The Best Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Three vegan lemon blueberry muffins stacked on top of each other and garnished with lemon zest.

5 from 3 votes

The Best Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Soft, fluffy, and bursting with bright lemon flavor, these vegan lemon blueberry muffins bake up with tall, bakery-style tops and juicy berries in every bite. Made with simple ingredients and tested for perfect texture, they’re an easy, reliable option for breakfast, snacks, or meal prep.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Dairy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: muffins

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Petra

Equipment

Standard Muffin Tin

Ingredients

¾ cup soy milk
2 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoon lemon zest ~ from 2 lemons
1 ½ cups fresh blueberries plus more for adding on top
1 tablespoon white all-purpose flour *
2 cups white all-purpose flour You could try making these muffins gluten-free by substituting the white flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 ½ teaspoon baking powder * important, see notes
⅓ cup neutral oil I use canola oil, any will work
½ cup plain soy yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 390ºF (200ºC). Either line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners or grease it generously with a non-stick spray.
To a medium bowl, add soy milk and stir in the lemon juice. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to curdle. This will be our buttermilk substitute.
¾ cup soy milk, 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Then, in a small bowl, add granulated sugar and lemon zest. Massage them together to allow the lemon zest to release its flavor and aroma.
¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoon lemon zest
Next, in another small bowl, add the fresh blueberries and toss them with the flour. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
1 ½ cups fresh blueberries, 1 tablespoon white all-purpose flour *
In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients together- all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
2 cups white all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder *
In a large mixing bowl mix the wet ingredients- the buttermilk, oil, soy yogurt, vanilla extract, as well as the lemon sugar from before. Mix until everything is well combined and smooth.
⅓ cup neutral oil, ½ cup plain soy yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sift the dry ingredients into the wet, and using a rubber spatula, stir until everything is just mixed but still clumpy. Add the floured blueberries, and mix again, just a few times to fold them into the batter. Don't overmix, having clumps is perfectly fine!
Divide the batter evenly in the prepared muffin tin, filling each muffin hole all the way up. Top with more fresh blueberries if desired. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top appears lightly golden.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Don't let the muffins sit in the muffin tin for too long, or they'll steam and get soggy from the heat. Serve!

Notes

Baking powder: If you're living in Europe, you're probably using German baking powder, which is more powerful than baking powder sold in the US. For that reason, make sure to use only half of what is written- 1 ¼ tsp. Adding too much will have the opposite effect- your muffins will sink!
Zest first: Zest lemons before juicing—they’re much easier to handle whole. Use a fine grater (microplane) for maximum flavor without the bitter pith.
Measure accurately: A digital scale gives the best results. If using cups, spoon and level the flour to avoid dense, dry muffins.
Keep the oven closed: Don’t open the door while baking—heat loss can cause muffins to rise less and turn out dense.

Storage

Fridge: Once cooled, you can store your vegan lemon blueberry muffins in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for 2-3 days, or in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Let them cool to room temperature first and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. I like to wrap each muffin in foil, then store them all together in a freezer-safe container.

Nutrition