Almond Poppy Seed Muffins are an easy-to-make muffin that will make you feel like a star in your kitchen! These bakery-style muffins are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a midday snack.
These poppy seed muffins have such lovely flavor which comes from the almond extract added to the muffin batter and the crunchy almond topping.
Muffin recipes galore
How many muffin recipes are too many? I don't think there's such a thing, but with this recipe, I now have 35 muffin recipes on this blog! And I'm certain it won't be the last! There's just something about muffins. They are easy to make and are ready in no time at all. They are perfect for breakfast and everyone loves them!
Even though I've created so many muffin recipes, I'm always learning new techniques. This time I tried out a new method for baking the muffins. I started the muffins in a very hot 425°F oven for 5 minutes and then lowered the temperature for the remaining baking time. The hot oven at the beginning gives the muffins a quick rise and helps create a nice dome shape. I think this method is a definite keeper!
Why you'll love these poppy seed muffins
- Perfect Almond Flavor – With both almond extract in the batter and a sweet almond topping, these muffins have a rich, nutty flavor that almond lovers will adore.
- Soft and Moist Texture – Thanks to the buttermilk and oil, these muffins are incredibly tender, staying moist for days without drying out.
- Easy to Make – No complicated steps or special equipment required—just mix, bake, and enjoy! Perfect for beginner and experienced bakers alike.
- Delicious Crunchy Topping – The sugared almond topping adds a slight crunch that makes these muffins extra special.
- Great for Any Occasion – Serve for breakfast, brunch, a snack, or a sweet treat with coffee.
If you love poppy seed muffins, you'll also love these lemon poppy seed muffins!
Key ingredients for poppy seed muffins
- Buttermilk - Makes an extra tender crumb and adds a bit of tang to the muffins. If you're out of buttermilk check out how to easily make buttermilk at home using regular milk.
- Flour - Use regular all-purpose flour.
- Sugar - Added to the batter and used in the topping.
- Poppy Seeds - Adds texture and a slightly nutty flavor to the muffins
- Oil - Helps develop a moist crumb. Use a neutral flavored oil.
- Flavorings - Both vanilla extract and almond extract are used in these muffins.
- Sliced Almonds - For the topping on the muffins.
Making almond poppy seed muffins from scratch
- Combine buttermilk, eggs, and oil together in a large bowl.
- Stir in almond and vanilla extracts.
- Add flour to bowl and then sprinkle baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the top of the flour.
- Sprinkle on poppy seeds.
- Stir the dry ingredients together then incorporate them into the wet ingredients.
- Fold everything together just until mixed.
- Scoop batter into muffin tins that are lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray or are lined with paper liners.
- Make the topping by combining almonds, sugar, and almond extract.
- Sprinkle topping over the top of each muffin.
- Bake in preheated 425°F oven for 5 minutes. Then reduce heat to 375° and bake for another 12-18 minutes.
Top tips for poppy seed muffins
- Make certain oven is fully preheated to 425°F.
- To make in one bowl, sprinkle flour over the egg mixture. Then sprinkle other dry ingredients over the top. Start by stirring the dry ingredients together, just on the top so the dry ingredients become mixed. Then begin folding everything into the egg mixture.
- Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until combined.
- Use an ice cream scoop or a cookie scoop for evenly sized-muffins.
- A toothpick should be inserted in the center of a muffin to determine when the muffins are fully baked. The muffins are done if the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 2-3 minutes in the pan and then remove and allow the muffins to continue cooling on a baking rack.
- Store fully cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Frequently asked questions for almond poppy seed muffins
Yes! The almonds add a nice crunch, but if you prefer a nut-free version, you can skip them or replace them with coarse sugar for a crunchy topping. These muffins are also delicious without a topping added.
Buttermilk helps create a tender texture, but if you don’t have it, you can make a substitute by making your own with my easy recipe for homemade buttermilk.
A neutral oil like vegetable or canola works best, but you can also use avocado oil, or light olive oil for a slightly different flavor.
Absolutely! Pour the batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F for about 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
More delicious breakfast ideas
- Fruit and Veggie Smoothie
- Breakfast Sausage in Oven
- Breakfast Panini
- Cheesy Baked Egg Casserole
- Zucchini Banana Bread
- Country Potatoes
- Banana Oatmeal Muffins
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious muffin recipes!
Almond Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- Scoop (I use a #16 size)
Ingredients
Topping
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Muffin Batter
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup oil (use a neutral flavored oil like vegetable, canola or your favorite oil)
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- ½ teasoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
Topping
- In a small bowl, combine sliced almonds, sugar and almond extract. Stir until the sugar is dampened.¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup sliced almonds, 1 teaspoon almond extract
Muffin Batter
- Combine buttermilk, eggs, and oil together in a large bowl. Stir in almond and vanilla extracts.¾ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup sugar, ½ cup oil, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons almond extract, ½ teasoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour to the bowl, then sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds evenly over the top. Gently stir just the dry ingredients on the surface to combine them before mixing them into the wet ingredients. Stir the batter just until combined. Avoid overmixing.2¼ cups flour, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
- Scoop batter into muffin tins that are lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray or are lined with paper liners.
- Sprinkle with sugar and almond topping.
- Bake in preheated 425°F oven for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° F (do not open door) and bake for an additional 12-18 minutes until fully baked.
- Cool for 2-3 minutes in muffin tin. Then remove and continue cooling on a baking rack.
Notes
- Make certain oven is fully preheated to 425°F.
- To make in one bowl, sprinkle flour over the egg mixture. Then sprinkle other dry ingredients over the top. Start by stirring the dry ingredients together, just on the top so the dry ingredients become mixed. Then begin folding everything into the egg mixture.
- Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until combined.
- Use an ice cream scoop or a cookie scoop for evenly sized-muffins.
- Use a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin to determine when the muffins are fully baked. If the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, the muffins are done.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 2-3 minutes in the pan and then remove and allow the muffins to continue cooling on a baking rack.
- Store fully cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Barbara Hallett Wegner says
These came out hard ok in the middle, by not mixing the dry ingredients it just did not work. I think 3 T of poppy seeds is too much and 2 t almond extract, I wondered when making this. I would love to see things in measurements to be more accurate. I usually love your recipes so I went for it. Sorry have to toss them and find another recipes.
Kathy says
Hi Barbara,
I'm sorry these didn't work for you. Thanks for your suggestions.
Kathy