Monday, March 1, 2010

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins – What a Delicious Way to Fail a Drug Test

Yes, it's true! A couple poppy seed muffins can cause a positive drug test for opiates. So if you're being tested tomorrow, never mind, but the rest of you are encouraged to try this poppy seed muffin I'm testing for the cookbook, and let me know what you think. I think I have the formula down, and I really love the taste and texture of this easy recipe. Enjoy!


































Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Makes 12

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (1/2-cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white granulated sugar
finely grated zest from 2 lemons
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
For the glaze:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl, and reserve until needed.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest, until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next. Stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the lemon juice, and 1/2 of the sour cream until combined.

Add half of the remaining flour mixture, and stir until combined. Stir in the remaining sour cream. Stir in the rest of the flour mixture, and then the poppy seeds.

Line a 12-muffin tin with paper baking cups. Fill each to the top with batter. Bake about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. While the muffins are baking, mix the lemon juice and powdered sugar together for form a thin glaze.

Remove the muffins from the oven when ready, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Brush the lemon glaze evenly over the top of each muffin. This is not intended to be a frosting, but just a very light glaze to give the tops a little shine and extra kiss of lemon flavor.

When cool enough to handle, remove muffins from the tins and cool completely on a rack before serving.

41 comments:

Bo said...

I love poppy seed muffins...except the poppy seeds get stuck in my teeth...so I have to have a toothbrush handy to eat them.

dougeatfresh said...

you have baking powder twice in the ingredients list....

Chef John said...

oops, that's soda... thanks!

Grams Pam said...

Have the day off tomorrow & plan to combine this recipe with the "muffin tops pan" gift I just got. I'll let you know the results!

Needful Things said...

Seriously? They can cause a positive drug test?! Lol .. I'm in trouble in that case because I made lemon poppy seed muffins myself t
his morning (http://someneedfulthings.blogspot.com/2010/03/lemon-poppy-seed-muffins-baking-with.html) and have eaten 3 already!!
Yours look very pretty!

Tamar@StarvingofftheLand said...

Let's see, to be at risk for a drug test you have to be in the military, on a sports team, or have an actual job. 0 for 3! Dish up the muffins!

Chef John said...

Yes, you are right in the sweet spot of my opiate-laced recipe testing demographic!

Anonymous said...

Hate to nag, Chef, but you've misspelled "Delicious" in the title. Pls. keep up your good work. That smothered po'k chop recipe was just what I needed.

Rachael Hutchings said...

Gotta love having an excuse to fail a drug test! These look wonderful--nice and moist like I like 'em. I'll have to test this out on my munchkins this week--thanks!

Chef John said...

Thanks, I'd love to hear what u think! Word on the street is that "munchkins" luv these.

Jack Parker said...

I got a great price on good lemons recently and over-bought, so this recipe was timely! I brought these muffins to work this morning. In a staunch blueberry muffin workplace, people are NOT eager to try new flavors. (That's Minnesota for you. People here think salt and pepper are spicy.) So, I took the muffins back to my cubicle and said I'd eat them myself. That got to one woman who can't stand to be left out of anything, no matter what it is. She tried one and began raving... loudly. All three dozen were gone in less than 10 minutes.

Thanks Chef! I made them exactly as directed. I used fresh squeezed lemon juice. The lemon zest is essential and sets these muffins apart.

Chef John said...

thanks for the report!

Eric said...

Great recipe Chef John. Do you think Self Rising Flour would be a good swap for the Baking soda/powder and salt in this recipe? I happen to have a fresh bag I bought for biscuits but I don't want to waste the ingredients. What do you think?

Eric

Chef John said...

should work, but never tried

Sean said...

I'd love to fail a drug test with those muffins.

Cathy said...

I LOOOOVVVEEE poppy seed muffins. I will try your recipe out. Thanks!!!

Anonymous said...

This recipe worked like a charm for me, and I live at high altitude (Colorado, that is).

The lemon is so intense and bright, and the glaze adds just the perfect amount of sweetness. A+

Chef John said...

thanks!

Diane said...

Awh, come on now, poppy seeds don't make you test positive on a drug test. I know because Alton Brown told me so. (; These look yummy ;D Maybe I'll make them today.

Jack Parker said...

I was enjoying some lemoncello (my favorite apéritif) today and it got me wondering... How do you think it would taste in this recipe? Not that it needs any help, but I was curious!

Chef John said...

never tried, but only one way to find out.

Unknown said...

Almost a success - Almost a Disaster

This morning, I made the Lemon/Poppyseed muffins, using 250 grams of AP flour for the 2 cups.
Some of the muffins batter overflowed the cups, spilled onto the tin and continued on to burn on the oven floor. Could it be that the proximity to the convection fan in my oven was responsible? Aside from that, I would call it a great success.

Chef John said...

ive never tried in a convention oven, so im not sure. glad they tasted good!

Unknown said...

The only way to find out scientifically is for me to turn the Convection OFF the next time that I make them, while keeping everything else constant. It will be a while, as there are too many other interesting things that I want to try. But, I shall post the results.

Anonymous said...

"I mean I lost my job, I can't go to Africa. I was gonna meet the bushmen of the Kalahari" - hahaha :)

Vicki said...

Mine came out a bit dry...:-(

Chef John said...

usually from baking too long.

Unknown said...

If you don't have a zester/grater, can you just finely chop the outermost layer of the peel?

Mette said...

I brought these to work, so I wouldn't inhale them all by myself. Perfect, my colleagues love me (even) more now.
Didn't have enough lemon, so I put a spoonful of blackcurrant marmalade in the middle of each. Great combo.

Anonymous said...

I made these and was a bit disappointed with the texture - found them a little heavy/dense.
I'm wondering what it would taste like to use yogurt instead of the sour cream.

Alina Popa said...

These are the best muffins I have ever made! Thank you Chef John, this recipe is Perfect!

friendly regards from Romania ;)

Alina Popa said...

These muffins are the best I ever made! Thank you Chef John, this recipe is Perfection!

friendly regards from Romania ;)

Huru said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chef John said...

Sorry, but I don't do answers that u can easily get by googling! Just search and you'll have your answer very fast!

Huru said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Melenie said...

I have the muffins in the oven, so I haven't tried them yet. The dough, however, is to die for!

Kae Davis said...

These are thee most incredible lemon poppy seed muffins i have ever tasted!! Sooo incredible! <3

Kae Davis said...

These are thee most incredible lemon poppy seed muffins i have ever tasted!! Sooo incredible! <3

Unknown said...

Does this recipe have a video that goes with it that I am missing? Trying these out tonight! :)

Unknown said...

Just finished making them and oh man, they were so yummy! thanks, chef john!! x

Unknown said...

I have a burning question that occurred to me the last time I made lemon poppyseed cookies...why poppyseeds????
Can anyone explain what poppy seeds do for cakes and cookies? They don't have any flavor-nothing that I notice anyway, and you have to work bite on one to get a little crunch, however, they are quite easy to get in between your teeth (nearly impossible to get out). I have officially declared that I will no longer use them.