Keto Lemon Blueberry Muffins
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My keto lemon blueberry muffin recipe yields sweet, tart, pillowy-soft muffins. They’re bursting with plump blueberries and covered in a sweet lemon glaze. 3 grams of net carbs.
Every spring, like clockwork, my mom gives me a massive bag of lemons. And the first thing I make are these keto lemon blueberry muffins.
I initially wanted to adapt my keto muffin recipe, but adding blueberries made them fall apart. Instead, I turned to my almond flour muffins and set out to reduce the sugar and add fresh blueberries. I actually use lemon extract over fresh lemon juice, as it gives a more distinct lemon flavor without adding extra liquid to the batter.
My original recipe worked with most sweeteners, but as I retested it, I found that allulose really is the only substitute that bakes up like sugar and doesn’t leave the muffins dry, wet, or with a bitter aftertaste.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Best texture. I toss the blueberries in almond flour before folding them in. It prevents them from sinking to the bottom, so every bite has a blueberry.
- Proper muffin size. I fill each liner 2/3 full and get 12 substantial muffins- not the half-filled cups you get from most keto muffin recipes.
- The glaze. The lemon glaze is what takes these from good to great- drizzle it over while the muffins are still slightly warm, so it soaks rather than sitting on top.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into these muffins, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Almond flour. Blanched almond flour is my go-to almond flour almost every time. Almond meal is too crumbly, yielding dense, hard muffins.
- Granulated sweetener. When I first posted these muffins, I mentioned that allulose or monk fruit could be used, but now I only really recommend allulose. It bakes consistently and dissolves like white sugar.
- Baking powder. Two teaspoons give the muffins enough lift to bake up to a proper dome. I tested one teaspoon, and the muffins came out flat.
- Eggs. Room-temperature eggs are preferred because they mix more smoothly into the batter and don’t make the oil firm up.
- Coconut oil. Melted and cooled to room temperature. If it’s too warm, it can cook the eggs slightly when mixed together.
- Milk. I use unsweetened almond milk. It keeps the carbs minimal without affecting the texture.
- Lemon extract. I usually call for vanilla extract, but of course, we’re making lemon muffins. Using lemon extract imparts a lovely lemon flavor without requiring any lemon juice (which can loosen the batter).
- Blueberries. Fresh or frozen can be used. If you’re using frozen, don’t bother thawing them first.
- Keto powdered sugar. For the glaze.
- Lemon juice. About 1 to 2 tablespoons is enough. The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle but thick enough to set.
How to make keto lemon blueberry muffins
Step 1- Prep work. Preheat the oven and line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
Step 2- Mix. Combine the dry ingredients in one large bowl. In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, minus the blueberries. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until smooth. Fold in the berries.
Step 3- Bake. Pour the batter into the muffin tins and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 4- Make the glaze. Whisk the powdered sweetener and lemon juice until smooth.
Step 5- Glaze. Let the muffins cool completely, then drizzle with the glaze.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Swap the berries. I’ve made them with raspberries, and they’re actually my preferred version. The tartness works even better with the lemon.
- Add more lemon flavor. Fold in fresh lemon zest or add an extra ½ teaspoon of lemon extract. I like to add lemon zest when my mom’s lemons are in season. The zest is more fragrant than the extract alone.
- Keep an eye on the muffins. The exact bake time is just an estimate since everyone’s oven varies. If your oven runs hot, check them with a toothpick at the 18-minute mark, then every 2 minutes until they’re done.
- Mix until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten in the almond flour and makes the muffins dense and rubbery.
Frequently asked questions
I wouldn’t suggest substituting almond flour for coconut flour, as coconut flour absorbs liquids much differently than almond flour, and the batter will be dry and crumbly. If you’d rather use coconut flour, try my coconut flour muffins and swap the honey for keto honey.
Yes, blueberries can be an acceptable part of a keto diet. ½ cup of blueberries has roughly 10 grams of carbohydrates, and each of my muffins has just 3 grams of carbs.
Yes. Halve the lemon extract and add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract for a more subtle flavor. Juju in the comments tried this for her husband, who isn’t a lemon fan, and said it was perfect.
Keto Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour
- 6 tablespoons allulose
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract * See notes
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 3/4 cup blueberries
For the glaze
- 1/4 cup sugar free powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease a muffin tin or 12-count silicone muffin pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all your dry ingredients and set aside. In a separate small bowl, add the rest of your ingredients, except your blueberries, and mix well. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in your blueberries and let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
- Evenly distribute the muffin batter amongst the muffin tin, about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Allow cooling in the pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack. Drizzle with the glaze.
- Whisk together the keto powdered sugar and lemon juice until thin.
Notes
Nutrition
More keto muffin recipes
- Keto pumpkin muffins– Flourless, fluffy, and delicious enough to eat year-round.
- Keto banana muffins– No, there aren’t any bananas in these, but they taste as they do.
- Keto breakfast muffins– Chocolate-style muffins for breakfast? You bet.
- Keto English muffins– These have nooks and crannies and take just a few minutes in the microwave.
Originally published February 2021
I’ve tried a couple of keto blueberry muffins. Usually the blueberries fall to the bottom or they burst and it’s just OK but this one is GREAT ! the blueberries don’t sink. It’s got good flavor lemon extract adds a little bit to it plus the drizzle oh my gosh.
Out of all the ones I’ve tried this one’s the favorite in the house and it gets made every week! So thank you can’t wait to try your keto English muffins next!
Aw, thanks so much Holly. I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe and thank you for that kind shoutout- I hear you, it took a fair bit of testing to make sure the blueberries didn’t sink or bleed so I’m glad it turned out well.