month. After muffin batter is completely frozen, about 6 hours, batter balls can be transferred to bag or container for freezer storage. Transfer batter balls back to prepared muffin pan before baking.


Heat oven to 375°F. Place frozen batter balls in muffin pan and bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes if refrigerated or 35-40 minutes if  frozen. Let muffins cools in pan 5 minutes before serving.


Makes 12-15 muffins.

Pulled from the freezer/ready for baking

Ready for eating