You won’t be able to resist the smell, the flavor, or the perfectly moist texture of these Almond Poppy Seed Muffins!
I recommend making a double batch while you’re at it because these muffins will go FAST! Yes, for the ultimate Almond Poppy Seed Muffins recipe, you’ve come to the right place!
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For store-bought muffins, Otis Spunkmeyer makes some pretty darn good ones. And his Almond Poppy Seed muffins are no exception. And so I’ve created a copycat version of these muffins but mine rival Spunkmeyer’s for two reasons:  1)  The list of ingredients in my version is much shorter (and that’s usually a very good thing), and 2) Otis stopped making this particular flavor several years ago, so that makes my claim easy!
Who doesn’t love a good muffin?  Whether sweet or savory, a good muffin is almost universally loved. Muffins as we know them today became popular some time in the 1800’s and recipes can found in cookbooks dating back to that time.  The flavor varieties nowadays are limitless, but poppy seed muffins remain one of the most popular flavors of all.
The Almond Poppy Seed Muffins are absolutely delicious and a favorite in our home. They smell phenomenal, their flavor is so vibrant, and the texture is perfectly moist. The wonderful texture comes from the buttermilk and the inclusion of coconut oil in addition to the butter.
There are several elements that go into making the perfect muffin. Â The ingredients, the ratios, how much or little you mix the batter, the oven temperature, the length of baking time, etc. Â I’m going to walk you through the steps so that you can achieve perfection!
Almond Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe
Let’s get started!
Place the butter, coconut oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Beat until the ingredients are fully incorporated, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Â Note: Be sure to use good quality pure almond extract. Â Low quality ones won’t yield much flavor.
Add the buttermilk and beat just until combined. Â It’s okay if there are some lumps of flour. Â Do not over-beat or the muffins won’t rise properly and will be dense.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Â Beat just until combined. Â Some lumps of flour will remain and that’s okay. Â Do not over-beat or the muffins will not rise properly and be dense.
Add the poppy seeds.
Stir gently just until combined.
Fill some jumbo/king-size muffin tins until almost full. Â This will help give you a good rise and dome on the top of the muffin.
Sprinkle with a few sliced almonds.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean but moist. Be careful not to over-bake.
Muffins, glorious muffins!
Let the muffins remain in the muffin pan for at least 5 minutes before removing and transferring them to a cooling rack.
ENJOY!
For more delicious muffin recipes be sure to try our:
- Pink Grapefruit Buttermilk Muffins
- Apple Crisp Streusel Muffins
- Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins
- Lemon Coconut Muffins
- Pumpkin Chocolate Pecan Streusel Muffins
- Banana Oatmeal Blender Muffins
Almond Poppy Seed Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon quality pure almond extract
- 1 teaspoon quality pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk (or substitute by stirring one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in one cup of milk and let sit for 5-10 minutes)
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- Sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, coconut oil, and sugar for at least 3 minutes. Add the eggs, almond and vanilla extract, and buttermilk and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat just until combined, being careful not to over-beat. Lumps of flour will remain and that's okay. Add the poppy seeds and stir gently until combined. Fill 6 jumbo/king-sized muffin tins or 12 regular sized muffins until almost full.Sprinkle with a few sliced almonds.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean but moist. Be careful not to over-bake.Remove from oven and let the muffins sit in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet June 27, 2013
Mike S. says
I finally tried this last night and it turned out great! I used 10oz (285g) flour, which may be a little too much, and baked it in a 4×8 pan. It’s a little under-done, but I’m happy with the results. Next time it should be perfect.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s terrific, Mike! I haven’t tried baking the batter in a pan so I appreciate the feedback, thanks!
Mike S. says
The recipe looks very good. Do you know how much flour is this in grams or ounces? Or how do you measure flour? Scoop and sweep, spoon and level, etc.? Also, do you use bleached or unbleached AP flour?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mike! Yes, unlike gluten free breaking that requires far more precision, I simply scoop and level. I used unbleached AP flour. I’m not sure what the measurements are in grams or ounces but if you Google the question there are tons of sites that easily make those conversions for you.
Tandra says
What is the point of adding both almond and vanilla extract? I bake but am not “experienced” so I would like to take home a helpful learning tool from your response. Can’t wait to try these! Thanks so much for sharing your culinary delight!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Tandra, their purpose is simply to add flavor. Vanilla extract is commonly used in many to most baked goods because of the flavor it contributes. For these “almond poppy seed muffins” the almond extract is what contributes the almond flavor. Both contribute different and complementary flavors in these muffins. They’re delicious! Happy baking!
kristine says
This recipe delivered! These poppy seed muffins were exactly what I was hoping for and have now been added to our “favorites” collection. I did however use vegetable oil, but after reading some of the previous comments I am anxious to try the coconut oil next time. Thanks a bunch!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome!! So thrilled to hear that, Kristine, and I really appreciate the feedback, thank you!
jen says
Can I make 12 muffins instead of 6 and if so, what would the temp and for how long?
The Daring Gourmet says
Absolutely, Jen! They won’t be quite as moist as the jumbo ones but will still be delicious. I haven’t made regular-sized muffins with this batter before, but I’d probably bake them for about 15-18 minutes. The toothpick test is always your best bet.
Cindy says
I don’t have jumbo muffin tins so I would love to make this into a bread. Suggestions on how long to bake?
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Cindy! I would reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake it for about 45-55 minutes. Just do the toothpick test after 45 minutes to make sure it isn’t already done (insert it into the middle of the loaf and if it comes out clean it’s done!) Happy baking!
Barbara says
I want to make this using mini muffin tins, since I need that size to take to an event. I’m curious though, you mentioned in an earlier comment that using regular size muffins would not be as moist as using the jumbo ones. That concerns me since I want to reduce the size to mini. I’m wondering if you could give me any advice on how to keep them moist and how long to bake them in the mini tins.
Thanks.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Barbara, I would bake them at 375 for about 10 minutes and once they’re cooled store them in a cake saver or other sealed container so they don’t lose their moistness. Happy baking and I hope the event is successful!
Anonymous says
Temp for the almond poppyseed muffins shows 375 and 365. Which one is correct?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for catching that, it’s 375.
Julie says
On the buttermilk – is it a really bad idea to use powdered buttermilk? It’s so easy to keep the powder in the freezer! Thank you – the only reason I’m not making these later today is the insane snow storm outside!
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Julie! I haven’t heard of using powdered buttermilk as a good substitute for fresh in baking so I’m not sure how well it would work. If you don’t have regular buttermilk, I’d recommend making a substitute for it by mixing a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in one cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes. That will do the trick. Stay safe and warm! -Kimberly
Julie says
Maybe I’ll get ambitious and try both ways. If I do, I’ll let you know how they turn out! Thanks!
The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, I hope you enjoy them, Julie!
Sunny says
I know this is a few years later, but I have used powdered buttermilk for these and use it in most of my baking. Just follow the instructions to add the water when the milk is called for and the powder with the dry ingredients.
Cheryl says
I used powdered buttermilk today and it turned out perfectly! I used milk and added the powdered buttermilk to the dry ingredients.
Melissa Alakaby says
I use powdered buttermilk all the time and it works great!
Mindy says
This recipe claiming to be better than Otis is no joke!!
I made the almond poppyseed muffins today for a simple Sunday breakfast. They are “outta this world” good! I made them exactly to the recipe except for adding a pinch of sparkling white sugar to the tops along with the sliced almonds before baking, for a little added crunch and sparkle. They are light & fluffy, and delicious.
I HIGHLY recommend making this recipe!
The Daring Gourmet says
Yahooooo!!! I’m so happy to hear that, Mindy, thank you for the feedback! Best, Kimberly
Mollie says
This recipe is great! It would have been even better if I had all the correct ingredients… I had to substitute 1 cup fat free milk + 1 tbsp white vinegar for the buttermilk, and I only had crappy, off-brand imitation almond extract. I decided to reduce the almond extract to 1 1/2 TSP instead of a full tbsp… I think they have a perfect almond flavor though. I also had a problem with my muffins overflowing the tin. Next time will be better! Thanks for the great recipe.
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mollie, I’m glad you enjoyed them and will be making them again! The problem with the muffins overflowing – be sure to use “jumbo” muffin tins if you didn’t this last time. They’re nearly double the size of regular muffin tins. Good luck with the next batch!
Jeanie says
I’ve made these twice now, once with pure almond extract and second time around with imitation extract. Definitely better with the pure. Either way though they are decadent and ever so yummy. I’ve made them for work staff and for family, both rave about them!
The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic! And you’re so right – pure extracts of any flavor make a world of difference compared to imitation. It’s definitely worth it to pay the extra money for quality extracts.
Michelle says
Will definitely have to make these as I love poppyseed almond breads and muffins, but don’t love the huge amount of oil in most recipes. I love using coconut oil too but don’t use it often enough.
The Daring Gourmet says
Michelle, I feel the same way about vegetable oils and generally avoid them like the plague in both cooking and baking. I LOVE using coconut oil for both! It has a completely different chemical structure, has actually been shown to assist in weight loss (doesn’t clog arteries, it’s a medium chain fat), and has soooo many health benefits. Still, for many recipes, like this one, I often try to limit the quantity just for the sake of cutting back a little on calories (these muffins only uses 1/4 cup). Something I’ve discovered in my baking experiments is that using a good amount of buttermilk allows you to cut back on oil while still enjoying the same benefits of moisture and tenderness. So, I’m a huge fan of coconut oil and buttermilk in baking!
Susan says
I made these two days ago and they turned out fantastic! I never knew buttermilk was such a handy tool in cooking! Thank you so much. I will make these again and again.
The Daring Gourmet says
YESSSSSS!!!!! So happy to hear that, Susan! I know, I love buttermilk, too! It’s such a great baking ingredient. I use it all the time. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Yum! We love poppy seeds! These muffins look so beautiful and irresistible!
The Daring Gourmet says
Hello, Angie! Thank you for the compliment and so happy you stopped by!