By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 4, 2026
Serves 24
105 cal · 25 min
Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Mini Muffins
Recipe GLPR2497f0e1f8373f
Bright and tender mini muffins bursting with fresh lemon flavor and nutty poppy seeds. Made entirely with plant-based ingredients including rice milk and avocado oil, these delicate treats are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light anytime snack. The combination of lemon juice and zest creates a vibrant citrus taste that makes these little cakes impossible to resist.
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Ingredients
1/4 cup avocado oil
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
3.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Zest from 2 lemons
2.5 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 cup unsweetened rice milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup white sugar
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). While it heats, lightly oil a 24-cup mini muffin tin with non-stick spray or insert paper liners into each cup.
In a medium bowl, combine the rice milk and lemon juice. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes to allow the milk to slightly curdle, creating a vegan buttermilk substitute.
To the curdled milk mixture, stir in the unsweetened applesauce, avocado oil, and fresh lemon zest until well combined.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the well of the dry ingredients. Gently stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined—do not overmix, as this will result in tough muffins. A few small lumps in the batter are perfectly fine.
Carefully scoop approximately 1 tablespoon of batter into each prepared mini muffin cup, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
Remove the tin from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Comments
All ingredients are standard pantry staples or produce available at every major Charlotte chain—no special stops required. The stated 25 minutes is honest for mixing and baking, though you should account for 10 minutes cooling before eating. At roughly 40 cents per muffin, this is genuinely economical: applesauce replaces eggs and butter, lemon juice and zest deliver flavor without premium ingredients, and you'll have leftovers that reheat well for breakfast all week. The only caveat is that poppy seed muffins can stick to the pan if you're not careful with your mini-muffin liners or oil, and the mix is forgiving enough that technique hardly matters—this is a solid weeknight batch-and-forget recipe, especially for families who want grab-and-go breakfasts.
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