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    Home > Vegan Desserts

    Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins

    By Emese Maczko on 06/30/2023 - May contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe Print Pin

    If you like tender, sweet, and fruit-filled muffins, these vegan blueberry lemon muffins will surely knock your taste buds out of the park! Made with a delicious combination of fresh blueberries and lemon zest and then topped with a sweet lemon glaze, having just one muffin will be nearly impossible!

    Several lemon muffins with blueberries on a black wire rack drizzled with a white glaze. Lemon slices and fresh blueberries are scattered around them.

    There is nothing quite like the flavor of blueberries and lemons when it comes to baked goods. And when the two are combined, it tastes like a slice of heaven! Check out some of our other blueberry and lemon recipes, including our lemon blueberry crumble pie, vegan blueberry muffins, and vegan lemon poppy seed muffins.

    Jump to:
    • What to expect?
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Cooking tips
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storing tips
    • FAQs
    • More vegan muffin recipes
    • Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins

    What to expect?

    Inspired by the popular Jordan Marsh blueberry muffin recipe, these vegan blueberry lemon muffins combine fresh lemon zest, flour, salt, baking powder, and a vegan buttermilk made with dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar. Next, a flax seed vegan egg substitute is combined with olive oil before folding in fresh, juicy strawberries. Lastly, the muffins are topped with a mouthwatering lemon glaze.

    Unlike some other recipes, this one focuses on flavor and texture versus creating tall, mushroom-top muffins. By following the instructions and measurements as written, you will end up with moist and fluffy cake-like muffins that the whole family will love!

    Here is why you will love this recipe:

    • It is inspired by one of the best recipes – This recipe is a vegan version of the famous melt-in-your-mouth blueberry muffins by Jordan Marsh.
    • It is easy to make – You do not need much time or special equipment. All you need is one bowl, 10 minutes of prep time, and 30 minutes of baking time.
    • It is versatile – You can easily customize these vegan lemon blueberry muffins with different flavors, fillings, and toppings. Check the variations section for more ideas.
    • It is the most delicious – Prior to making this recipe, I conducted a lot of research to learn what people like and do not like when it comes to muffins. These are the freshest, most flavorful, and most tender vegan muffins you will ever try!
    Several lemon muffins with blueberries on a black wire rack drizzled with a white glaze. Lemon slices and fresh blueberries are scattered around them.
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    Ingredients

    Ingredients of vegan lemon poppy seed muffins in small bowls like flour, milk, butter cubes, sugar, oil, vinegar, baking powder, ground flax seeds, salt, lemon zest, and fresh blueberries.
    • Dairy-free butter – The butter needs to be at room temperature before use. Do not use cold butter.
    • Cane sugar – Other dry sugars such as coconut, brown, or white sugar are also acceptable. 
    • Flax egg – The combination of finely milled ground flax seeds and water is an easy vegan egg substitute to bind the ingredients together. Do not use ground flax flakes.
    • Olive oil – You can also use other neutral oils such as sunflower oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.
    • All-purpose flour – You can also use whole wheat flour. For gluten-free muffins, you can use any gluten-free flour blend.
    • Baking powder
    • Lemon zest (grated) – You can also use lemon juice, although the muffins will be less flavorful.
    • Blueberries – Use freshly washed blueberries.
    • Apple cider vinegar – Combining the apple cider vinegar and the baking powder creates a foam that leavens the batter.
    • Dairy-free milk – I use oat milk for this recipe, but any non-dairy milk, such as cashew milk, rice milk, soy milk, or almond milk, will do! Like the butter, the milk needs to be at room temperature.
    • Lemon juice + powdered sugar (optional, for the final glaze)

    🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Instructions

    Making vegan blueberry lemon muffins

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F/180 °C and position an oven rack in the center. In the meantime, line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Spray the muffin pan and liners, if desired.
    2. Mix the dry ingredients (lemon zest, flour, salt, and baking powder) in a small bowl (use a large bowl if making a larger quantity).
    3. Add the apple cider vinegar to the room-temperature milk to create your vegan “buttermilk.”
    4. Add the soft room-temperature vegan butter and cane sugar.
    White bowl with can sugar and butter cubes
    1. With an electric mixer, whisk the soft room-temperature vegan butter and cane sugar for only two minutes. The sugar will not melt during this step.
    A white bowl with a hand blender and soft light brown batter.
    1. Add in the ground flax egg and olive oil, then mix well.
    White bowl with a light brown batter, olive oil, and dark brown flax egg
    1. Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and mix well using a spatula or spoon.
    Soft light brown batter and a heap of flour in a white bowl.
    1. Add half of the vegan buttermilk and mix again.
    Light brown batter with milk in a white bowl.
    1. Then, stir in the second half of the dry and wet ingredients and mix well again. Stop mixing when the batter reaches a soft, fluffy, and pillowy texture. Do not overmix.
    Soft creamy light brown batter in a white bowl.
    1. With the help of a spatula, gently fold in the washed blueberries.
    Glass bowl with light brown creamy batter topped with lots of fresh blueberries.
    1. Use an ice cream scooper or two spoons to distribute the batter evenly in the muffin pan. It will be full.
    A muffin tin lined with white cupcake liners and filled with light brown batter mixed with fresh blueberries.
    1. Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes until lightly golden. They are done when you can stick a toothpick in the center, and it comes out clean.
    2. Let the muffins remain in the pan and cool for 5-10 minutes. They will be very soft and moist, especially while hot. Once cooled, lightly run a knife around the muffin (if necessary) before removing them from the muffin tin.
    3. If desired, mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with ½ cup of powdered sugar to create a lemon glaze, then lightly glaze the top of each muffin. The glaze is a must-have for the most delicious blueberry lemon muffins!
    Baked lemon blueberry muffins in a muffin tin

    Cooking tips

    • For the most flavorful muffins, use lemon zest instead of lemon juice.
    • Stick with the ingredients and quantities in the recipe for the softest, moistest muffin texture.
    • If you do not have access to finely milled ground flax seeds, you can take whole flax seeds and grind them in a coffee grinder. The finer the seeds, the easier they are to absorb and bind.
    • You can mix the flour and milk with the batter using either an electric mixer or a spatula. However, mix quickly to avoid overmixing, resulting in dry, dense muffins.
    • Do not bake longer than 30 minutes, as it will dry out the muffins. In an oven similar to mine, 35 minutes is too long.

    Variations

    • With different fruit – Swap out the blueberries for other berries such as raspberries, strawberries, or cranberries. See my vegan orange cranberry muffins recipe for more inspiration. Mashed bananas also make wonderful muffins!
    • Without lemon zest – Prefer to skip the citrus? Eliminate the lemon zest as I do in my vegan blueberry muffins recipe.
    • With chocolate chips – Replace the blueberries with chocolate chips as I do in my vegan chocolate chip muffin recipe.
    • With nuts – Add some texture to the muffins by adding crushed nuts.
    • With spices – Enhance the flavor with a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg.
    • With vanilla extract – Add a few drops of pure vanilla extract for a different flavor profile.
    • With different toppings – Skip the lemon glaze and top with powdered sugar or crushed nuts instead.
    Several lemon muffins with blueberries on a black wire rack drizzled with a white glaze. Lemon slices and fresh blueberries are scattered around them.

    Equipment

    • Scale – A scale is critical for accurately measuring ingredients and creating the most delicious results. 
    • Electric hand mixer – An electric mixer is helpful when creaming the butter.
    • Rubber spatula – A rubber spatula comes in handy when mixing the ingredients. It will also ensure you scrape all the batter from the bowl without leaving a drop behind!
    • Muffin tray  – I recommend using a muffin pan with 12 cavities of 3-in dia. x 1 in. (7.6 cm dia x 2.5 cm)
    • Paper muffin liners – I use paper liners in all my recipes; however, using them is optional.
    • Ice cream scooper – You can also use two spoons if you do not have an ice cream scoop.

    Storing tips

    Like all freshly-baked muffins, vegan blueberry lemon muffins are best the same day you make them. However, in case you have leftovers or need to make them in advance, here is the best way to store them:

    Room temperature – Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. 

    In the refrigerator – Once cooled, store the muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

    In the freezer – Once cooled, place the muffins in zippered plastic bags or an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to three months. 

    Defrosting and reheating – To defrost, thaw at room temperature before eating. To serve warm, wrap in foil and place in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. Or, place the muffin on a microwave-safe paper towel or plate and microwave on high for approximately 30 seconds.

    Several lemon muffins with blueberries on a black wire rack drizzled with a white glaze. Lemon slices and fresh blueberries are scattered around them.

    FAQs

    Can I use frozen blueberries?

    You can use frozen blueberries just as you do fresh blueberries. You do not need to thaw them first.

    Can I substitute the apple cider vinegar with something else?

    I have not tested this recipe with any apple cider substitutes. Still, you could use other acidic liquids, such as fresh lemons or limes, or with other vinegar, such as white vinegar, cider vinegar, or malt vinegar.

    More vegan muffin recipes

    • Blueberry muffins on a black board dusted with powdered sugar and surrounded by fresh bluberries.
      Vegan Blueberry Muffins
    • Orange cranberry muffins drizzled with a white glaze on a wooden board surrounded by lots of dried cranberries and fresh orange slices.
      Vegan Orange Cranberry Muffins
    • Several orange muffins on a light blue plate topped with a white glaze and orange slices partly dipped in chocolate or white glaze with orange zest pieces. Orange slices are scattered around them.
      Vegan Orange Muffins
    • Several chocolate muffins with a peanut butter swirl on top on a black wire rack. Even more chocolate chips and peanuts are scattered around and under the rack.
      Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins
    • Several chocolate muffins with chocolate chips on a black wire rack. Even more chocolate chips are scattered around and under the rack.
      Vegan Chocolate Muffins
    • Several lemon poppy seed muffins on a black wire rack topped with a white glaze and a small lemon slices, and sprinkled with poppy seeds. Lemon slices are scattered around them.
      Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
    • Lightly dusted chocolate chip muffins on a wooden board surrounded by lots of chocolate chips.
      Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins

    THANK YOU so much for visiting our website. Please comment below if you have tried this recipe. We LOVE hearing from you! If you loved the recipe, please don’t forget to give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ RATING. We appreciate all of our readers.  

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    Several lemon muffins with blueberries on a black wire rack drizzled with a white glaze. Lemon slices and fresh blueberries are scattered around them.

    Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins

    Emese Maczko
    If you like tender, sweet, and fruit-filled muffins, these vegan blueberry lemon muffins will surely knock your taste buds out of the park! Made with a delicious combination of fresh blueberries and lemon zest and then topped with a sweet lemon glaze, having just one muffin will be nearly impossible!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Baking time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 12 muffins
    Calories 258kcal

    Equipment

    Cupcake / muffin pan (12 cups)
    Cup measure set
    Greaseproof liners
    Visit our Amazon Shop for all baking essentials

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ½ cup Dairy-free butter
    • 1 cup Cane sugar
    • 2 Flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax – 3 Tbsp water)
    • 4 Tbsp Olive oil
    • 2 cups All-purpose flour
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • 2 tsp Baking powder
    • 2 Tbsp Lemon zest (grated)
    • 1 cup Blueberry
    • 2 tsp Apple cider vinegar
    • ½ cup Dairy-free milk I used oat milk
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Important NotesAlways use a scale to measure ingredients for baking. When developing this recipe, I measured everything both in cups and with a scale to be 100% sure. I also verify my cup to gram conversions with King Arthur’s Ingredient Chart!

    Instructions
     

    • If you want this to come out just like in the photos with the moist and soft cake-like texture, use a scale to measure all ingredients.
    • Preheat the oven to 350 °F (ca. 180 °C) and put an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. I don’t mind if the muffins stick to the papers, but if you do, spray the pan and the liners with non-stick cooking spray.
    • Mix dry ingredients (lemon zest, flour, salt, and baking powder) in a small bowl.
    • Add apple cider vinegar to the room-temperature milk.
    • Use an electric mixer to beat the soft room-temperature butter with cane sugar. The sugar will not melt in the butter. 2 minutes are enough.
    • Add flax egg (from ground flax, not flakes) and olive oil. Mix them well.
    • Add half the dry ingredients and half the “buttermilk” to the batter. Use a spatula or spoon to mix it well. Then add the second half and mix again. Don’t need to over-mix it. You’ll get a soft, fluffy, pillowy batter.
    • Gently fold in the washed blueberries.
    • Use two spoons or an ice cream scooper to arrange the muffin batter evenly. It will be full.
    • Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden. Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for about 5-10 minutes. They are very soft and moist, especially while hot. Run a knife around the edge of each muffin if necessary before taking them out.
    • Don’t forget to glaze it (1 tsp lemon juice + ½ cup powdered sugar)! It is a must-have to get delicious blueberry lemon muffins.
    Tried this recipe? Can we see it?Please share a picture with us by uploading an image to Pinterest below ours.

    Notes

    • Lemon zest gives more flavor than lemon juice. 
    • If you can’t buy milled and finely ground flax seeds, grind the whole seeds in a coffee grinder. They absorb and bind so much better in a fine powder form. 
    • Using an electric mixer or a spatula to mix the flour and milk with the batter have the same result. As long as you do it quickly, you will not over-mix it. 
    • While these muffins don’t have a huge mushroom top, they are by far the most soft and moisture muffins I have ever eaten. Every time I adjusted the ingredients, I lost that texture. 
    • Don’t over-bake it, as they will turn dry. 30 minutes should be enough. 35 minutes is too long in my oven. 
    • I always use paper liners, so I never tested this recipe using only cooking spray. 
    The recipe was developed from Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffin. 
    Do you have a convection oven?A convection oven distributes heat throughout its cavity using a fan and exhaust system, resulting in faster and more even cooking than traditional ovens. Read here how to use a convection oven.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins
    Amount Per Serving (1 muffin)
    Calories 258 Calories from Fat 108
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 12g18%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 7g
    Sodium 231mg10%
    Potassium 51mg1%
    Carbohydrates 35g12%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 18g20%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 46IU1%
    Vitamin C 3mg4%
    Calcium 59mg6%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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