Description
These bright, sunny gluten-free lemon muffins are a total DREAM! Fluffy and citrusy with every bite. (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
Scale
For The Wet Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. lemon zest (from 3 lemons–don’t skimp!!!)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup avocado oil (or your favorite neutral oil, like sunflower, grapeseed, or canola)
- 2/3 cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 1/4 tsp. lemon oil (or 1/2 tsp. lemon extract. Note that lemon oil will give you stronger flavor!)
For The Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups (240g.) gluten-free measure for measure flour, scooped & leveled or weighed (we recommend King Arthur brand)
- 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup metal muffin pan with parchment muffin liners.
- Rub Lemon Zest Into Sugar. Combine the lemon zest and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips for 30-60 seconds until the sugar smells bright and lemony and the sugar has taken on a yellow appearance. (Rubbing the zest into the sugar releases the lemon essential oils from the zest and distributes them further in the recipe. This = more lemon flavor!)
- Combine Wet Ingredients. Next, add the oil to the sugar/zest and whisk to combine. Add milk and lemon juice and whisk to combine. Then add eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and lemon extract/oil and whisk to combine.
- Add Dry Ingredients. Add gluten-free flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt. Stir until just combined and no large lumps of flour remain.
- Scoop Batter & Let Muffins REST. Scoop the batter into your prepared muffin tin, filling each muffin cup almost all the way full. (Update: for best results, let the batter rest 30-60 minutes for a taller rise!)
- Bake muffins at 350 degrees F. for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when you gently press down and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy plain or cool completely and top with lemon glaze.
- Serve & Store. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.
Notes
- *Stick To The Recipe! I know it’s tempting to put your own spin on a recipe, but any omissions or substitutions you make here will mess with the flavor. Don’t skip the almond extract, lemon zest, or lemon oil/extract. Each one adds a layer of flavor you NEED for these lemon muffins to work properly.
- *Gluten-Free Flour. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free flour for these muffins. If you use another brand (like Bob’s Red Mill), just be sure it contains xanthan gum. Measure carefully!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
