Home >> Recipes >> Sweet Treats
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Published on: 31 January, 2025 By: Meera
These vegan lemon blueberry muffins will make your taste buds dance with the zingy lemon mingling with the sweetness, and juicy blueberries bursting in every bite. They’re incredibly tender, and are perfect for picnics, garden gatherings, or late-night munching—no eggs or butter needed!
These muffins have the perfect dome. They’re not flat! (But, hey, flat muffins are still delish!) And, folks, I have never had a muffin so soft before, thanks to the applesauce which replaces the eggs. They’re perfectly lemony, perfectly sweet, bursting with jammy blueberries, and so summery.
Another great thing about these vegan lemon blueberry muffins is how they convert your kitchen into a bakery. The smell! Ah! It’s so incredible! It uplifts the place with the blueberry-sugary-lemony-cakey aroma.
There’s no need to let the batter rest which makes it a quick whip-up.
Table of Contents
What makes these muffins so special
- They’re utterly scrumptious: These muffins have a verrrrrry tender crumb yet they hold together well. The lemony-blueberry-y, zingy-sweet taste is just incredible. Even the non-vegans love ’em.
- Easy to make: Just a few pantry staple ingredients, no need to chill the batter before baking, and they’re ready in under an hour from start to finish.
- No eggs or butter – no problem: These vegan lemon blueberry muffins are dairy and egg free, also making them suitable for vegetarians, and those with dietary restrictions.
- They’re perfect for spring and summer – great for picnics, garden gatherings, and late-night munching.
What you’ll need to make the muffins
All-purpose flour: Spelt or whole wheat may work, but I’m not certain about gluten-free flour substitutes. Here’s a well-rated gluten-free vegan lemon blueberry muffins recipe by Ela Vegan.
Sugar: granulated or caster.
Lemon zest gives these muffins a lovely zing. Lime zest works wonderfully, too.
Salt balances the sweetness.
Baking powder makes the muffins rise to become fluffy.
Cinnamon (optional) does not make these muffins taste cinnamon-y, but offers a subtle and unique depth of flavour.
Plant milk: oat, almond, cashew, whatever, you have baby!
Oil: olive, canola, sunflower, refined coconut oil, etc.
Applesauce: THIS!!! Applesauce replaces the eggs and gives these muffins their unbelievable tenderness, and you’d never guess that it’s in these muffins because you can’t taste it. Don’t have applesauce? No problemo! Scroll down this post to learn how easy it is to make.
Vanilla extract adds flavour.
Lemon juice creates tenderness when the acidity reacts with the baking powder, curdles the plant milk; and relaxes the gluten. Plus, it adds more lemony flavour (and we love that!)
Blueberries: fresh or frozen.
How to make scrumptious vegan lemon blueberry muffins
Step 1: Rub the zest into the sugar. In a bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingertips or a rubber spatula to rub the zest into the sugar to release its oils. It should smell very fragrant.
2. Add the rest of the dry ingredients: To the lemon-sugar mix, mix in the flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Mix the wet ingredients separately: In another bowl, add and whisk the plant milk, lemon juice, oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Stir gently to combine with a whisk, fork, or wooden spoon. Do not overmix. A few lumps in the batter is fine.
4. Coat and gently fold in the blueberries. Coat the blueberries with 2 tbsp of flour before folding them into the batter (or they’ll sink to the bottom of the muffins).
5. Fill and bake: Divide the batter evenly into 12 greased/lined muffin holes, filling each all the way to the top. Bake them at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Tips for success
1. Don’t overmix the batter:
This can make your muffins dense and tough instead of light and fluffy :/
2. Measure the flour correctly:
If using cups to measure, don’t scoop from the flour container with the cup. Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with a knife, or you’ll end up with too much flour.
3. Coat the blueberries in flour:
To prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom, lightly toss them in a tablespoon or two of flour before adding them to the batter. This helps them stay suspended in the muffin.
4. Do not open the oven door during baking
This can cause a temperature change and make the muffins drop in the middle. It’s much safer to open the door to check on them towards the end of the baking time (as they will be much firmer then).
The secret’s in the sauce – the applesauce!
Applesauce isn’t sold anywhere where I live. So, whenever I use it in baking, I have to make my own. I don’t mind because it’s totally worth it for these muffins.
Just chop up one large apple, boil it until fork tender, and blend the chunks in a blender until pureed.
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar (200g) | granulated or caster
- 1 ½ tbsp lemon zest or lime zest
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (313g) + 2 tbsp more for coating blueberries
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder (12g)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon optional
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened plant milk (120g)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (45g)
- 6 tbsp oil (84g)
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (120g)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Add-in
- 1 ⅓ cup blueberries (187g) | fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Rub the zest into the sugar. In a bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingertips or a rubber spatula to rub the zest into the sugar to release its oils. It should smell very fragrant.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients: To the lemon-sugar mix, mix in the flour, salt, baking powder, and ground cinnamon.
- Mix the wet ingredients separately: In another bowl, add and whisk the plant milk, lemon juice, oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Stir gently to combine with a whisk, fork, or wooden spoon. Do not overmix. A few lumps in the batter is fine.
- Coat and gently fold in the blueberries. Coat the blueberries with 2 tbsp of flour before folding them into the batter (or they’ll sink to the bottom of each muffin).
- Fill and bake: Divide the batter evenly into 12 giant greased/ lined muffin holes, filling each all the way to the top. Bake the muffins at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Cool and enjoy: Let the muffins cool a bit before digging in. Enjoy with a nice cup of coffee or tea.
Notes
- Storage: Store your muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. This will keep them fresh and soft for about 2 days. Freezing: If you want to store them for a longer time, you can freeze the muffins. Allow them to cool completely, then wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or foil. Place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They’ll stay fresh for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave them at room temperature for about 1-2 hours, or microwave for 20-30 seconds, or until warmed through.
- If using cups to measure: Don’t scoop from the flour container with the cup. Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with a knife, or you’ll end up with too much flour.
If you’ve tried this recipe, please consider leaving a rating, and tag me on Instagram @soggy_cereal77 I’d love to hear what you think. Plus, it would make me happy to pass the love through these delicious summery muffins <3
Vegan Banana Pancakes (As Soft As Marshmallows)
The Best Chocolate Cake From Matilda (Vegan)
1-Ingredient Peanut Butter (Sugar & Oil-Free)
