During my childhood, we occasionally took family vacations to Disneyland to spend a few days with Mickey, Minnie, and the rest of the characters and rides at the Happiest Place on Earth. As part of the tradition, we woke up before the sun rose and eased our minivan down the driveway just as the sky began turning from dark gray to pink and orange.
After six hours of driving down to Anaheim from Northern California, we finally arrived at the parking lot of the Howard Johnson hotel, located just off the freeway and only a few blocks from the theme park’s entrance. Once we lugged our suitcases up to our room, one of my parents dashed out to the grocery store for snacks, fresh fruit, and breakfast goodies.
While walking around Disneyland, we almost always ate the same things as back home: juicy apples, Ritz crackers with peanut butter (scooped straight from the jar!), and possibly gummy fruit snacks or mini M&Ms as a bribe if my younger brother and I started to get a little cranky in the afternoon. Yet in the mornings, instead of our traditional cereal and milk, our parents allowed us a special treat…
Lemon poppy seed muffins from the grocery’s bakery! They bought a plastic container with four jumbo-sized muffins, which they split in half with a plastic knife before handing each of us our smaller serving, along with a few tissues as “napkins” to avoid getting crumbs all over the hotel bed. Every trip, I looked forward to that just as much as the spinning Teacups ride—pulling back the paper wrapper, sinking my teeth into the soft pastry, and saving the extra sweet muffin top for last (my favorite part!).
When I recently realized nearly five years had passed since my last Disneyland trip, I started thinking of all the rides I missed. The Matterhorn, Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Peter Pan, Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, Soarin’ Over California, California Screamin’… And I also started to crave lemon poppy seed muffins!
But instead of stopping by the grocery store bakery, I whipped up these Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Mini Muffins at home! They’re just as soft and irresistible as the ones from my childhood, but with no butter, refined flour or sugar and just 38 calories, they come with none of the guilt!
To make these healthy muffins, you’ll start with white whole wheat flour. That sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? However, white whole wheat flour earned its name because it’s made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, similar to all-purpose flour, which really lets these muffins’ tender texture and fruity flavor shine through. (Bonus: It still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour!)
With just 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (or butter, if you prefer!) and no egg yolks, these wholesome muffins get the rest of their tender texture from one of my favorite ingredients in healthier baking: Greek yogurt! Greek yogurt provides the same moisture as extra oil or butter for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your muffins a protein boost, too.
Instead of refined sugar, you’ll sweeten your muffins with another one of my favorite ingredients: vanilla crème stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly, and it’s highly concentrated. You just need 1 ½ teaspoons for this entire batch! This is the kind I buy because I love its warm vanilla flavor and don’t notice any strange aftertastes like with some other stevia products. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I always buy mine online here because that’s the cheapest price I’ve found. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
For the bright citrus flavor, you’ll mix in a combination of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. The zest actually provides the majority of the sunshiny taste, so don’t skip it! I prefer to use Meyer lemons because they’re a little sweeter than plain lemons, but either will work.
Finally, here’s one quick tip before you start baking… If using muffin liners like I did in these photos, make sure you generously coat the liners with cooking spray! Low-fat muffin batter (and cake batter!) sticks to liners like superglue, so spritzing them with cooking spray prevents the batter from sticking as much. If your muffins still stick to the liners after pulling them from the oven, seal them inside of an airtight container for at least 24 hours. That helps loosen the liners a bit more!
Muffin perfection! ?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your mini muffins and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Mini Muffins | | Print |
- 2 cups (240g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 ½ tbsp (14g) lemon zest (about 3 medium)
- 1 tbsp (9g) poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla crème stevia
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup (60mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 medium)
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp (150mL) nonfat milk
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat 30 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon zest, and poppy seeds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter or coconut oil, egg whites, vanilla extract, and vanilla crème stevia. Stir in the Greek yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Stir in the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of milk. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 13-15 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch. Cool in the muffin cups for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack.
For the gluten-free flour, I recommend the following: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) brown rice flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum. Most store-bought blends will work as well, if measured like this.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.
I highly recommend using the vanilla crème stevia! It’s one of my favorite ingredients, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too. (I always buy mine online here because it’s the cheapest price I’ve found!) If you prefer, 8-10 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, honey, or agave may be substituted for the vanilla crème stevia, and the milk should be reduced to 1-3 tablespoons to compensate for the added liquid.
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
Be VERY careful if using liners! Generously coat the liners with nonstick cooking spray before adding the muffin batter. This batter will stick to liners like superglue if they aren’t coated with cooking spray.
If you prefer, this recipe will yield 12 standard sized muffins. The baking temperature remains the same. Begin checking on them after about 18 minutes. The muffins will be done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops feel firm to the touch. You can also use my Ultimate Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins recipe, if you prefer!
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, low sugar}
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You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♥ The Ultimate Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
♥ Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
♥ Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Cookies
♥ Lemon Poppy Seed Energy Bites
♥ Cranberry Orange Mini Muffins
♥ Raspberry Almond Mini Muffins
♥ The Ultimate Healthy Chocolate Mini Muffins
♥ Chocolate Chip Zucchini Mini Muffins
♥ Chocolate Chip Banana Mini Muffins
Hi! I have a Mardi Gras project coming up for my French class, and I have to use the three colors; green, purple, and yellow. I was wondering, if I could make this recipe into a cake? I was thinking of an 8 inch pan (round). What would you recommend for baking times, etc. if I were to do so?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Alyssa! I’d recommend using my lemon pound cake recipe instead. It uses most of the same ingredients, and since it’s meant to be a cake, you won’t have to make modifications to the recipe. 🙂 I took French in middle school and high school, so I have fond memories of Mardi Gras. I hope you enjoy your class party!
Thank you so much!
My pleasure Alyssa! 🙂
These sounds so yummy – I love lemon muffins!
Izzy |https://pinchofdelight.wordpress.com
Thanks Izzy! 🙂
Another great post Amy! Love the way you make the high calorie suspects into no-so-guilty-treats. Thanks for sharing:)
Thank you so much Maria! That means a lot to me! 🙂
We made these, they were a big hit. Even our picky eaters had seconds.
Easy to make!
Thank you for another great recipe.
I’m so glad you and your picky eaters enjoyed the muffins Linda! That truly means a lot to me that they had seconds. Thanks for sharing that with me! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what recipe you try next!
I love trying different muffin recipes and yours just came to be on my top favorites. I love it!!
That means so much to me Ashley! I’m so glad you’re enjoying these muffins! 🙂
Greek yogurt substitute?
Regular plain nonfat yogurt would be the best substitute! Otherwise, non-dairy yogurt alternatives (ie Silk’s soy-based “yogurt”) would be my next choice. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these muffins Becky!
I was very excited to try your healthy recipes. I ordered the ingredients online that my local stores didn’t care (like the vanilla creme) finally had everything yesterday and this was the first thing I tried. I followed the recipe exactly and I’m not sure why no one else mentions the “fake sugar” aftertaste. Very disappointed. Giving it one more try and making the choc chip gingerbread muffins. They’re in the oven now and I am really hoping these don’t have that icky aftertaste. Is there something I did wrong?
I truly appreciate your interest in my recipes! That means a lot to me. It could be that your taste buds are more sensitive to stevia than the average person, and that “fake sugar” aftertaste is what you’re experiencing as a result. These don’t have a “fake sugar” aftertaste to anyone in my family or any of my taste tester friends, so that’s my best guess. I’ve included a non-stevia substitution in the Notes section, so if you’re up for it, that may be better for you. How did the chocolate chip gingerbread mini muffins turn out? Did they have the same “fake sugar” aftertaste to you?
Thank you for responding, I appreciate that. I did let several other people try them and the result was the same. (I didn’t tell them, what I thought before they tried them)
The gingerbread muffins were better, but they’re still sitting here. My son who eats anything doesn’t like either. I used a little less of the vanilla creme, aftertaste still there but not as bad. The over all texture in your mouth was really weird. I also made the wholewheat rolls twice. Neither batch rose. So, I guess your recipes aren’t for me, but I’m really happy others like them and with your efforts to help people with weight and diabetes issues.
What flour and yeast did you use for the whole wheat rolls? That makes a big difference, as many brands don’t rise nearly as high as others! If you aren’t a fan of vanilla creme stevia or its flavor, then I have plenty of other recipes without it, including muffins! Perhaps those recipes will be more to you and your family’s liking. Also, do you have a preferred no-calorie sweetener? We may be able to modify these two muffin recipes to use that instead of the vanilla creme stevia! 🙂 I’m concerned that you say the texture is weird. They always turn out like regular muffins for me! Did you use an electric mixer or stand mixer to make them, by chance?
Red star yeast, same as I always use. Exp 8/2018 purchased the day before .
Wholewheat flour, I don’t remember the brand, I put it in a canister and tossed the bag. It was also just purchased.
Nope no mixer on either recipe….
I don’t have a preferred no cal sweetener, with the exception of splenda packets I use for my coffee, I never use no cal sweetener.
So, I guess I am the exception to the rule… lol
Thanks for all of the information! Red Star Yeast is my preferred brand, so that’s perfect. I’ve found that Gold Medal whole wheat flour rises the best — at least double of most other brands! Does that happen to ring a bell with the potential name of your whole wheat flour? 🙂
So you used a fork or spoon for mixing both muffin recipes? Just want to double check we’re on the same page! (Often, using a mixer will lead to a gummy texture because it’s so easy to over-mix!) Can you describe the texture in a little more detail? That will help me rule out other potential causes!
And there’s no rule, so you aren’t an exception at all! 😉 Many of my readers have found that Truvia doesn’t have any aftertaste, although it’s a plant-based no-calorie sweetener. I think that would be the best option for you, if you’d like to keep the nutrition information the same for each of the muffin recipes! Otherwise, I included other options in the Notes section for substitutions for the vanilla creme stevia that wouldn’t have any strange aftertastes. 🙂
Hi Amy
Love your recipes. Thank you. Is there another flour I can use? Almond flour? Can I use this for your recipes
I really appreciate your interest in my recipes Kym! I’ve included the best flour alternatives in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these muffins if you try them!
I would really like to try these wonderful looking muffins! My family loves lemon poppy muffins, and I’ve been wanting to make mini muffins. Is there a vegan replacement for the egg whites? Thank you so much!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Hannah! Ener-G is my favorite egg replacer (my brother is allergic to eggs!), and it works perfectly in nearly all of my recipes, including this one. For my recipes, use 1 ½ teaspoons Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water for each egg white and an additional ½ tablespoon of coconut oil for each egg yolk. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these muffins!
Hello Amy! Thank you for the egg substitute information! That really helps.
I made these yesterday, using the gluten free flour blend you provided and using the Ener-G “egg whites”. I also used coconut butter instead of oil and used agave and no milk. Instead of Greek yogurt I used a homemade non-dairy “yogurt”-like recipe. The muffins came out great! I was excited! My family enjoyed them; they are almost all gone! Thank you for this recipe.
I’m so glad you and your family loved these muffins Hannah — that means so much to me!! 🙂
What is the expected texture??
Mine when came out, toothpick test was ok, but muffins where quite moist/ sticky on the inside.
It wasnt as fluffy and ” airy”
Electric whisk used just for the egg white and yogart mix.
Flavor wise were great!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Angela! They’re supposed to have the same texture as traditional muffins, so let’s figure out what happened. 🙂 Did you make mini muffins, rather than standard-sized ones? Did you make any substitutes or follow the recipe exactly as written? You just need a whisk (not an electric one!) for the butter/coconut oil, eggs, vanilla, and vanilla stevia. Once you add in the yogurt, switch to a fork!