Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Egg-Free, Dairy-Free)

These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are simple dairy-free and egg-free muffins made with healthier ingredients in just one bowl.

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While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

These Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are simple dairy-free and egg-free muffins made with healthier ingredients in just one bowl.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 muffins

Calories: 228.2 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 2 cups Self-Rising Flour - (note 1)
• ▢ ½ cup Light Olive Oil - (note 2)
• ▢ ½ cup Dairy-Free Yogurt - (note 3)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice - about a large lemon
• ▢ 5 tablespoons Almond Milk
• ▢ 1 cup Unrefined Cane Sugar - (note 4)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Lemon Zest - from the previous lemon to make lemon juice
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Poppy Seeds

Optional

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Almond Extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a 12-hole muffin pan with muffin paper cases. Lightly oil the paper cases with oil spray. Set aside.
• Cut the lemon in half, and squeeze the juice to get the amount needed. Remove any lemon seeds from the juice if some have dropped. Set aside.
• Keep the lemon skin grate on a hand grater and get some lemon zest. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, add lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, yogurt, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract if used. Whisk to combine.
• Fold in self-rising flour, and salt if used. Using a rubber spatula stir to incorporate and form a smooth muffin batter.
• Fold in the poppy seeds and stir to evenly incorporate.
• Divide the batter evenly into the 12 muffin holes.
• Bake the muffins on the center rack of your oven for 22-25 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and golden brown outside.
• Let the muffins cool down completely on a cooling rack.

Optional icing

• If you like, stir 1/2 cup of icing sugar with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until thick and drizzle on top of the cooled muffins with a pinch of lemon zest.

Notes

Note 1: You can make a cup of self-rising flour by combining 1 cup of all-purpose flour + 2 teaspoons of baking powder. I haven’t tested the recipe with all-purpose gluten-free flour and I can’t recommend this option. The recipe will not work with almond flour or oat flour.

Note 2: Any low-flavor oil can be used.

Note 3: Any yogurt can be used, we bake with dairy-free coconut yogurt.

Note 4: Any granulated sweetener can be used like coconut sugar, demerara sugar, sugar, or brown sugar. You can decrease the sugar to 3/4 cup for a low-sugar option.

Note 5: Skip the orange zest if you don’t like its sour taste.

Storage: Store the muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze in airtight Ziploc bags for up to 1 month, thaw at room temperature the day before.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 228.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.6g | Protein: 3.1g | Fat: 10.2g | Saturated Fat: 1.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.7g | Sodium: 107.4mg | Potassium: 42.9mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 17.5g | Vitamin A: 0.9IU | Vitamin C: 3.4mg | Vitamin D: 0.1µg | Calcium: 45.8mg | Iron: 0.4mg | Magnesium: 10.8mg | Phosphorus: 33.7mg | Zinc: 0.3mg

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need a handful of ingredients to make these muffins. Here’s how to pick them.

• Self-Rising Flour – This ensures a light and fluffy muffin texture. You can create your own by combining all-purpose flour and baking powder (2 teaspoons per cup).
• Light Olive Oil – It adds moisture to the muffins. Any neutral-flavored oil also works well.
• Dairy-Free Yogurt – This contributes to the muffins’ moistness and tenderness. Any yogurt is fine, like coconut yogurt or almond yogurt.
• Lemon Juice – This provides a bright, citrusy flavor.
• Almond Milk – This adds moisture and helps bind the ingredients.
• Unrefined Cane Sugar – This sweetens the muffins. Coconut sugar, demerara sugar, or brown sugar are also fine. You can also reduce the quantity for a less sweet muffin.
• Lemon Zest – This intensifies the lemon flavor. You can skip if you don’t have any.
• Vanilla Extract – This enhances the overall flavor profile.
• Poppy Seeds – These add a subtle nutty flavor and a nice texture.

How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

These muffins are really easy to whip up. Here’s how in a few pictures.

Combine the unrefined sugar with the liquid ingredients in a bowl.

Incorporate the flour and stir until just combined.

Pour the poppy seeds and stir gently to incorporate. Transfer to the muffin tin.

Bake the muffins on the center rack of your oven for 22-25 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C).

Carine’s Baking Tips

Let me share a few tips for perfect muffins.

• Gluten-Free Caution – Do not use gluten-free all-purpose flour in this recipe; the muffins will not rise properly.
• Almond Enhancement – Add almond extract for a lemon pie-like flavor.
• Icing Addition – Drizzle lemon icing on top for an extra burst of sweet lemon flavor.
• Muffin Pan Prep – Line the muffin pan with paper cases and lightly oil them for easy muffin removal.
• Cooling Time – Allow the muffins to cool completely on a cooling rack before icing.
• Sugar Reduction – Reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup for a low-sugar muffin option.
• Zest Omission – Skip the lemon zest if you don’t like its sour taste.

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