These vegan lemon poppy seed muffins are made with simple ingredients in 1 bowl and bake up moist and delicious every time! The perfect balance of sweet and tart, they will be a hit for sure!
These are my favorite muffins to make for brunch or bring to an event. They’re always a hit with both vegan and non-vegans, they work great with gluten-free flour, and they still taste great the next day if you bake them a day ahead.
You’ll LOVE these lemon poppy seed muffins because they’re…
- dairy-free, egg-free, and can easily be made gluten-free as well.
- easy to make with simple ingredients found in most grocery stores.
- the perfect grab and go vegan breakfast or snack.
What you’ll need to make vegan lemon poppy seed muffins…
- Flour – either white or whole-grain wheat or any gluten-free flour mix.
- Sugar – to sweeten the muffins. Make sure to use vegan sugar. You can use any other granulated sweetener that you wish.
- Baking Soda – to help the muffins rise.
- Baking Powder – to help the muffins rise.
- Salt – for flavor.
- Apple Sauce – to make the muffins moist and to replace the eggs in traditional muffins.
- Oil – to make the muffins moist. Any neutral-flavored oil like canola, refined coconut oil, or light olive oil. (You can replace the oil with equal amounts of more apple sauce if you want oil-free muffins).
- Plant-Based Milk – to make the muffins moist. Soy, almond, cashew, or rice milk will all work.
- Lemon Juice – for flavor. Fresh squeezed will give the best flavor. You can also add some lemon zest for more lemon flavor.
- Lemon Extract – for extra flavor.
- Lemon Zest – optional for extra flavor. This has a strong sour lemon flavor. I leave it out when I make it for my kids, but adults usually love it.
- Poppy Seeds – for a pretty added crunch and mild flavor.
How to make vegan lemon poppy seed muffins:
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Put all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir.
- Pour in the wet ingredients and stir with a whisk until wet and dry ingredients are mixed. (Don’t over mix).
- Scoop into muffin tins that have been oiled or are lined with paper liners.
- Fill the muffins 3/4 of the way full to allow room for them to rise.
- Put the muffin tins in the oven and turn down the heat to 375° F.
- Bake at 375° F for 22 minutes. (for standard-sized muffins).
To make the Lemon Drizzle: (optional)
- While the muffins are cooling, mix together powdered sugar and lemon juice to create a lemon drizzle.
- After the muffins have cooled, use a fork to splash the lemon drizzle on top of them.
Note:
Cook time will vary depending on the size of the muffin tin that you use and how full you fill them.
Pro Tips for perfect muffins:
- Starting off with a hotter oven helps the muffins to rise better when they first go in the oven.
- Don’t over mix the batter; just stir enough to get the ingredients mixed together. (If you stir too much, it won’t rise as much).
- Only fill the muffin tins about 3/4 of the way full or they will overflow when baked.
Serve these muffins with some savory vegan breakfast options like vegan scrambled eggs, vegan corned beef hash, or some tempeh bacon.
How to make gluten-free lemon poppy seed muffins?
If you need these to be gluten-free, simply swap out the flour with a gluten-free flour mix and add a tsp of xanthan gum to the dry mix. (If your mix doesn’t already have xanthan gum added). I’ve made these muffins numerous times with a variety of gluten-free flour mixes and they always come out well. (I have not tested it with almond flour and I am not sure how they will bake up with grain-free mixes).
How to make a vegan lemon poppy seed loaf:
Follow the recipe the same as you would for the muffin batter. Then pour it into a greased loaf pan and bake it at 350° F for 45 minutes.
Want some more delicious vegan muffin recipes?
- Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
- Spinach Muffins
- Healthy Vegan Muffins with Hidden Veggies
- Vegan Blueberry Muffins
Be sure to follow me on Instagram for daily vegan inspiration and recipe ideas! Tag me at #thehiddenveggies! I love to see what you made too!
A classic lemon-flavored muffin made vegan and easily made gluten-free.
- 2 cups flour white, whole wheat or gluten-free mixes all work well.
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup apple sauce
- 1/3 cup canola oil any neutral-flavored oil will work or swap with extra apple sauce for oil-free.
- 3/4 cup plant-based milk
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lemon extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (optional)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
-
Put all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir.
-
Pour in the wet ingredients and stir with a whisk until wet and dry ingredients are mixed. (Don't over mix).
-
Scoop into muffin tins that have been oiled or are lined with paper liners.
-
Fill the muffins 3/4 of the way full to allow room for them to rise.
-
Put the muffin tins in the oven and turn down the heat to 375°F (190°C).
-
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 22 minutes for standard muffins. (18 minutes for mini muffins or 30 minutes for extra-large muffins).
-
While the muffins are cooling, mix together 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice to create a lemon drizzle.
-
After the muffins have cooled, use a fork to splash the lemon drizzle on top of them.
Pro Tips for perfect muffins:
- Starting off with a hotter oven helps the muffins to rise better when they first go in the oven.
- Don't over mix the batter; just stir enough to get the ingredients mixed together. (If you stir too much, it won't rise as much).
- Only fill the muffin tins about 3/4 of the way full or they will overflow when baked.
To make gluten-free muffins:
- Swap the flour for a gluten-free flour mix and add 1 tsp of xanthan gum if your mix doesn't already contain it.
