Bursting with vibrant lemon flavor and chia seeds throughout, these nutritious oat-based muffins create a perfect Spring or Summer breakfast!
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Have you ever tried a “flourless” muffin?
The definition of “flourless” varies depending on who you ask. For some people, flourless means absolutely NO flour of ANY type. Many others define “flourless” as food prepared without conventional all-purpose flour, using alternatives like almond flour, oat flour, etc.
I lean toward considering recipes with “oat flour” as “flourless” since oat flour comes from oats. Oats by themselves aren’t flour.
Therefore, I classify these muffins as flourless. To guarantee your baked treats turn out perfectly and don’t become a crumbly disaster, I suggest purchasing oat flour for muffins. Unless you own a high-powered blender (and can blend your oats as finely as store-bought oat flour).
*As an alternative, you could use 1 1/4 cups of homemade oat flour and 1/2 cup of gluten-free all-purpose flour (if you’re worried about your oat flour being too crumbly, but still prefer using it).
That said, these Lemon Chia Oat Muffins are gluten-free (when using certified gluten-free oats), flourless, and dairy-free as well, thanks to coconut oil and almond milk.
I enjoy using coconut oil, but have you encountered issues with it?
My main frustration with coconut oil is that it can easily solidify again after adding it to a cold mixture. Large chunks of coconut oil floating in your batter can interfere with your baked goods, creating an uneven texture.
So, how do you prevent this from happening?
Before I begin gathering ingredients for a recipe, I remove my eggs first. Leave them on the counter to warm up slightly.
Make sure all ingredients you add to your batter are at room temperature. A bit time-consuming, but worthwhile. Adding milk? Ensure it’s room temperature. Applesauce? Room temperature. I use the same microwave-safe bowl to warm each ingredient, then add them to my mixing bowl individually, so I don’t dirty multiple bowls.
If nothing else works, warm your batter in the microwave briefly (about 15 seconds). This is tricky. You want to confirm your mixing bowls are microwave-safe if you try this, and it’s best to do this before adding your eggs. I’ve had this rescue a muffin batter when the coconut oil has just partially hardened.
Now that you have these tips, ready to create some Lemon Chia Oat Muffins? 🙂
To start, preheat your oven to 350 and either line a muffin pan with cupcake liners or spray with non-stick coating.
In a small mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients (oat flour, baking soda, salt).
Then, in a large mixing bowl, whisk your sugar, applesauce, and coconut oil together until creamy. Add your lemon juice (I love this squeezer), lemon zest (the most crucial ingredient for excellent lemon flavor!), almond milk, vanilla and eggs and whisk together.
Add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and stir them together until everything is fully combined. Add your chia seeds and fold them into your batter. Spoon your batter into your muffin pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full.
Bake in the oven for 15-16 minutes, or until the muffin tops are springy to touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow them to cool briefly, then take a big bite of sunshine! 🙂
I hope you prepare these Lemon Chia Oat Muffins this Spring or Summer and love them as much as my family did! My son and husband were huge fans of these. 🙂
Can’t get enough of lemon? Try my gluten-free Lemon Cookies, gluten-free Lemon Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies or gluten-free Lemon Pancakes.
Lemon Chia Oat Muffins (gluten-free, dairy-free, flourless)
Flourless Lemon Chia Muffins
Ingredients
- 1.75 cups oat flour certified gluten-free
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 cup white sugar
- 0.5 cup applesauce
- 0.5 cup coconut oil melted, or use butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest of 2 lemons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons almond milk or milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners, or spray with non-stick coating.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together oat flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, applesauce, and melted coconut oil. Then add lemon juice, lemon zest, milk, vanilla, and eggs. Whisk until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in chia seeds until fully incorporated.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until muffin tops are springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool slightly and enjoy!
Notes
FAQ
Are lemon chia oat muffins actually flourless?
Yes! These muffins use oat flour instead of traditional all-purpose flour. Since oat flour is made from ground oats (not wheat), they’re considered flourless.
Can I make my own oat flour for these muffins?
You can, but store-bought oat flour works best for texture. If making your own, use a high-powered blender to get it as fine as possible to avoid crumbly muffins.
How do I prevent coconut oil from solidifying in the batter?
Use room temperature ingredients and take eggs out early to warm up. If coconut oil still hardens, briefly warm the batter in the microwave for 15 seconds.
How long do lemon chia oat muffins stay fresh?
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, or on the counter for a few days at room temperature.
Craving More Muffins & Easy Baking? If you’ve fallen in love with these flavors and the ease of this recipe, be sure to explore more Epic Dishes favorites: