Vegan Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Submitted by: Sarah Muncy (and her sister Becca)

Adapted from: https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-meyer-lemon-poppy-seed-muffins/

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Muffins:

• 2 batches flax eggs
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 heaping Tbsp meyer lemon zest (or regular lemons)
• 1/3 cup meyer lemon juice (or regular lemon juice)
• 1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract (optional)
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or avocado oil
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar (sub honey if not vegan)
• 1/3 cup natural cane sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp poppy seeds (optional // or sub chia seeds)
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (or sub unbleached all-purpose)*
• 1/2 cup rolled oats*
• 1/2 cup almond meal*

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar* (sifted)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners, or lightly grease (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
2. Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl and let rest for a few minutes. Zest lemon(s) at this time.
3. Add applesauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, almond milk, maple syrup or agave, cane sugar, baking soda, salt and whisk. It will foam up because the lemon juice will react with the baking soda.
4. Add flour, almond meal and oats and stir with a spoon or spatula until just combined, being careful not to over-mix. If the batter appears too thick, add a touch more almond milk. But it should be quite thick and NOT pourable – rather, scoopable. Add the poppy seeds and gently stir once more.
5. Divide batter evenly between muffin tins (should be enough for between 11-12 as original recipe is written (adjust if altering batch size).
6. Bake for 22-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove from tins and let cool completely on a cooling rack.
7. If glazing, whisk the sifted powdered sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl until a thin, pourable glaze is formed and brush or drizzle on the muffins.
8. Will keep covered for several days at room temperature. Freeze for long-term storage (up to 1 month).

Notes:

• To make this recipe gluten-free, use GF rolled oats and sub a gluten free flour blend for the whole-wheat pastry flour.
• If you don’t have almond meal on hand, just replace it with more whole-wheat pastry flour.
• Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with glaze.
• If you don’t have powdered sugar on hand, sub turbinado sugar blitzed into “powdered sugar” in a clean coffee grinder or spice mill.