Raspberry Lemon Muffins are gluten-free and dairy-free, made with almond flour, buckwheat flour and chia seeds. They’re naturally sweetened with maple syrup, and the juicy raspberries and fresh burst of lemon make these buckwheat muffins a must try!
*This post was originally published in August 2018. It has been updated with new photos and text, including helpful tips for readers and adjustments to the recipe.
I’m on a muffin kick lately, but can you blame me? Who doesn’t enjoy having a stash of muffins on the counter or in the freezer for easy snacks and quick breakfasts?!
I first shared these raspberry muffins a few years ago, but I’ve made adjustments to the recipe over time, so I wanted to share the new version with you today.
Why you’ll love this raspberry lemon muffins recipe
Refined sugar-free – They’re naturally sweetened with maple syrup and raspberries.
Gluten-free – Made with buckwheat flour and almond flour, so they’re gluten-free and grain-free.
Dairy-free – These muffins are made without butter, sour cream or dairy milk.
Details on the ingredients
Raspberries – You can use fresh or frozen raspberries.
Lemon – Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest adds a tart and fresh flavour and pairs nicely with the raspberries.
Buckwheat flour – To keep the muffins gluten-free and grain-free, buckwheat flour works well in these muffins.
Almond flour – Buckwheat flour on its own can be a bit dry, so the addition of almond flour adds moisture and keeps the muffins gluten-free.
Chia seeds – They plump up for added texture and add some extra fibre to the muffins.
Eggs – Help bind the ingredients together, making them an important ingredient when baking with gluten-free flours.
Almond milk – For added moisture. Feel free to substitute another type of milk.
Extra virgin olive oil – My oil of choice, but feel free to use another type.
Maple syrup – For natural sweetness. You can also substitute with honey or agave syrup.
Cardamom – The citrusy flavour of this spice complements the lemon.
Baking powder – For leavening.
Salt – Just a bit to enhance the flavour of the other ingredients.
Buckwheat flakes or gluten-free oats – This is optional but I like to sprinkle a few flakes on top before baking the muffins.
How to make these healthy raspberry muffins
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flours, chia seeds, baking powder, cardamom and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, oil, lemon zest and juice.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Let the mixture rest for five minutes to allow it to thicken.
- Stir in a cup of raspberries, reserving the rest to top the muffins.
- Divide the muffin batter into a 12-cup muffin pan, which has been well-greased or lined with cupcake liners.
- Place the remaining raspberries on top of the muffins. I usually break them apart to make them go a little further.
- Sprinkle a few buckwheat flakes or oats on top.
- Bake on 400F for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
Can you make these muffins with frozen raspberries?
Absolutely! I would just add them to the muffin batter frozen instead of letting them defrost first. Once defrosted, raspberries can be a bit mushy which can add a red/pink tint to the muffin batter.
Can you use other types of berries in these buckwheat muffins?
Yes! I’ve made this recipe with blueberries, blackberries and partridgeberries, so feel free to change it up with different berries.
Can you replace the buckwheat flour with another type of flour?
I paired buckwheat flour with almond flour to keep this recipe gluten-free and grain-free. I haven’t tested these muffins with any other flours.
If you’re looking for other berry muffin recipes using wheat flours, here are a few to try:
- Cranberry Oatmeal Muffins + Video
- Blackberry Lemon Oatmeal Muffins
- Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Whole Wheat Partridgeberry Muffins
- Banana Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins
Storage and freezing
Due to the higher moisture content in almond flour, these muffins will only last at room temperature for 1-2 days. If you don’t plan on eating all of them within a few days, I suggest freezing them in an airtight container and defrosting a few at a time to enjoy.
If stored properly, these muffins should last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Additional recipe tips and substitutions
- I usually refrigerate the lemon before zesting it. This makes the lemon firmer and easier to zest. While some people use a zester, I prefer to use the smaller holes on a box grater.
- I like to break up the raspberries a bit (without smooshing them) when I mix them into the muffin batter to get more berry coverage throughout the muffins.
- This isn’t sponsored, but I like to use PaperChef muffin liners for these muffins. I find other liners stick to the bottom of these particular muffins. If you don’t have liners, just grease your muffin pan well with non-stick cooking spray.
- Be sure not to skip the step of letting the batter rest for 5 minutes before adding it to the muffin pan. This will give the batter time to thicken.
- Adding raspberries and buckwheat (or oat) flakes to the tops of the muffins before baking is optional but it does add to the presentation. If you use gluten-free oats as a topping, just note that the muffins will no longer be grain-free.
Other muffin recipes you might enjoy
- Healthy Banana Nut Muffins (including gluten-free, vegan and nut-free options)
- Coconut Mango Muffins (with dark chocolate chunks and cocoa)
- Spelt Banana Muffins (with mini chocolate chips)
- Apple Spice Muffins (dairy-free and refined sugar-free)
If you make these raspberry lemon muffins, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Follow Crumb Top Baking on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook!
Print
Raspberry Lemon Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Raspberry Lemon Muffins are gluten-free and dairy-free, made with almond flour, buckwheat flour and chia seeds. They’re naturally sweetened with maple syrup, and the juicy raspberries and fresh burst of lemon make these buckwheat muffins a must try!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 1/4 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons buckwheat flakes or oats (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and grease a 12-cup muffin pan (or use cupcake liners – see notes).
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the almond flour, buckwheat flour, chia seeds, baking powder, cardamom and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, maple syrup, lemon juice and zest.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until combined. Let the mixture rest for five minutes to allow it to thicken.
- Stir in a cup of raspberries, reserving the rest to top the muffins.
- Divide the muffin batter into the muffin pan (the cups should be almost full) and place the remaining raspberries on top of the muffins. I usually break them apart to make them go a little further. Sprinkle the buckwheat flakes on top.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
- Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store covered at room temperature for 1-2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- I like to break up the raspberries a bit (without smooshing them) when I mix them into the muffin batter to get more berry coverage throughout the muffins.
- This isn’t sponsored, but I like to use PaperChef muffin liners for these muffins. I find other liners stick to the bottom of these particular muffins.
- Just note that if you use gluten-free oats as the optional topping instead of buckwheat flakes the muffins will no longer be grain-free.
- Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.
Amazing! Such good, moist and cool flavour muffins I’d made in a while. Also, I didn’t adjust to less sugar, this was the right amount of sugar. Highly recommend.
Hi Dasha! I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins. Thanks for letting me know!
I love the look of these muffins Leanne! I know my family is going to love them!
I’m so happy to hear that!
Our family really enjoyed these muffins! I have used the recipe using blueberries and also strawberries. To be honest the raspberry seeds are a wee bit distracting in the muffin for me personal taste.
Hi Delcy-Ann! Thanks for trying out these muffins! I’m glad your family enjoyed them, and I will definitely try them with blueberries some time!
I love raspberries in baked goods! And these absolutely do seem like the perfect compromise between summer and fall- for when those summer mornings start getting a little chillier 🙂
Thanks Lizzy! Raspberries are great in baked goods! I really need to incorporate them into more muffins and cakes!
This is just the kind of muffin I love! I think the combination of almond flour and buckwheat and the variations with the berries are brilliant!
Thanks Cathy! Appreciate it! It was a different combo for me, but I’ve really been enjoying it!
I have never tried buckwheat flakes Leanne, but I’m game to give them a go. I LOVE the flavors of these muffins. The raspberries, the cardamon and the hint of lemon!
Thanks Mary Ann! The buckwheat flakes add a great texture and the cardamon and lemon pair nicely with the raspberries! Hope you’re having a great summer!
Yes! Raspberries make everything better 🙂 I’ve been looking for a tasty breakfast muffin and this looks like the perfect one to try. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Jo! I hope you get a chance to give these a try!
Excellent recipe! Who knew buckwheat isn’t a grain?? Thanks for the info.
Can’t believe we are talking about back to school already…crazy!
Thanks Terry! I was surprised to learn that about buckwheat too! And yes, back to school is just around the corner. The summer went by so fast!
i only recently got into using chia! i usually throw a spoonful into my oatmeal, but i haven’t baked with it before.
I usually add chia to smoothies and pancakes, but it definitely works well with muffins too! You should totally give it a try! 😉
Lemon and berries are just made for each other! And these muffins have so many yummy ingredients!
Thanks Lisa! Totally agree – lemon and berries go so well together, especially in baked goods! Hope you’re having a great week!
With all those raspberries, almond flour and lemon zest, I can already taste these muffins! I love baking healthy muffins, can’t wait to try this recipe out! Pinned!
Thanks so much Neha! The lemon really shines through in these muffins, and I added some cardamom, which also adds a nice little flavour twist! I hope you like these muffins! Keep me posted!
My mind is blowing that we are starting to see back to school stuff. Seems like the kids just got out of school! Love adding zest to berries – really gives a nice pop of freshness and flavour. I bet these taste delicious, especially with a little smear of butter along with some coffee 😉 Yummy Leanne!
Thanks Dawn! I usually add citrus zest to muffins with berries. I agree, it adds a nice pop of flavour. And I’m with you, I’ve enjoyed one or two of these with my morning coffee this week! 😉
Oh man, these look SO good! My husband always gets so excited whenever I bake something that is gluten free, so he will be pumped about these muffins! Thanks so much for being a part of muffin week 🙂
Thanks Madison! Happy to be a part of Muffin Week! There are just so many delicious muffin recipes to be shared!;)
These do sound perfect for back to school breakfast of lunch boxes. I love raspberries in baked goods!
Thanks Patrick! They would totally make a nice on-the-go breakfast too! Happy Monday!
I don’t think I’ve tried baking with buckwheat. It sounds so hearty for these muffins! Loving the raspberry lemon flavor for these, too.
Thanks Jenna! This was my first time baking with buckwheat, and I’ll definitely be incorporating it into future recipes! Happy muffin week! 😉
My boys go back to school on Thursday! They got out early, so there’s that. I’ve been baking with almond flour a lot and I’m so grabbing some buckwheat flakes to make these. These will be a perfect back to school breakfast or snack. I love them!
Thanks Marcie! Kids don’t go back to school around here until after Labour Day, but once August hits, it seems like everyone gets in back to school mode! I’ve been baking with almond flour more and more as I try to experiment with grain-free recipes. Be sure to let me know how it goes if you make these muffins!
I’ve been waiting for these from all of your muffin Insta stories! These look delicious! Raspberries are totally underrated. Can’t wait to give these a try!
Thanks Haylie! Haha, I have been overloading my Insta stories lately with muffin testing!! I definitely made my share of muffins this past week! If you give these a try, I would love to know what you think! Happy Monday!
These look fantastic, Leanne! I absolutely love raspberries in baked goods and I don’t think they’re used nearly enough. I’ll have to look for buckwheat flakes at the store today! Have a great week 🙂
Thanks Kelsie! I’ve been trying to bake with all the berries this summer, but raspberries are turning out to be one of my faves in baked goods! You should totally give buckwheat flakes a try Kelsie! I’m hoping to try them in granola next!