{Almond Poppy Seed Muffins}

Muffins can be a simple grab and go breakfast, or they can be a sweet little mid afternoon snack.  I am partial to having muffins as a sweet afternoon snack, with a cup of coffee and a fuzzy blanket (yes, even in summer).  I also love muffins as my after dinner treat, I think of them as a less sweet cupcake! Sometimes the muffin cures the cupcake craving, other times it doesn't!

Anyway, a friend of mine asked me if I had a recipe for a homemade Almond Poppy Seed Muffin, to which I responded "Nope, but I will get right on that!"  The recipe you are seeing today is the creation that was born from that very conversation, with my friend, at work!  The muffin is an adaptation of my lemon muffin with lemon glaze (you can also find another adaptation of my lemon muffin in my post on Strawberry Shortcake)!  I love the sweetness of the almond extract, and adore the simple glaze that tops these muffins!  You could even whip up a simple cream cheese frosting for, Almond Poppy Seed cupcakes!  Delicious, find recipe below!

Almond Poppy Seed Muffins

Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Makes 12 Muffins 

Ingredients: 

Dry: 

1 1/2 Cup Flour 

1/2 Cup Sugar 

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder 

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 1/2 Tablespoon Poppyseeds

Wet: 

1/4 Cup Butter Melted 

2 Tablespoons Greek Yogurt (I used 2%) 

1 Egg 

3/4 Cup Almond Milk or Milk of Choice (I used Unsweetened)

1 1/2 Teaspoon Almond Extract

1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla 

Almond Glaze (Optional, See Note) 

2 Tablespoons Milk of Choice
2 1/2 Tablespoons Powder Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Almond Extract

Cream Cheese Frosting - **Only if want to make muffins as cupcakes, (Optional, See Note)!
2 Cups Powder Sugar
1 Brick Cream Cheese
1/4 Cup Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Almond

Directions: 

1- In a large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients and set aside. 

2- Grab a smaller bowl and lightly beat your egg.  Add Melted butter, greek yogurt, milk, lemon juice and vanilla and whisk until combined. 

3- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated, don't over mix. 

4- Grease or line muffin tin and divide batter among 12 muffin cups.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean. 

** While muffins bake whisk together milk, almond extract, and powder sugar, set aside.  If making cream cheese frosting beat ingredients together with a mixer and set in fridge till muffins are done.  Let muffins cool 5 minutes in pan and then lightly drizzle muffins with glaze.  Allow muffins to fully cool before removing from the pan!  If frosting muffings/cupcakes wait until completed cooled and then frost!

**Note - You do not need to make the glaze or the cream cheese frosting if you do not want to.  The muffins are excellent on their own!  Both are just options and up to you!