Get ready to fall in love with these fluffy vegan lemon blueberry muffins! The zesty, lemon oat topping makes these extra special.
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I love having muffins in the house for a quick breakfast or snack, and these lemon blueberry muffins are a new favorite!
They're packed with sweet, fresh blueberries and tangy lemon, and you're going to fall in love with the lemony oat topping!
I adapted this recipe from my popular strawberry muffins, so you know these are going to be pillowy muffin perfection.
Ingredients and substitutions
One really fun variation on these is to replace the blueberries with raspberries and all of the lime zest and juice with lemon to make vegan raspberry lime muffins!
- flax egg - Flax meal mixed with water is the binder that replaces egg in this vegan muffin recipe.
- lemon zest - Adds so much lemon flavor to both the muffins and the oat topping!
- vanilla extract - A little vanilla pairs so well with the blueberry and lemon flavors.
- vegan milk - Choose your favorite, creamy vegan milk.
- lemon juice - Adds even more lemony flavor to the batter.
- oil - Oil adds texture and moisture to these muffins. You can use applesauce, just know that the texture will be a little bit more dense. You also use oil in the oat topping to bring it together. For oil-free, omit the topping.
- white wheat flour - I love white wheat flour! It's a whole wheat flour that's lighter in flavor than traditional whole wheat flour, because it's made from a different kind of wheat. You can use the same amount of all-purpose flour, if you prefer.
- sugar - For sweetness. I've reduced the sugar quite a bit here, so I don't suggest going any lower. You're also using brown sugar in the oat topping.
- baking powder - Helps the dough get light and fluffy.
- salt - Helps bring out the lemon flavor in the muffins and in the oat topping.
- fresh blueberries - You can use frozen, if needed, but fresh is definitely best!
- rolled oats - This is the base for your lemony oat topping.
How to make lemon blueberry muffins
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the flax meal, water, tablespoon of lemon zest, vanilla, vegan milk, lemon juice, and oil to bowl, and mix until well combined. Then, fold in the blueberries.
Spoon the batter a into lined muffin tin, filling each cup about ¾ full.
Make the oat topping. In a small bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, teaspoon of lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix well, then add two tablespoons of the oil. Mix again, until all of the sugar is nice and moist and the mixture is a little bit clumpy. You can add more oil by the teaspoon, if needed.
Scoop a tablespoon of this mixture on top of each unbaked muffin, patting it down into the batter, so it will stick.
Bake on the middle oven rack for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for 10 to 15 minutes before eating.
Helpful tips
- When you add the wet ingredients to the dry, you do want to work quickly. It's helpful to have all of the ingredients gathered, including zesting and juicing your lemons, before you start.
- When you add the oat topping, gently pat it down into the batter to help it stick.
- Don't skip cooling the muffins before you serve them. If you serve them warm, they'll stick to the paper liner.
Serving and storage directions
Let the muffins cool completely before storing. Leftover muffins will keep for two to three days in a lidded container at room temperature or for four to five days in the fridge.
You can also freeze these. Transfer cooled muffins to freezer bags and gently squeeze out excess air. They'll be good for around three months. Wrap them in foil and reheat at 300° F for 15 minutes to thaw when you're ready.
More ways to use blueberries and lemons
📖 Recipe
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups white wheat flour - or all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon flax meal
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup vegan milk
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup oil - or other neutral oil, use applesauce and omit the oat topping for oil-free
- 1 ½ cups blueberries - fresh or frozen
Topping Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup brown sugar - firmly packed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the flax meal, water, tablespoon of lemon zest, vanilla, vegan milk, lemon juice, and oil to bowl, and mix until well combined. Then, fold in the blueberries.
- Spoon the batter a into lined muffin tin, filling each cup about ¾ full.
- Make the oat topping. In a small bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, teaspoon of lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix well, then add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Mix well, until all of the sugar is nice and moist and the mixture is a little bit clumpy. You can add more oil by the teaspoon, if needed. Scoop 1 tablespoon of this mixture on top of each unbaked muffin, patting it down into the batter, so it will stick.
- Bake on the middle oven rack for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for 10 to 15 minutes before eating.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!