Lemon Zest: I recommend grating the lemon zest just before adding it to the recipe for the best fragrance and aroma.

Sunflower Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand. Alternatively, you may use another vegetable oil (such as corn oil, canola oil, olive oil, avocado oil etc). You may also use melted coconut oil or melted vegan butter if you prefer. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use melted butter or ghee instead.

Sugar: I used granulated white sugar, but you can also use cane sugar, light brown sugar, or dark brown sugar if you like (just bear in mind that the darker the color of the sugar, the darker the batter and the color of the interior of the muffins will turn out). If you diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend using granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).

Eggs: Eggs are necessary as a binder and to help the batter rise. I have not tried using an egg substitute so I’m not sure how that will turn out. If you are allergic to eggs, or would simply prefer to keep this recipe egg-free, you may try using acquafaba or an egg-replacer. (If you do make this recipe without eggs, please let me know how it goes in the comments below, I’d love to know!).

Lemon Juice: For best results, I recommend using fresh lemon juice. However, if you don’t have fresh juice, you may also use bottled lemon juice instead.

Almond Milk: I like using an unsweetened version of my homemade almond milk. You may also use another non-dairy milk (such as cashew milk, rice milk, tigernut milk, coconut milk etc).

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch, or potato starch) to ensure that you get a light and fluffy final texture. I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend that is made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour).

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

Baking Powder: Since baking powder is the only leavening agent here, make sure you add it in as it is necessary for the batter to rise. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.

Poppy Seeds: Since this is a recipe for poppy seed muffins, poppy seeds are a key ingredients here. If you don’t have access to them, or would like to make simple gluten-free lemon muffins, feel free to leave them out.

Powdered Sugar: Also known as icing sugar, or confectioners’ sugar, powdered sugar is very fine in texture is will dissolve very well into the milk and lemon juice mixture. If you are diabetic or insulin resistant, I recommend using powder monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 powdered sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).

Storing: To store, place the gluten-free lemon poppy seed muffins in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.