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    Home Recipes Easy Snacks

    Best Lemon Yogurt Muffins

    Modified: Mar 15, 2024 · Published: Jul 4, 2020 by Kristi Ruth RD · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    Delicious Lemon Yogurt Muffins made with fresh lemon and almond flour are loaded with citrusy goodness that your whole family will love!

    Three lemon yogurt muffins stacked with a fourth muffin leaning on the left side of the stack.

    This recipe post is finally getting an overhaul with new pictures and variations! 😅 The good news is that it's the same great recipe plus a few variations.

    For instance, I've made fresh blueberries optional after my youngest asked me to make lemon yogurt muffins without blueberries. What can I say, I'm a dietitian and I'm also busy, so I like to keep muffins that my kids like on hand at all times!

    And, if your kids love muffins as much as mine do, be sure to also make my other muffin recipes, like Banana Carrot Muffins with Raisins and Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins!

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Dietitian Tip
    • Recipe Variations
    • Ingredient Notes
    • How to Make Lemon Yogurt Muffins
    • Helpful Tips
    • Questions You May Have
    • Related Recipes
    • More Snack Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • Easy Recipe No mixer needed! If you can zest a lemon, you can make these muffins! 🤩
    • Kid Approved These light and refreshing muffins make a delicious after-school snack or addition to school lunches. They are my youngest daughter's favorite muffins!
    • 'Healthy Muffins' These super tasty lemon muffins contain almond flour, yogurt, olive oil, fresh lemon, and blueberries. You can't say that for most other muffins!
    • Olive oil is used in place of butter. Can you believe it? That's right. I use extra virgin olive oil (an excellent source of omega-3's) and they taste amazing!

    Dietitian Tip

    Sometimes it's important to focus on what you can add to a recipe, as opposed to what you can take out. Take this recipe for example.

    This recipe calls for white flour and sugar AND almond flour, fresh lemon, yogurt, and olive oil. Plus, it's made with less sugar (half of a cup sugar) than most other muffin recipes, which makes it even better in my opinion. 😉

    Muffins are also an easy way to cater to your kids, lol. For instance, I prefer lemon muffins with blueberries, while my youngest and my husband prefer them without. So, I add three to five fresh blueberries to a few muffins to turn them into blueberry lemon yogurt muffins.

    Recipe Variations

    • Sourdough Discard Yes, I jumped on the sourdough bread train this year (lol!), so of course I had to see how these lemon muffins would work out using sourdough discard! These muffins are already pretty hearty as is and they are even heartier when using sourdough starter. Check out the notes section of the recipe card below for specifics on how to make lemon yogurt muffins with sourdough starter.
    • Blueberries My original recipe called for blueberries, and I personally prefer the flavor and moisture that they add to this recipe. I decided to make them optional as a way to simplify the recipe. To turn these into lemon blueberry yogurt muffins, fold in one cup of blueberries to the batter before pouring it into the muffin tin.
    • Bakery-Style Muffin Recipe To get these to look more like traditional muffins, you can use more all-purpose flour in place of the almond flour and include the blueberries. A friend of mine likes to makes them like this during blueberry season. Note: I don't recommend making them this way without blueberries because they will be too dry.

    Ingredient Notes

    Ingredients for Lemon yogurt muffins with optional blueberries labeled.
    • Lemon Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are used in this recipe. Aside from adding amazing flavor, lemon juice contains vitamin C and it adds moisture to this recipe. Lemons can be found year-round in the States. I always keep them on hand.
    • Yogurt Use plain yogurt. Plain Greek yogurt can be used but the muffins will be denser. For a lighter muffin, use traditional yogurt.
    • Almond Flour Used in addition to All-Purpose flour. Almond flour is made by grinding up blanched almonds and it helps to make moist muffins and it adds a light texture to these muffins. Almonds contain fiber, omega-3 and monounsaturated fats, protein, vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, and more.
    • Sugar One of the trickiest parts in developing this recipe was finding the right amount of sugar to include. This is because sugar does more than just sweeten a muffin. It also contributes to the consistency of the muffin.
    • Olive Oil I use extra virgin olive oil because it contains healthy fats. Substituting avocado oil, melted butter or melted coconut oil should work, too.
    • Blueberries (optional) High in antioxidants, including anthocyanins which is a flavonoid. They are also an excellent source of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and more. Plus, they add wonderful color!

    How to Make Lemon Yogurt Muffins

    Four numbered images showing how to make lemon yogurt muffins.

    Here's a quick overview of the steps to make these refreshing lemon yogurt muffins. For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe.

    1. Add flours, sugar, fresh lemon zest, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
    2. Add the wet ingredients to a separate bowl. Mix well.
    3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. The muffin batter will be light and airy in texture. If using blueberries, gently fold blueberries into the batter.
    4. Divide batter evenly into a lined muffin tin (12 muffins) and bake in a preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
    One dozen lemon yogurt muffins in a muffin tin with blueberries scattered on top.

    Helpful Tips

    • The muffins will be flat on top and golden around the edges. This is because of the almond flour.
    • Use the scoop and sweep method for measuring flour. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife.
    • Crack the egg in a small bowl before adding it to the wet mixture. This will make it easier to remove any eggshell pieces if needed.
    • Do not overmix. There should be lumps in the batter.
    • I do not recommend using whole wheat flour in place of all -purpose flour in this recipe for taste purposes.
    • If you really like the taste of vanilla, feel free to add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the wet mixture.
    • Use up to one-quarter cup lemon juice. I've used as little as 2 tablespoons and as much as four, depending on the size and juiciness of the lemon I happen to use.
    • If you don't have muffin liners, use a non-stick muffin pan or cooking spray to create a non-stick coating.
    • The muffin cups will be about three-quarters full once all of the batter is distributed evenly.
    • The bake time is pretty precise. Don't leave these in the oven too long or else they will burn because of the oven temperature being 400 degrees.
    • Let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack before eating them. I know it will be tempting to snag a taste, but allowing the muffins to cool allows the lemon flavor to settle in and it will prevent the muffins from sticking to the muffin liners.
    • Muffins shrink a little as they cool which makes it easier to remove the muffin liner.

    Questions You May Have

    What kind of yogurt should I use to make muffins

    I have made these muffins with plain yogurt, plain Greek yogurt (whole fat), nonfat Greek yogurt, and plain Bulgarian yogurt.

    The kind of yogurt you choose will affect the density and sweetness of these muffins. Using traditional yogurt will produce a lighter muffin, while using Greek yogurt makes the muffins denser.

    Using vanilla or lemon-flavored yogurt will produce a sweeter muffin.

    What is the difference between almond meal and almond flour?

    Almond flour is made by grinding up blanched almonds (which means the skins have been removed); almond meal is made by grinding up whole almonds. Their nutritional value is pretty much the same. The differences mainly are in texture (the texture of almond meal is coarser) and digestibility (almond skins can be difficult to digest).

    How do you store Lemon Yogurt Muffins?

    Let the muffins cool completely then store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. I keep these muffins out at room temperature for up to two days. Otherwise, I keep them in the fridge, so they last longer.

    Related Recipes

    • Banana Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins
    • Delicious Banana Carrot Muffins
    • Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins
    • Banana Zucchini Muffins with Chocolate Chips, of course!

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    Did you make these delicious Lemon Yogurt Muffins and love them? Please let me know by leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating or comment below. A 5-star rating is the best compliment!

    Don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more easy recipes and practical nutrition tips!

    📖 Recipe

    Four stacked lemon yogurt muffins with pieces of lemon peel at the base.

    Lemon Yogurt Muffins

    Kristi
    Delicious Lemon Yogurt Muffins made with fresh lemon and almond flour are loaded with citrusy goodness that your whole family will love!
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Recipes
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 muffins
    Calories 195 kcal

    Equipment

    • Muffin tin (12 muffins)

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour unbleached
    • ¾ cup almond flour
    • ½ cup sugar I use raw cane sugar.
    • zest of one large lemon about one tablespoon
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free
    • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¾ cup yogurt plain
    • 1 egg
    • 2-4 tablespoon lemon juice 1 large lemon, juiced. I don't usually measure; I just use a really good citrus press.
    • 6 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
    • 1 cup blueberries optional

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit
    • Add the first six ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl (all dry ingredients, including lemon zest). Mix well.
    • In a separate mixing bowl, add the next four ingredients (wet ingredients). Mix well.
    • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
    • Mix just well enough so that all ingredients are combined. There should be lumps in the batter. Do not overmix.
    • Divide batter evenly into a lined muffin tin (12 muffins).
    • Bake for 14-16 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. (*see notes)

    Notes

    *Nutrition facts are an estimate based on a database that this owner is not responsible for maintaining. Exact nutrition information will depend on actual ingredients and amounts used when making this recipe.
    Optional: if adding blueberries, fold one cup of fresh blueberries into the batter just before dividing the batter into a prepared muffin tin.
    • Let the muffins cool completely before eating. If you don't let them cool completely, the wrapper will be difficult to pull off. 
    • Use the scoop and sweep method to measure the flour. Spoon flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife.
    • *If you make this lemon muffins recipe as is, without blueberries, baking time will be about 14 minutes. With blueberries, baking time will be more like 18-20 minutes.
    • Using Greek yogurt instead of traditional yogurt will make the muffins denser.
    • Vanilla or lemon-flavored yogurt can be used in place of plain yogurt. Making this substitution will change the nutrition profile of the muffins.
    To use sourdough discard: Add 60 grams of sourdough discard to the wet mixture, use 120 grams of all-purpose flour (instead of measuring one cup), 40 grams of almond flour (about one half of a cup instead of three-quarters of a cup), 2-3 Tablespoons of lemon juice (not 4), and 5 tablespoons of olive oil instead of 6. Keep everything else the same. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 112mgPotassium: 66mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 38IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Comments

    1. Sarah Kratz says

      July 29, 2020 at 8:09 pm

      Our entire family loved these! Even the picky one =)

      Reply
    2. Gwen says

      July 07, 2020 at 2:35 pm

      Kristi, I have these in the oven as I type! Can’t wait to try 1 BUT I know, wait until they cool down.
      I was really surprised how “airy” & light they looked as I was putting them in the tin. Never noticed that before while baking.

      Timer just went off.....

      Reply
      • Kristi says

        July 07, 2020 at 6:20 pm

        Light and airy is the perfect description of how the batter looks before baking them! I'm glad you enjoyed them!!

        Reply
    3. Melanie says

      July 07, 2020 at 1:15 am

      This is so yummy!

      Reply
      • Kristi says

        July 07, 2020 at 1:32 am

        Thanks!

        Reply
    5 from 13 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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    Kristi Ruth RD wearing a green top with jeans and holding a white platter with tri-colored carrots.

    Welcome to Carrots & Cookies! I'm a busy working mom of three and can now say that I've been a dietitian for 20 years!! I'm on a mission to show you that eating well doesn't have to be complicated by providing you with easy recipes and practical nutrition tips! More about me...

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