Nana’s Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Nana’s Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins are possibly the best gluten free muffins I’ve ever tasted! These bakery-style blueberry muffins are bursting with juicy berries and bright lemon flavor from both zest and juice. They’re soft, fluffy, and have that perfect tender crumb – you’d never guess they’re gluten free and milk free.
This recipe comes from contributing author Jane Scott (my mom), and it’s one of our family’s most loved baked goods. Adapted from a traditional Better Homes and Gardens recipe, it’s been passed down through four generations – from my grandmother Dorothy, to my mom, to me, and now to my daughter Savannah. It’s a timeless treat that brings back sweet memories of blueberry-picking days and baking together.
Why I Love Nana’s Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• What makes Nana’s Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins so special is the story behind them. My mother, Dorothy, was a creative baker who often made blueberry-lemon muffins using the classic Better Homes and Gardens recipe – but she always substituted lemon for orange zest.
• When I wanted to make these muffins during blueberry season, I adjusted a blueberry muffin recipe from a gluten-free cookbook so it would be both gluten free and milk free, with lemon juice and zest added for that signature citrus flavor. I even picked the blueberries myself at Green Meadows Blueberry Farm near Monticello, Florida – a local, family-owned “you-pick” farm that grows their berries organically.
• This recipe has become a family tradition, baked by generations and enjoyed by everyone – even those who don’t follow a gluten-free diet. The muffins are soft, flavorful, and smell absolutely heavenly as they bake!
What you need
Ingredient Notes
• Gluten Free Flour Blend: I used My Favorite Gluten Free Flour Blend from Mom Loves Baking. The key to success is using the correct flour mix for a light, bakery-style texture. (As a shortcut, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour works too.)
• Lemon Zest and Juice: Adds fresh citrus flavor that complements the blueberries perfectly.
• Blueberries: Use fresh blueberries for the best results. If using frozen, do not thaw before adding.
• Butter Substitute: To make the muffins dairy free, simply use vegan buttery spread instead of butter.
How to make Nana’s Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• The batter comes together in just a few minutes! Here’s how to make perfect muffins every time.
• Use room temperature ingredients. This helps everything blend evenly for a smooth batter.
• Use fresh blueberries for the best texture and flavor.
• Stir by hand and do not overmix — this keeps the muffins fluffy.
• Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon of sugar before adding them to the batter. This prevents the batter from turning blue.
• Add extra lemon zest for even more citrus flavor, if desired.
Quick Tips
• Always preheat your oven for even baking.
• Fill muffin cups about two-thirds full for nice rounded tops.
• Let the muffins cool slightly before removing them from the pan.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
• Can I make these muffins dairy free? Yes! Simply substitute a vegan buttery spread for the butter.
• Can I use frozen blueberries? Yes, but don’t thaw them first — add straight from the freezer and fold gently.
• What flour works best for gluten free baking? Use My Favorite Gluten Free Flour Blend (from Mom Loves Baking) for the perfect light texture and crumb. (As a shortcut, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour works too.)
A Family Baking Tradition
• My 17-year-old granddaughter Savannah recently baked Nana’s Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins at home and did a wonderful job. Here she is, carefully putting them into the oven!
• What’s so special about these muffins is that they taste just like they came from a bakery – with a perfect crumb that’s not too dense, yet not too delicate. When you bake them, your house will smell heavenly.
• For me, this recipe represents a beautiful thread through four generations of bakers – my mother, myself, my daughter, and now my granddaughter. It’s a wonderful way to stay connected and celebrate family through baking.
I hope you enjoy Nana’s Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins as much as we do!
Related Recipes
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Nana’s Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups my favorite gluten free flour blend (see notes below), or use store bought such as Bob's Red Mill
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, use vegan butter if you can't have dairy
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 Tablespoon sugar, stir into blueberries before adding to batter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 6-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside. (Note: I used "Tulip" cupcake liners which I found at my local grocery store, Kroger. They are also available online. It's important to use these liners if you want your muffins to rise up as shown in the photos in this post. Otherwise, if you use regular cupcake liners, they won't rise up as much but still taste delicious. You can get about 8-10 smaller muffins if you use standard sized cupcake liners.)
- Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. (For the gluten free flour, use my favorite gluten free flour blend recipe – see notes below – or you could also use store bought such as Bob's Red Mill.) Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the milk and lemon juice. Add the beaten eggs and stir to combine. Pour into flour mixture. Add melted butter and mix until combined. Fold in the blueberries, sugar, and lemon zest. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Makes 6 over-sized muffins or 8-10 standard sized muffins.
Video
Notes
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All text and images © Lise Ode for Mom Loves Baking. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be accurate. This post may contain affiliate links.
Just made these this morning. Very good gluten free muffins!
Hi Laura, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the gluten free muffins! Happy Baking, Lise
These are great. I used dried blueberries because that’s what I had. 105 grams. Made 16 with a bake time of 14 minutes. Wonderful flavor and texture.
Oh what a great idea. Thank you for sharing, Catherine.
I made the standard size of these and looked at them with 7 minutes still to go and they were practically burned! I thought 400 was high for muffins. Haven’t tasted them yet, but I’m sure they are delicious. Next time I will definitely lower the temp.
These are the best Blueberry Muffins! I left out the salt, halved the sugar, and used milk from my goats. That made the perfect low-sodium, low-sugar muffins. These will be a staple in my diet.
Roxanna – I’m so glad you liked the muffins!
These are the most delicious moist blueberry muffins I have ever made . This recipe is a keeper .
I know, right?! So happy that you love this recipe as much as we do!
Can I use monkfruit instead of regular sugar? Don’t like to add added sugar if possible. Thanks!
No
I love these muffins. They are a hit in my family. Do you think it would work as a loaf?
I’m so glad you love them. I’m not sure if it would work as a loaf but don’t see why not.
These came out great. I used King Arthur Measure for Measure flour and I added a little extra lemon juice. Delicious muffins, great texture.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Can I use buttermilk in place of the almond milk?
Thanks!
We haven’t tested it with buttermilk, but I don’t see why not.
Frozen blueberries in sugar. 1 cup gf flour & 1/2 cup almond flour. Spray oil muffin pans. Made 6 squat jumbo & 6 regular muffins. Best ever! Just like a fancy shop! Confused on the “add dry” & then at the end “add sugar” with the blueberries & makes 6 is not correct. Otherwise, just amazing!!
Beautiful GF lemony muffins, thank you! Note: your recipe title says 6 muffins, the end of the recipe itself says a dozen. (Mine made 6 oversized ones.)
Hi Karen, Would you believe that I made these muffins TODAY as well?! Isn’t that funny. I’m glad you enjoyed them. Thank you for letting me know about the muffin count. I adjusted the recipe at the end. Happy Gluten Free Baking! 🙂
I make these for my daughter and grandson she is GF. He is T1D. I use sugar substitute they love them ?
Yay, that’s wonderful. Enjoy!!
Hiii these are good, but will frozen blueberries be okay?
Yes, you can use frozen berries.
My daughter has Celiac’s and we were doing a bake sale. Often there arent any options that are safe for them and these were a great new edition! Not only were they Gluten and Lactose free they taste great! Would make these instead of “regular” blueberry ones to be honest!
Hi Dana, I’m do glad you like this recipe. And I agree with you, these are just as good as “regular” blueberry muffins, if not better!
These are SO GOOD! I never leave comments but boy oh boy is it ever hard to find a good gf muffin recipe. I made the flour mix you linked to (bonus: 1/4 of the flour recipe is exactly the right amount for these muffins!). I also replaced the butter with 4 1/2 tbs avocado oil, and the sugar with swerve. They look like real blueberry muffins and they taste great. Thanks!!
So yummy thank you