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    Home » Recipes » Muffins

    Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins: Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free

    Published: Mar 19, 2020 · Modified: Jun 14, 2021 by Christine · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    Fluffy, sweet and bursting with citrus flavor, these gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins make a perfect snack or on the go breakfast. And they’re gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free so you can feel good about treating yourself!

     

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins in a basket

    Lemon poppy seed muffins are a classic – that slight tartness from the lemon zest, the tiny bit of crunch from the poppy seeds and the ultra soft interior. They’re a muffin recipe you’ll get asked for over and over again.

    This recipe takes everything you love about light muffins and adds a kick of citrus. They’re definitely not a dense and hearty muffin that you’d find in say these blueberry oatmeal muffins. I compare them to something like a muffin-cupcake. But without the super sweetness. Incredibly light and tender, and with no refined sugars!

     

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins baked

    The recipe is dairy free and refined sugar free as written, but if you’d like to use dairy products or other substitutes, see the ‘Substitutes’ section below.

    Love muffins? Enjoy these other delicious muffin recipes:

    • Gluten Free Carrot Muffins
    • Gluten Free Apple Muffins
    • Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins
    • Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

    What do I need to Make These Muffins?

    The bright, refreshing flavor of the muffins comes from the healthy dose of lemon zest. Other than that star ingredient, you’ll need these ingredients:

    Almond milk – use the unsweetened variety of almond milk
    Poppy seeds
    Gluten free flour mix – find the recipe for the flour mix here: How to Make Gluten-Free-Bread's Flour Mix
    Almond flour – the Nuts.com brand is the one used in the recipe
    Baking powder – be sure it states gluten free, not all baking powder is!
    Xanthan gum – Bob’s Red Mill is the brand used here
    Salt
    Plant based butter – the one used in the recipe is Country Crock with Almond Oil
    Swerve brown sugar – find it at most grocery stores or order it online here: Swerve brown sugar 
    Eggs – use large eggs in the recipe
    Vanilla extract – make sure it’s pure vanilla extract, not vanilla flavor or imitation vanilla extract

    Substitutions in the Recipe

    The recipe is gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free as written. But you can easily make substitutions for cow’s milk or granulated sugar. Cow’s milk is a one-for-one swap for almond milk, as is the butter – regular butter can be swapped for the plant based with no other modifications. And instead of the Swerve brown sugar, regular brown sugar would be the way to go.

    Substituting the flours is a bit more challenging… the recipe has not been tested with another gluten free flour mix, other than the one we make here. That’s not to say another one won’t work, it just hasn’t been tested. And for the almond flour - as long as you have the same weigh in almond flour, it should work great.

    What’s the best way to store these muffins?

    After the muffins have cooled completely, store them in a plastic zipper bag on the counter for up to 2 days. After 2 days, seal the bag well and place it in the freezer for longer storage.

    How to Make Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

    The ingredients

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffin ingredients

    Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. Let the eggs sit in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to quickly bring them to room temperature.

    Milk-poppy seed mix

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins poppy seeds

    Prep the poppy seeds by letting them soak in the milk for about 5 minutes before adding them to the batter.

    Dry ingredients

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins dry ingredients

    Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl and set aside. These will be added alternately with the milk-poppy seed mixture to the butter.

    Cream the butter

    If you’ve never used plant-based butter, it’s worth trying it out. It bakes, cooks and tastes just like butter so it’s quite a nice find. It'll get nice and creamy when beaten with the brown sugar. 

    Add the eggs

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins batter mixing
    Mixing gradually
    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffin batter
    After all eggs are added

    The eggs are added one at a time to the batter. Add an egg, then mix it well. Then add another and mix again. The final egg should leave the batter a bit smoother than when you first started.

    Alternate the ingredients

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins consistency

    Starting with the dry ingredients… Add 2 heaping spoonfuls of the flour mixture to the creamed butter in the stand mixer. Mix it until combined. Then stop the machine and add about ⅓ of the milk mixture and mix it well. Then add 2 more spoonfuls of dry ingredients and mix again. Do the same thing until everything is completely mixed.

    Stir in lemon zest

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins batter in a bowl

    Once the batter is ready, use a sturdy spoon and stir in the lemon zest and vanilla. It should only take a few stirs.

    Bake and enjoy

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffin batter portioned
    gluten free lemon poppy seed batter in a pan

    Use either a muffin scoop or a large spoon to fill the muffin tin to the top of each cup. The baking time may vary a little, but should be very close to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and then enjoy!

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins baked in a muffin pan

     

    Recipe

    gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins baked

    Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins {Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free}

    Fluffy,sweet and bursting with citrus flavor, these gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins make a perfect snack or on the go breakfast.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, bread, Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 muffins
    Calories: 82kcal
    Author: Christine

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup almond milk
    • ¼ cup poppy seeds
    • 179 g. gluten free flour mix about 1 ⅓ cup
    • 25 g. almond flour about ¼ cup
    • 2 tsp. baking powder
    • ½ tsp. xanthan gum
    • ¼ tsp. salt
    • 1 stick dairy free butter softened
    • ½ cup + 3 Tbsp. packed Swerve brown sugar
    • 2 eggs room temperature
    • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
    • grated zest of 1 lemon

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or place paper muffin liners in a 12-count muffin pan.
    • In a 1 cup measuring cup or small bowl, warm the milk to 80 F. Add the poppy seeds to the milk. Let cool until just slightly warm.
    • In a medium bowl, mix together the gluten free flour mix, almond flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Set aside.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until well blended. Add the Swerve brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time. Beating well after each addition.
    • Start combining ingredients… Starting with the dry ingredients – add 2 heaping spoonfuls of the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix until blended.
    • Add ⅓ of the milk-poppy seeds and mix again. Add another 2 heaping spoonfuls of dry ingredients and mix again. Continue alternating with the milk-poppy seed mixture until fully mixed.
    • After those are mixed in, stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
    • Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
    • Bake for 20 minutes or until they test done with the toothpick test; the top should spring back when pressed gently.

    Notes

    • Cream the butter and sugar first before adding the eggs.
    • Alternate the milk-poppy seed mixture with the flour mixture.
    • Portion each muffin cup with batter.
    • Recipe is dairy free and refined sugar free as written, but can be made with dairy and sugar with no other modifications.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @zest_for_baking or tag #zestforbaking!

    Recipe originally published 2/28/2013. Updated 3/19/2020 with updated pictures and better directions.

    Next check out these delicious gluten free recipes: 

    • Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Gum Free Dinner Rolls
    • Hearty Gluten Free Dairy Free Brown Bread
    • Say Hello to Gluten Free Pigs in a Blanket
    • Best Ever Gluten Free Sandwich Bread

     

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    Christine Brady.

    Hi, I'm Christine, a gluten free baker living in sunny Texas! I love baking breads and sharing best practices so that everyone can bake tasty treats too. Zest For Baking (est. 2013) is where you'll find gluten free (and dairy free) recipes, tips for substituting ingredients and help navigating the world of gluten free baking.

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    Since 2013, Christine has been helping readers with gluten free baking challenges and substitution issues, all while creating delicious gluten free baking recipes that no one would guess are actually gluten free. Her Zest For Baking recipes have been featured on The Daily Meal, Bloglovin' and Dr. Axe, to name a few. When she's not hanging out on Facebook or sharing pictures on Instagram or pinning on Pinterest, you can find her in her kitchen, creating more ZestForBaking.com recipes!

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