Fluffy Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Mini Muffins (Dairy-Free)

We recently and very fortunately came into a lot of lemons from a friend! My daughters have been into making homemade lemonade with these lemons, but we knew we had to continue our summer "muffin momentum" and make some yummy, fresh Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Mini Muffins. Lemon and blueberry together are summer in a bite for us! I love including yogurt in muffin batter for a little extra moisture. I added a vanilla flavored coconut yogurt that paired really well with the lemon and blueberry. You could definitely use plain coconut yogurt, or even a cashew yogurt. Just make sure it is a thicker consistency style of yogurt (I like skyr or greek non-dairy yogurt varieties).

I also added a small amount pure maple syrup as our sweetener, which has been my favorite unrefined sweetener to use in baking lately. I always make an effort to use unrefined sweeteners whenever I can. If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of using unrefined sweeteners, check out Food for Thought at the end of this recipe.

How to make these Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Mini Muffins (Dairy-Free)

Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (190°C). If using a Silicone Pan: Spray with avocado oil and place it directly on a flat metal baking sheet. I love using Silpat's Non-Stick muffin pan for baking (not sponsored). The muffins come out so clean and cook evenly. If using a Metal Pan: Spray with avocado oil or line mini-muffin cups.

Whisk the Dry Base: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the almond flour, 1-to-1 flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until completely incorporated.

Blend the Liquids: In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together the vanilla coconut yogurt, maple syrup, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Slowly drizzle in the melted refined coconut oil while whisking quickly to keep it smooth.

Combine Wet into Dry: Pour the wet ingredients directly into your whisked dry base. Stir gently with a spatula just until the flour patches disappear and a smooth, thick batter forms.

Fold the Berries: Gently fold your flour-dusted fresh blueberries into the thickened batter.

Leave the batter alone on the counter for exactly 2 minutes. This step allows the starches in the 1-to-1 flour to fully absorb the liquids, guaranteeing a tender crumb with zero graininess.

Fill and Bake: Divide the batter evenly among your cups, filling them right to the top rim. Metal Pan: Bake for 14–16 minutes. Silicone Pan: Bake for 18–20 minutes (to ensure the center completely sets).

They are done when the tops spring back slightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool for 5 minutes then pop out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Check out the full recipe below! I hope you enjoy!

A Little About Unrefined Sweeteners

Unrefined sweeteners are sugars that do not go through heavy factory processing. They maintain their natural plant nutrients, trace minerals, and have not been chemically bleached.

What Science Says:

• They have antioxidants: A study in the journal Food Chemistry looked at the Nutritional Properties of Unrefined Sugars. It found that because these sugars keep their natural plant juices, they contain healthy compounds and antioxidants that you will not find in white table sugar.

• They may help with inflammation: Research hosted on PubMed Central (PMC) studied the Effect of Unrefined Sugar on Inflammation. It found that natural elements and minerals in unrefined sugar change how the body responds to it, which can be easier on your body's inflammation levels than processed sugar.

• Important to Note: your body still treats them as sugar: A classic study in the British Journal of Nutrition looked closely at the Nutritional Properties of Unrefined Sugar. It proved that even though these sweeteners have extra minerals, your body still digests and burns them the same way it burns regular sugar (so you should still limit these in your diet).

• Types of Unrefined Sweeteners:

  • Coconut Sugar

  • Date Sugar

  • Raw Honey

  • Pure Maple Syrup

  • Agave Nectar