Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins (Vegan & Gluten Free!)

Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins – These healthy muffins are made without any oil, eggs, refined flour, or sugar. Naturally sweetened, made with rolled oats, and speckled with raspberries and blueberries, these light lemony muffins are sure to be a new favorite. (Gluten Free & Vegan!) 

So it turns out, I have a lot of expectations when it comes to making muffins. They’re one of our go-to options for packing in lunches or munching on for snacks, so I really want them to be made from wholesome ingredients.

That said, I don’t want them to taste healthy. I’m looking for great texture that’s not to dense and plenty of yummy flavor. These healthy lemon berry oatmeal muffins have it ALL.

First off, they’re gluten free AND vegan, which I can’t believe. The texture is light and fluffy while still substantial enough to feel really satisfying. They’re naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup, and instead of flour and I use ground oatmeal made from (gluten free) rolled oats.

I tested this recipe many times to nail down the proportions I liked the best, and these really just hit the mark. We couldn’t decide on lemon raspberry muffins or lemon blueberry muffins, so I made both by tossing in a little of each! The colors look so beautiful and the flavor is hard to beat, though we also tried them with just blueberries or just raspberries and loved them every single way.

I’m thinking there are a LOT more oatmeal muffins in my future…

Notes on these Healthy Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins:

Best Muffin Pan Ever. Every time I post a muffin recipe, I always want to share my favorite muffin pans. They’re nonstick, which means you don’t need muffin liners. They’re also easy to wash and care for, and even come in other colors. I use them for All The Things!

Gluten Free Notes: Not everyone who is gluten free can tolerate oats. I get REALLY sick with gluten, but have never yet reacted badly to oats. Oats themselves contain no wheat gluten, but cross-contamination in processing and farming practices often mean that if you eat gluten free you’ll want to be sure to buy certified gluten free oats. I typically order these in bulk, or pick up some from Trader Joe’s.

Let’s talk flour. In this recipe, I have you make your own oatmeal flour (which literally takes 1 minute). To do this, you can use a food processor or a blender. I prefer using my blender because it’s so much faster and the texture can get *really* fine, but either works. If you prefer to save time, you can totally use store-bought oat flour (be sure it’s certified gluten free, if needed). It’s up to you!

Can I Use Frozen Berries? Yes, but know that they will have a *slightly* more wet texture. I’ve read a LOT of different methods for reducing the impact of using frozen berries. Some recommend thawing the berries and draining off any extra liquid. Others recommend tossing your berries in 1-2 Tbsp of the flour so they don’t all sink to the bottom. I haven’t noticed a huge difference with either of these, but people swear by these methods, so maybe they’ll help you?

Swaps and substitutions: You can use any kind of milk you like here–cashew, almond, coconut, soy, rice, hemp, or even dairy (if you’re not vegan/dairy free). As for the nut butter, I like cashew butter best because it’s the most neutral, but not everyone keeps it on hand. (I get it at Thrive or Sprouts for the best price.) If you swap it out for almond butter, you may want to add a little extra lemon zest or one of my lemon boosts below. Lastly, you can sub out the syrup for other liquid sweeteners, like agave or honey (if not vegan).

Pump up the Lemon! If you want even more lemon flavor, you can add 1-2 drops (food grade!) lemon essential oil, or 1/4 tsp lemon extract.

Want more Healthy Breakfast Ideas? Try…

• Superfood Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothies
• How to Make Acai Bowls
• 7 Ways with Overnight Oats
• Paleo Mini Quiche (not vegan, but gluten/grain free and dairy free)

Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins (Vegan & Gluten Free)

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 7 reviews

• Author: Emily
• Yield: 12 muffins 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten free if needed)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite milk)
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup cashew butter
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place oats in a blender or food processor and pulse until a fine powder. (Alternatively, you can substitute 1 1/2 cups oat flour).
In a large bowl, mix together your wet ingredients–applesauce, milk, cashew butter, syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine until smooth.
Sprinkle over oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in dry ingredients until just mixed.
Gently fold in the berries.
Divide mixture among 12 greased muffin cups.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until muffins are starting to turn golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

GLUTEN FREE NOTES: Not everyone who is gluten free can tolerate oats. I get REALLY sick with gluten, but have never yet reacted badly to oats. Oats themselves contain no wheat gluten, but cross-contamination in processing and farming practices often mean that if you eat gluten free you’ll want to be sure to buy certified gluten free oats.

LET’S TALK FLOUR In this recipe, I have you make your own oatmeal flour (which literally takes 1 minute). To do this, you can use a food processor or a blender. I prefer using my blender because it’s so much faster and the texture can get *really* fine, but either works. If you prefer to save time, you can totally use store-bought oat flour (be sure it’s certified gluten free, if needed). It’s up to you!

FRESH VS FROZEN BERRIES. You can absolutely use frozen berries here. Just know that they will have a *slightly* more wet texture. I’ve read a LOT of different methods for reducing the impact of using frozen berries. Some recommend thawing the berries and draining off any extra liquid. Others recommend tossing your berries in 1-2 Tbsp of the flour so they don’t all sink to the bottom. I haven’t noticed a huge difference with either of these, but people swear by these methods, so maybe they’ll help you?

SWAPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS: You can use any kind of milk you like here–cashew, almond, coconut, soy, rice, hemp, or even dairy (if you’re not vegan/dairy free). As for the nut butter, I like cashew butter best because it’s the most neutral, but not everyone keeps it on hand. If you swap it out for almond butter, you may want to add a little extra lemon zest or one of my lemon boosts below. Lastly, you can sub out the syrup for other liquid sweeteners, like agave or honey (if not vegan).

PUMP UP THE LEMON: If you want even more lemon flavor, you can add 1-2 drops (food grade!) lemon essential oil, or 1/4 tsp lemon extract.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 muffin
• Calories: 149kcal
• Sugar: 9g
• Sodium: 181mg
• Fat: 5g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 0