Irresistible Keto Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins: Zesty Low-Carb Treats You Must Try!

Sweet yet tart and tangy, keto lemon poppy seed muffins are a bright and cheery morning low carb breakfast. Who doesn't love these flavors from childhood? These Keto Lemon Poppyseed Muffins are a great substitute for the high carb variety you often see in stores and are gluten-free. If you love the taste of lemon and poppy like I do, then you’ll be an instant fan of these keto muffins. They’re so fast and easy to make and store (and freeze) well for a perfect breakfast throughout the week.

Why These Muffins Are a Must-Try

Muffins have always been a favorite snack or breakfast. I’ve been craving muffins lately. First, I made Keto/Low Carb Mixed Berry Muffins, so I started thinking about other flavors of muffins I love, and Lemon Poppyseed came to mind. Since I had already tweaked the basic muffin recipe, I just needed to experiment with how much lemon zest and lemon juice to add. We ate these Keto/Low Carb Lemon Poppyseed Muffins for breakfast the rest of the week. My three-year-old woke up asking for more ‘lemony muffins’ this morning, so it looks like it’s time to bake more.

Health Benefits of Poppy Seeds

Not only are these keto lemon poppyseed muffins delicious, but they also have some great health benefits! When it comes to seeds, poppyseeds tend to get overlooked. However, poppy seeds are a great addition to your baked goods, adding crunch and nutritional value.

Key Ingredients and Their Roles

Here's a breakdown of the essential components that make these muffins a success:

Eggs: For this keto muffin recipe, you will need to use six eggs. I promise these Keto Lemon Poppyseed Muffins won’t be eggy. The protein in the egg whites works similar to gluten (which is a protein) to make fluffy muffins. To decrease the eggy flavor, cream cheese is added.
Melted Butter: I like to melt my butter in the microwave to make things easy. Cut 9 tbsp of butter and place it into a microwave-safe dish-heat butter at 50% for 60 seconds. More butter can be used instead of coconut oil in this recipe.
Heavy Whipping Cream: Made from skimming the high-fat cream from dairy milk.
Coconut Flour: This flour is super absorbent, so a little goes a long way. For every ¼ cup of coconut flour, you need 1 cup of almond flour.
Baking Powder: No one likes flat lemon poppy seed muffins!
Swerve Granulated: My go-to keto sweetener. Look for a sweetener with a combination of either monkfruit, erythritol, stevia or allulose. Combination sweeteners taste and act more like baking sugar.
Lemon Zest and Juice: This keto muffin recipe requires about 1/8th of a cup of lemon juice. This recipe has been through several revisions. I experimented a lot with the flavor in the recipe as I wanted a really strong lemon flavor to pop.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here's how to create these delectable muffins, with options for both visual and detailed guidance:

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Keto Poppy Seed Muffins

Preheat oven to 350. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a muffin tin with 12 silicone baking cups or other liners. I’ve been using parchment paper muffin liners I bought on Amazon (here) and loved them! Coconut flour tends to stick to muffin tins. If you have leftover keto lemon poppyseed muffins and want to save them for later, don’t worry, they store well!
Melt butter. Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, cream cheese, and coconut oil to a larger microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave at 30 second intervals until melted.
Beat eggs, Lakanto Monkfruit, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, vanilla, salt, and baking powder until combined. Place the cream cheese, eggs, sweetener, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon juice in a blender and blend on high speed for 30-40 seconds or until well combined. OR mix together in a standing mixer.
Add your keto-friendly sweetener. Add melted butter, coconut flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and poppy seeds to the mixture and beat again until combined.
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix it together with a spatula or hand mixer. Stir in the lemon zest and poppy seeds so they are evenly incorporated. You may notice in my pictures, I may have rushed this step, and the poppy seeds are not all evenly dispersed. Be sure to mix them in really well throughout all the batter. Once smooth, add in the baking powder, liquid stevia, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Zest and juice two lemons. This keto muffin recipe requires about 1/8th of a cup of lemon juice.
Fill the twelve muffin cups about ¾ of the way full until the batter is evenly distributed. The next step is to fill the twelve muffin cups about three-fourths of the way full until the batter is evenly distributed. My top tip to do this quickly and easily is to use a regular-sized ice cream scoop with trigger. Then you can judge the same amount to put in each muffin cup. Use a large scoop or a ⅓ cup measure to fill the lined muffin cups about ¾ full. You should have enough to fill 10-12 muffin cups. If you like a puffy muffin top, then fill close to the top. Pour batter into lined muffin pans in a muffin pan.
Pour batter into lined muffin pans. Step 4: Line a muffin pan with paper liners and divide the batter evenly.
Place the pan in the oven and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are firm to the touch. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are firm to the touch. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until slight browning appears. Bake the muffins in the preheated 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until the tops of the muffins spring back when touched and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. You can check whether they're done baking by inserting either a toothpick or a knife into the center of the muffin. If it comes out clean, they're done.
Let them cool in the pan for about fifteen minutes and prepare the sugar-free lemon drizzle. Let the muffins cool in the muffin pan for a few minutes before removing. Let muffins cool completely before peeling from the liner. Let cool for about 10 minutes on the counter. Allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pan before removing, and cool completely in a rack (they will be very tender when warm, so handle gently). If they collapse slightly, don't worry the crumb will still be great!

Sugar-Free Lemon Drizzle

This is a pretty simple lemon drizzle that will give the muffins a powerful lemon flavor.

Whisk the lemon zest and juice into the melted coconut oil. Whisk the lemon zest and juice into the melted coconut oil.
Slowly pour into a bowl containing the powdered sweetener, whisking constantly. Slowly pour into a bowl containing the powdered sweetener, whisking constantly.
Add more or less lemon juice for desired drizzle consistency. Adding lemon juice as needed until desired consistency is reached.
Quickly drizzle about a teaspoon of the icing on the top middle of each muffin and let set. Quickly drizzle about a teaspoon of the icing on the top middle of each muffin and let set. While the muffins are cooling, make the lemon glaze by mixing the powdered sweetener with the lemon zest and juice.

Tips for the Perfect Muffins

Even Distribution: Be sure to mix them in really well throughout all the batter.
Cooling: Let muffins cool completely before peeling from the liner.
Toothpick Test: You can check whether they're done baking by inserting either a toothpick or a knife into the center of the muffin. If it comes out clean, they're done.

Storing Your Keto Muffins

When storing your keto muffins for short periods, I recommend keeping them in the refrigerator. If fully covered, they should last about a week. If you want to store muffins for a more extended period, I suggest individually wrapping the muffins in a zip lock bag before placing them in the freezer. You can freeze them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Just set the muffin out about half an hour before you'd like to eat it. Before storing the muffins, allow them to cool completely, then put them in either an airtight container or ziploc bag. Store them at room temperature for only a day. Any longer and they may start to dry out.

Serving Suggestions

I highly suggest popping them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to warm through, slice in half, and place a pad of butter between them. They taste fantastic sliced in half with a pad of butter between the muffins. I love having a fresh baked keto muffin, lemon or other, to grab on the go or just enjoy with my coffee. The lemon flavor in this recipe is pretty strong and the perfect way to cut the slight sweetness of the muffin.

Variations and Substitutions

Though this recipe is for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, you can use other flavors such as orange extract or almond to make the same basic recipe 100 different ways.

Almond Flour: In this keto lemon poppyseed muffin recipe, you can use almond flour as a substitute for coconut flour. I choose to use coconut flour due to my daughter’s nuts allergy. Note: I have not tested these low carb muffins with almond flour. The substituion is a general substitution.
Butter: Yes! More butter can be used instead of coconut oil in this recipe.

Addressing Common Questions

How to you keep the muffin from sticking to the liner? Besides using high quality muffin liners and muffin pans, spraying the muffin liner with a bit of cooking spray can help prevent the muffin from sticking to the liner. Make sure the muffins cool completely before peeling the liner away as well.
How do I keep poppyseeds from getting stuck in my teeth? It's hard to keep poppyseeds from getting stuck in your teeth, but here's some tips on how to dislodge them. Drink water right away and swish it around. Keep a toothpick or flosser handy.

Other Keto Treats to Explore

If you enjoyed these keto lemon poppyseed muffins, check out these other muffin variations. Don’t forget to try out these Lemon Poppyseed Souffles either - they’re just as flavorful and a tasty, light dessert to serve when guests come over! These keto apple cider donuts taste like fall in every bite-warm, buttery, and coated in cinnamon “sugar,” without all the carbs. This high-protein overnight French toast casserole is an easy, delicious breakfast perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

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