These oil free lemon blueberry muffins are soft and tender with just the right amount of sweetness. Make this recipe at the start of the week and enjoy muffins all week long!

lemon blueberry muffins
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I’m loving this recipe because these muffins are healthy enough for breakfast and sweet enough to be a satisfying afternoon treat! It’s also one of the few things our picky toddler will actually eat, so I’m counting it as a mom win! These muffins are also oil free. I used applesauce instead of butter or oil and it gives you a soft and tender muffin without the need for additional fat.

If you can’t get enough of the lemon and blueberry combination, make sure to try my lemon blueberry pancakes! They’re perfect for breakfast or brunch! Looking to add more fruit? Try my apple blueberry muffins.

Blueberry Muffin Ingredients

  • Flour– I used all-purpose flour. You’ll need 1 1/2 cups for the muffins, plus a little extra to toss with the blueberries. This helps prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffin.
  • Granulated sugar– I used 1/2 cup but you can use up to 3/4 cup if you like a sweeter muffin.
  • Baking powder– This is essential to provide lift. Do not substitute with baking soda.
  • Salt– A little salt enhances the sweetness of the muffins.
  • Lemon zest- I used zest from one whole lemon.
  • Lemon juice– I used juice from 1/2 a lemon, which was about 2 tablespoons.
  • Egg– For a vegan option, try my vegan blueberry muffins.
  • Applesauce– This helps create a moist muffin without adding butter or oil.
  • Milk– I used whole milk but 2% milk is fine, too.
  • Vanilla extract– This adds sweetness and flavor.
  • Blueberries– You can use fresh or frozen berries.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Muffins

dry ingredients in a bowl
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, salt, and lemon zest
wet ingredients in a bowl
In a smaller bowl, mix egg, applesauce, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla
mixing wet and dry ingredients
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Do NOT over mix.
blueberries tossed in flour
Toss blueberries with flour and fold into the batter.
lemon blueberry muffins
Divide into 12 muffin cups and bake until golden brown.

Tips & Tricks

  • DO NOT OVERMIX THE BATTER. Overmixing leads to tough, dry, muffins. It’s ok if there are still streaks of flour.
  • I used 1/2 cup of granulated sugar but you can use up to 3/4 cup if you like a sweeter muffin.
  • Once the muffins come out of the oven, remove them from the tray and allow them to cool on a cooling rack. If muffins are left to cool in the pan, they can become soggy.

Can You Use Frozen Blueberries in Blueberry Muffins?

For this recipe, yes! I’ve tested these with both fresh blueberries and frozen blueberries and either one works great! I did notice that frozen blueberries tended to “bleed” into the batter a little bit, even after being tossed in flour. Sometimes this would darken the muffin color slightly. But the taste was the same!

Do you Need to Defrost Frozen Blueberries?

No! It’s best to mix the berries in while frozen. If you thaw them, they have a tendency to get soggy and they’ll be more difficult to incorporate into the batter. Take them directly out of the freezer, toss in flour, and add them to the muffin batter.

lemon blueberry muffins

How to Store Leftovers

First, let the muffins cool completely. Then store them in an airtight container with a paper towel on top. The paper towel helps absorb excess moisture so they don’t get soggy or sticky. You can also freeze these muffins for up to 1 month. To defrost, microwave on 50% power for about 30 seconds or until heated.

More Muffin Recipes

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lemon blueberry muffins

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

These oil free lemon blueberry muffins are soft and tender with just the right amount of sweetness. Make this recipe at the start of the week and enjoy muffins all week long!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon for coating blueberries
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for topping
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1/2 cup milk (whole or 2%)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Line a muffin pan with paper or silicone liners.
  3. In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups flour, ¾ cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, egg, applesauce, milk, and vanilla.
  5. Toss blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour.
  6. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add blueberries.
  7. Do not over mix.
  8. Divide into 12 muffin cups and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of sugar
  9. Bake for 16-18 minutes until golden brown.