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Home > Vegan Recipes

Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins (Dairy Free)

8/17/21 by Nicole Stevens | 2 Comments

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5 from 2 votes. Leave your review!

These fluffy vegan blueberry lemon muffins are made in one bowl with simple ingredients and no fancy steps! They’re loaded with citrus flavor and not overly sweet so you can fully enjoy the lemon and blueberries.

This easy recipe is quick to come together and perfect to pack for lunches. You can even freeze some for later!

Skill: Easy | Time: 40 min | Servings: 12 muffins

Straight on shot of a stack of 3 blueberry lemon muffins with the top muffin cut in half, showing the inside. Additional muffins arranged and blurry in background.

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Are Blueberry Lemon Muffins Vegan?

Most muffin recipes, including those for blueberry lemon muffins, include some type of dairy product and/ or eggs meaning they’re not vegan.

Luckily, it’s incredibly easy to replace dairy and eggs in most baking recipes like muffins! This recipe uses a plant-based milk instead of dairy and ground flaxseed as an “egg”. These easy swaps ensure your muffins are eggless and dairy free while still tasting absolutely amazing!

Top view of a square half marble and half wood board with 9 blueberry lemon muffins arranged in a messy manner on top. Board sits on a white-grey marble background with different ingredients decorating around it (white and blue stripped towel along top and left; jar of blueberries and half lemon in top left; spoonful of blueberries and half a muffin in bottom; wood dish of blueberries and half muffin in top right)

Ingredients and Substitutions for Lemon and Blueberry Muffins

This recipe uses simple ingredients to create delicious muffins. Before you start making these blueberry lemon muffins, make sure you have:

  • Ground flaxseed: While it’s not strictly necessary to replace eggs, I love how easy it is to make a flax egg for baking recipes. Ground flaxseed forms a gel when soaked in liquid, creating a great binding agent for the muffin batter!
  • Lemon juice (and zest): For loads of lemon flavor, this recipe soaks ground flaxseed in lemon juice instead of water. We’ll also add zest for even more citrusy muffins. Pack as much or as little zest as you like into the 1 tablespoon lemon zest measurement. Feel free to experiment with other citrus flavors like orange or even grapefruit!
  • Plant-based milk: To add liquid to the muffin batter, you’ll need some plant-based milk. I typically use soy milk, but any type of plant-based milk should work. Use an unsweetened and unflavored option (unless you want sweeter or flavored muffins).
  • Granulated sugar: Basic granulated sugar offers a nice amount of sweetness in these muffins and balance the tart lemon flavor. These muffins aren’t overly sweet, in my opinion.
  • Vegetable oil: For moisture and to create soft and tender muffins, use vegetable oil. Select a mild-tasting oil for best results. This recipe won’t work well with coconut oil; olive oil is possible, but its flavor may come through in the muffins.
  • Vanilla extract: Vanilla is a great addition to baking recipes since it enhances all the other flavors!
  • Whole wheat and all-purpose flour: I like a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flours for this recipe, but you could just use all-purpose flour. The combo of flours allows for a soft muffin that still has a denser texture. I wouldn’t recommend all whole wheat flour unless you want a very dense muffin.
  • Baking powder and soda: To create fluffy and delicious muffins, you’ll need a combo of baking powder and baking soda.
  • Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, but frozen blueberries will dye the muffin batter and create very purple-blue muffins. I love the look of blue muffins but it’s not everyone’s favorite.
Top view of an arrangement of ingredients in glass or wood dishes sitting on white-grey marble. From top left working right then down: blueberries; lemon zest; lemon juice; ground flaxseed; baking powder and soda in same wood dish; sugar; oil; vanilla extract; plant-based milk; flour (half white and half whole wheat)

How to Make Dairy Free Muffins: Instructions, Video Tutorial and Tips

This is a simple recipe to make in one bowl! There are no fancy steps required, other than making a flaxseed “egg” which is a standard vegan baking technique.

Read the detailed directions below or watch the short video to learn how to make these delicious, fluffy muffins.

Step 1: Zest and Juice Lemons

Start by zesting two large lemons, or until you have 2 tablespoon of lemon zest. Use the small grating edge of a box grater, a microplane or another zesting tool. Zest is the bright yellow outer layer of the lemon peel and not the white pith underneath (avoid grating into the pith as it can be quite bitter, and all the flavor is in the colorful zest).

You can pack as much zest as you like into the tablespoon when measuring. The more you pack in, the more potent the lemon flavor will be (I like a lightly packed 2 tablespoon of zest). A loose packed spoon of zest creates a mild lemon flavor so do what you like!

Once you have your zest, juice the lemons, removing any seeds. You need 6 tablespoon of lemon juice which should only take 2 large lemons, but you may need a third if they aren’t as juicy.

Top view of an arrangement of ingredients in glass or wood dishes sitting on white-grey marble. From top left working right then down: blueberries; lemon zest; lemon juice; ground flaxseed; baking powder and soda in same wood dish; sugar; oil; vanilla extract; plant-based milk; flour (half white and half whole wheat)

Step 2: Prep Flaxseed “Egg”

Next, to make delicious vegan muffins, you’ll need to prepare a flaxseed “egg”. Stir lemon juice into the ground flaxseed and set aside.

This mixture forms a gel after a couple minutes and is a great vegan egg replacement in many baking recipes.

Top view of a small glass dish filled with ground flaxseed that is being mixed with lemon juice. A hand holding a spoon is blurred, stirring the flaxseed.

Step 3: Whisk Wet Ingredients

When your flax egg has set, add it to a large mixing bowl along with the other liquid ingredients including plant-based milk, sugar, oil and vanilla extract.

Whisk this mixture together until well combined. Then, whisk in the lemon zest.

Top view of a large glass mixing bowl filled with a liquid mixture that is light brown in color with some bubbles throughout and is topped with clumps of lemon zest. A hand holding a small metal whisk is whisking the liquid in the right side of the bowl and the whisk is blurred in motion.

Step 4: Stir in Dry Ingredients and Blueberries

Switch from a whisk to a large mixing spoon before adding in the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt.

Measure flour by gently scooping it into the measuring cup until there’s heaping amount. Then, use a flat edge (like the back of a knife) to scrape along the edge of the measuring cup, scraping off all excess flour and getting a perfectly measured cup.

Top view of a large glass mixing bowl filled with clumpy muffin batter; there are large dry clumps and some more liquid areas. Batter is a light brown color and a metal spoon sits in the batter with a hand holding the right edge of the bowl.

Stir your dry ingredients into the liquid, until it’s partly combined, then add blueberries. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, but frozen blueberries will dye the batter and your muffins turn purple!

When the blueberries are in, continue gently stirring until the batter is just mixed. Stop stirring as soon as there are no large clumps of dry or wet ingredients and the blueberries are evenly distributed.

Top view of a blurry hand stirring muffin batter that is light brown in color and loaded with blueberries. The batter near the spoon is blurred, in motion while the rest of the batter is in focus and appears to be thick but without large clumps. A second hand hold the right edge of the mixing bowl.

Step 5: Bake and Serve

Preheat your oven to 350 °F and prep a muffin tin by lining it with paper or silicone muffin liners. This recipe makes 12 muffins, so you’ll need a 12-slot muffin tray.

Scoop batter evenly into each muffin liner. The liners should be about ¾ full.

Top view of a hand holding a black and metal scoop and is dumping muffin batter into a silicone-lined muffin slot in the bottom right corner of image. Rest of image shows the remaining 11 slots of the muffin pan all filled with blueberry muffin batter in colorful silicone liners.

Place your muffin tray into the preheated oven and bake for 24-26 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (assuming you don’t poke through a blueberry!).

Once baked, carefully remove the muffins from your baking tray and onto a wire cooling rack. Serve the muffins hot or at room temperature; they’ll need to be at room temperature before storing (see below for storage directions).

If using silicone muffin liners, you may want to carefully pop the muffins out of each liner and allow to cool without them. The silicone can create condensation and may leave the muffins somewhat soggy on the edges.

Corner of a wire cooling rack with 3 visible lemon and blueberry muffins on top. Blurred half lemon and glass jar of blueberries in the background along with a crumpled white and blue striped towel.

How to Store Leftovers: Refrigerating and Freezing this Recipe

Cool leftover muffins to room temperature before transferring into an airtight container. These muffins are quite moist and keep best if stored in the fridge and not on the counter. They should last in the fridge for up to a week.

This recipe also freezes well in either an airtight container or freezer bag. To thaw, allow your muffins to sit in the fridge overnight or use a microwave on a defrost setting. Muffins are best enjoyed warm, so microwave them for a few seconds (5-10 seconds) just before eating to take off the chill.

More top-down view of a stack of 3 blueberry lemon muffins, with the top muffin cut in half, showing the inside. Additional muffins are arranged randomly around the stack along with a small wood dish of blueberries on the right and small jar of blueberries on the left. A couple lemon slices and a white and blue stripped towel sit blurred in the background.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you make it, please rate and comment below so others benefit from your experience.

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Square cropped image of a straight on shot of a stack of 3 blueberry lemon muffins with the top muffin cut in half, showing the inside. Additional muffins arranged and blurry in background.

Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins

These vegan blueberry lemon muffins are soft, fluffy and loaded with fresh citrus and blueberry flavor. They’re made in one bowl with simple ingredients.
5 from 2 votes. Leave your review!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 12 Muffins
Calories 191 kcal
Cuisine American-inspired, Vegan

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Large spoon
  • Muffin tin
  • Muffin liners (paper or silicone)
  • Zesting tool (ex. box grater or microplane)
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Wire cooling rack

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed
  • 6 tablespoon lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
  • ¾ cup plant-based milk
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen *)
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Step 1: Zest and Juice Lemons

  • Begin by zesting the lemons. Use a microplane, the small side of a box grater or other zesting tool.
    1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Juice these lemons too.
    6 tablespoon lemon juice

Step 2: Prep Flaxseed “Egg”

  • Add ground flaxseed to a small bowl and stir in lemon juice. Set aside for a few minutes to allow the flaxseed to absorb the liquid and for a gel.
    2 tablespoon ground flaxseed, 6 tablespoon lemon juice

Step 3: Whisk Wet Ingredients

  • Once the flaxseed mixture has sat for a few minutes, add it to a large bowl along with plant-based milk, granulated sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Whisk until the ingredients are well combined.
    ¾ cup plant-based milk, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Next, whisk in lemon zest.
    1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Switch from using a whisk to a large stirring spoon.

Step 4: Stir in Dry Ingredients and Blueberries

  • Add all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the liquid ingredients. Stir until the batter is mostly mixed, then add blueberries.
    1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 1 pinch salt, 1 ½ cup blueberries
  • Continue stirring until blueberries are evenly mixed throughout the batter and there are no large clumps of dry ingredients remaining. Stop stirring at this point to avoid overmixing the batter.

Step 5: Bake and Serve

  • Prep a 12-slot muffin tin by lining it with paper or silicone muffin liners.
  • Scoop the muffin batter evenly into each muffin liner.
  • Place muffins into an oven preheated at 350 °F for 24-26 minutes.
  • The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (assuming you don’t poke through a blueberry!).
  • Once out of the oven, allow muffins a couple minutes to cool before removing from your muffin tin and onto a wire cooling rack.
  • Cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and store in the fridge.

Video

Notes

*Frozen blueberries will dye the batter purple/ blue and you’ll end up with purple muffins!
Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Muffin (1/12 of recipe)Calories: 191 kcalCarbohydrates: 30 gProtein: 3 gFat: 7 gSaturated Fat: 1 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3 gMonounsaturated Fat: 3 gSodium: 140 mgPotassium: 97 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 13 gVitamin A: 45 IUVitamin C: 4 mgCalcium: 76 mgIron: 2 mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Filed Under: Vegan Dessert Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegan Snack Recipes Tagged With: All purpose flour, Baking, Baking powder, Baking soda, Berries, Blueberry, Dessert, Easy, Flax egg, Flax seed, Fruit, Lemon, Nut free, Plant-based milk, Snack, Soy free, Sugar, Vanilla extract, Vegetable oil, Whole wheat flour

About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out. She provides vegans with balanced meals and easy-to-understand nutrition science. As a trusted source of nutrition information, she educates others about vegan diets and how to thrive as a vegan.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kim Scott

    August 19, 2021 at 4:13 pm

    This is a great recipe!! The muffins are delicious!

    Reply
    • Nicole Stevens

      August 20, 2021 at 5:06 pm

      Thanks Kim, so happy you enjoyed these!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Nicole! As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I empower vegans to live a balanced life and gain confidence in the kitchen.

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