I’m excited to share my Gluten Free Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, light, fluffy and bursting with bright lemon flavor.

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I can’t stop tweaking this recipe. These Paleo Lemon Poppyseed Muffins sound fancy, but they’re simple and seriously addictive.

With blanched almond flour and a sprinkle of poppy seeds the crumb is tender and bright, full of lemon zing that sneaks up on you. I called them Almond Flour Muffins at first, just to be honest, they fooled my friends who swore they weren’t gluten free.

If you like a muffin that’s not too sweet and has a little crunch from the seeds, you gotta try one, even if you think lemon things are not your thing.

Ingredients

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Almond flour adds protein and healthy fats, makes muffins moist, slightly crumbly
Eggs give structure, protein and lift, also help bind ingredients together
Coconut oil or ghee adds richness, helps texture, gives subtle buttery taste
Maple syrup sweetens naturally, adds depth, not too overpowering like sugar
Lemon juice and zest brighten flavor with fresh acidity and fragrant oils
Poppy seeds give crunch, tiny bits of nuttiness and visual appeal
Baking powder and soda help rise, make crumb lighter, prevent dense muffins

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups blanched almond flour (about 200 g)

1/4 cup pure maple syrup (60 ml) or 1/3 cup coconut sugar

3 large eggs, room temp

1/4 cup melted coconut oil or ghee, cooled

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 teaspoon baking powder, gluten free

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk, only if batter seems too thick

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease it well so they dont stick.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups blanched almond flour, 1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt until evenly mixed.

3. Stir in 2 tablespoons poppy seeds and 1 tablespoon lemon zest to the dry mix so the seeds and zest are evenly distributed.

4. In a separate bowl whisk 3 large room temp eggs with 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or 1/3 cup coconut sugar), 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or ghee (cooled), 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Dont overmix, but scrape the bottom so no pockets of flour remain.

6. If the batter looks too thick or stiff, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you have a slightly thick but scoopable batter. Let the batter sit 3 to 5 minutes so the almond flour absorbs moisture.

7. Divide batter among the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full; you should get about 10 to 12 muffins. Tap the tin gently on the counter to remove big air bubbles.

8. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 16 to 22 minutes, or until tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

9. Let muffins cool in the tin 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely so they set and dont get soggy on the bottoms.

10. Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temp for 2 to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week; freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm in the microwave 10 to 20 seconds or pop in a toaster oven until just warmed through.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 177°C)
2. 12 cup muffin tin plus liners or nonstick spray, greased well so they dont stick
3. Large mixing bowl and a medium mixing bowl for wet and dry ingredients
4. Whisk for the wet mix and a fork or small whisk for eggs if needed
5. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping the bowl totally clean
6. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale if you like to be exact
7. Microplane or zester for the lemon zest
8. Scoop or large spoon to divide batter evenly and a toothpick to test doneness
9. Wire cooling rack to cool the muffins so the bottoms dont get soggy

FAQ

Q: Can I swap maple syrup for coconut sugar?
A: Yep. Use the 1/3 cup coconut sugar listed as the alternative. It will make the batter a bit thicker and the muffins a touch less moist than maple syrup, so stir well and add 1 to 2 tablespoons almond milk if the batter seems too stiff. Coconut sugar also gives a deeper, caramel like flavor.

Q: How should I store these and how long do they last?
A: Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days, in the fridge up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat thawed muffins warm in a microwave for 15 to 25 seconds or in a 325 F oven for a few minutes until warm.

Q: Can I make these nut free or swap almond flour for another flour?
A: You can try sunflower seed flour 1 to 1, but expect a greener crumb sometimes and a slightly different taste. Oat flour or regular wheat flour will not behave the same and need recipe adjustments for moisture and binding. If using seed flour make sure you have enough acid in the batter, the lemon juice here helps with that.

Q: Why did my muffins come out dense or crumbly?
A: Common reasons are overbaking, packed almond flour measurements, not enough binder or moisture, or old baking powder. Measure almond flour by weight or fluff it up before scooping, dont over mix the batter, try adding an extra egg or 1 to 2 tablespoons almond milk if it seems dry, and check your oven temp with a thermometer.

Q: Can I use butter instead of coconut oil or ghee?
A: Yes you can use melted butter, it will give a richer flavor but that breaks the paleo label. If you want dairy free stick with coconut oil. Let the melted butter or oil cool a little before mixing with eggs so you dont scramble them.

Q: Want mini or jumbo muffins instead of the regular size, what do I change?
A: Absolutely. Fill smaller tins less and larger tins more, and watch the bake time closely. Minis will bake faster and jumbos will need longer. Use the toothpick test to check doneness, and start checking a few minutes earlier or later than usual so you dont overbake.

Almond Flour Poppy Seed Muffins (Gluten Free + Paleo) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Almond flour → Sunflower seed flour, 1:1. Great nut-free swap, but it can turn a slight green when it hits baking soda + lemon, so either cut baking soda to 1/8 tsp or add a pinch more baking powder.
Pure maple syrup → Honey, use about 3 tbsp. A touch sweeter and browns faster, so check the muffins a few minutes early.
3 large eggs → Flax “eggs”: 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg, let sit 5 min. Muffins will be a bit denser and more crumbly but still tasty.
Melted coconut oil/ghee → Melted butter (if not dairy-free) or avocado oil, 1:1. Butter gives richer flavor, avocado oil is neutral; with liquid oils batter may seem thinner so chill 10 minutes before scooping.

Pro Tips

1. Measure the almond flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off, dont pack it down otherwise the muffins come out too dense. Let the batter sit 3 to 5 minutes so the flour can soak up liquid, this really helps the texture.

2. Make sure the eggs are room temp and the melted coconut oil or ghee has cooled before you mix, if the oil is hot it can partially cook the eggs and make the batter weird and lumpy.

3. Fold the wet into the dry only until just combined, overmixing makes almond flour baked goods gummy. Tap the tin on the counter to pop big air bubbles, that gives a more even crumb.

4. Cool the muffins in the tin for a few minutes then move them to a wire rack, if you leave them sitting they’ll steam and get soggy on the bottom. To store, freeze individually wrapped and warm briefly in the microwave or toaster oven when you want one.