Easy Gluten-free Lemon Muffins (Dairy-Free)

Name: Easy Gluten-free Lemon Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup sunflower oil; 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 4 large eggs, room temperature, beaten; 2 3/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already includes it); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 cup almond milk; 2 tablespoons lemon zest; 1/4 cup lemon juice

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Soft and fluffy, these easy gluten-free lemon muffins are bursting with the refreshing taste of citrus lemon. With a moist crumb that stays tender for days, these muffins make the perfect breakfast or snack for spring or anytime of the year! This lemon muffin recipe is totally dairy-free too, but honestly, no one would know! Bake a batch and freeze to enjoy lemon muffins anytime you want!

A half-eaten muffin and lemon wedges on a marble board.

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Lemon-Flavored Everything
Our Favorite Lemon Muffins
Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
How to Make Gluten-Free Lemon Muffins (Step by Step)
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks
Recipe FAQs:
Other Muffin Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
Lemon Recipes to Indulge In:
Easy Gluten-free Lemon Muffins

Lemon-Flavored Everything

Now that it’s springtime and anything with lemon goes, we’ve been indulging in many lemon recipes, include this easy microwave lemon curd, this decadent lemon meringue pie, this creamy no-bake lemon cheesecake, and this super simple lemon yogurt cake.

What’s not to love about lemons? Refreshing, tart, and full of citrusy flavor, it’s no wonder lemon recipes are always a big hit everywhere!

Gluten-free lemon muffins cooling on a wire rack.

Our Favorite Lemon Muffins

I’ve been testing out a recipe for lemon muffins recently, and after a few tweaks here and there, I’m so happy that I’ve got this recipe down pat!

Inspired by Gluten-Free Palate’s recipe for easy gluten-free lemon cake, I’ve made these lemon muffins that are both gluten-free and dairy-free, but honestly, no one would care!

Hand holding up a half-eaten lemon muffin to show the interior texture.

Why This Recipe Works

What I love about this lemon muffin recipe is just how easy it is to make, and that a batch of these tender lemon muffins are ready is under an hour.

And…..the best thing about these muffins are that they have the most amazing moist crumb that stays soft and fluffy for days! Not kidding. And I have tried quite a few gluten-free lemon muffins, mind you.

Hand reaching for a lemon muffin from a cooling rack full of muffins.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for gluten-free lemon muffins laid out on a marble board.

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:

Sunflower Oil: I used sunflower oil because I always have that on hand. However, you can also use any other neutral-flavored vegetable oil.

Granulated Sugar: I used granulated white sugar, but you may also use light brown sugar if you prefer. If you are diabetic, I highly recommend that you use Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar alternative that has zero glycemic-index).

Eggs: If your eggs are chilled, bring them to room temperature by running warm water over them before breaking the eggs and beating them.

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I recommend using a high-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour that includes lighter flours and starches (such as rice flour, corn starch, tapioca starch, and potato starch) as that will result in a lighter, fluffier texture. I do NOT recommend using flour blends that include heavier flours such as garbanzo bean flour as that will result in a denser final texture.

Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps the ingredients to better bind together, so if your gluten-free flour blend does not already include it, make sure to add it in!

Almond Milk: I love using my 5-minute homemade almond milk, but you can also use other non-dairy milks such as cashew milk, rice milk, sunflower seed milk, or coconut milk. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use normal dairy milk instead.

Lemon Juice/Zest: I highly recommend grating fresh lemon zest on the spot before using, and using fresh lemon juice instead of bottled juice for the best flavor.

How to Make Gluten-Free Lemon Muffins (Step by Step)

1. Preheat and Grease

Preheat the oven to 350F and adjust the oven rack to the center position. Grease a 12-cup regular muffin mold with oil or non-stick spray.

Hand using a brush to grease a grey silicon muffin mold.

2. Prepare Lemon Zest and Juice

Grate the lemons to get the lemon zest and squeeze the juice, removing any seeds.

Using a strainer to separate lemon seeds from lemon juice.

3. Beat Oil, Sugar and Zest

In a large bowl, combine the sunflower oil, granulated sugar and lemon zest and beat well.

Whisking a light yellow mixture in a glass bowl.

4. Add Eggs, Juice and Milk

Add the eggs, lemon juice, and almond milk to the bowl and whisk for one minute until light and fluffy.

Hand whisking liquid lemon mixture in a bowl.

5. Combine Dry Ingredients

Sift the gluten-free flour, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum (if using) in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

6. Add Dry Ingredients to Wet Ingredients

Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well until just combined to get a homogeneous pale yellow batter (the batter will be thick so you will have to spoon it instead of pour it).

Hand mixing muffin batter in a large bowl.

7. Transfer Batter to Muffin Mold

Spoon approximately 1/3 cup of the batter into each of the 12 cavities of the muffin mold.

8. Bake Until Golden

Bake the batter for approximately 40 minutes until the muffins are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven once ready.

Hand holding a muffin mold with freshly baked muffins.

9. Let Cool Completely

Allow the muffins to cool in the mold for 10 minutes before removing them and letting them cool totally on a cooling rack.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks

Use Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest: In my opinion, nothing beats using the freshest ingredients, and in this case, freshly-squeezed lemon juice and freshly-grated lemon zest will result in the best lemon flavor. I do NOT recommend using bottled lemon juice.

Let Cool Completely: Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the muffin mold before moving them onto a wire rack to finish cooling. As with all gluten-free baked goods, the interior needs to cool down and finish cooking with the remaining heat (so be patient and it’ll be worth it so you don’t end up with a gummy inside)!

Recipe FAQs:

How do I Store Lemon Mufffins?

To store these muffins, place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can I Freeze These Muffins?

Yes, you can freeze these muffins. Simply place them in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the muffins thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before eating. Alternatively, if you’re in a rush, you can also warm the frozen muffins in the microwave to defrost them instead.

Other Muffin Recipes You’ll Enjoy:

Lemon Recipes to Indulge In:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!