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Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins (Vegan & Gluten Free!)

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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!) 

Gluten Free & Vegan Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins - these are amazing!

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.

Gluten Free & Vegan Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins - these are amazing! Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins - SO GOOD! And they're gluten free and vegan!

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…

Healthy Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins (gluten free & vegan)

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…

Healthy Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins (gluten free & vegan)

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Gluten Free & Vegan Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins - these are amazing!

Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins (Vegan & Gluten Free)


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 7 reviews

  • Author: Emily
  • Yield: 12 muffins 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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)

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

Healthy Lemon Berry Oatmeal Muffins - Gluten free, vegan, and SO good!

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25 Comments

  1. This doesn’t have anything to do with today’s post but have you decided to no longer post Five Fact Friday?

    1. Kim – honestly I just took a break over the holidays since my family needed more of my time, and I haven’t gotten back into the swing of things yet! You’re the only person who has asked me about it, so I wondered if it was something people wanted me to bring back!

      1. I look for it every week! I understand time is limited so no pressure but I love do seeing the pictures of and stories about your kiddos!

          1. I was wondering about Five Fact Friday, too! No pressure, though, either- I know it is a lot to put together. 🙂 Loving your recipes and newsletter!

  2. I’ve been missing Five Fact Fridays too, but love that you’ve taken a break when your family needed it! These muffins look amazing. I love lemon and berries together and can’t wait to try these!

  3. We just made these and they are amazing! Super moist and tons of flavor. Both mommy and kid approved. Thanks for the recipe!

  4. Yum! I am always trying different healthy vegan muffin recipes but this one really tastes like a treat. They’re so dense and satisfying. Thank you!






  5. I love this recipe! My sister and I have made this multiple times. We both have gone plant based, Whole Foods eating in the last several months and these have been our highlight! Thank you so much for this recipe! We have shared it with many! First time I used fresh berries rinsed and dried and this time frozen .they both came wonderful. I don’t taste much difference. I do however see that there is a difference in the texture thinking I may not have blended my oats enough? Any suggestions on how fine to blend the oats? Regardless, wonderful recipe and I thank you for posting it. 🙂






    1. I’m SO glad you are loving the recipe! It’s my husband’s FAVORITE.

      I recommend blending the oats as fine as you can. They should look powdery and flour-like. If you can see any larger crumbs or crumbles, those will show up texturally in the muffin. I hope that helps! 🙂

  6. Stumbled across this recipe today after picking raspberries with my MIL who cannot eat gluten but does eat some oats occasionally. I used what I had on hand; cow milk, almond butter, and honey (no longer vegan but we don’t adhere to that diet). They were absolutely delicious. All 3 of my kids devoured them (aged 1, 4, and 6) and my MIL enjoyed the treat. I will absolutely make again! Thanks for the great recipe.






    1. Stephanie – The applesauce does double (triple!) duty. It’s there for sweetness, texture, and binding. Flax eggs are usually only about 1/4 cup or less in volume, so I don’t think it would be a suitable substitute here without other adjustments. I’m sorry!

  7. Okay. Thank you so much for the information. This recipe looks fabulous and I intend to try it once I get some applesauce. Thanks again! 🙂

  8. So tasty! Moist and hearty. I used coconut milk and peanut butter since they are what I had on hand. Half with the berries, half without. Keeping this recipe!






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