By: Annie8 Comments
Posted: 12/4/20 Updated: 12/4/20

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Tender, slightly sweet, and full of citrus flavor, these lemon chia yogurt muffins are a healthier alternative to lemon poppyseed muffins! Made with applesauce and greek yogurt, they are free from oil and only 148 calories each.

Muffins are one of my favorite baking projects, because you can make them so much healthier with a few simple swaps! From healthy blueberry muffins to cinnamon rhubarb muffins to these lemon chia muffins, I like to have a batch in my freezer at all times!

These muffins are the perfect way to indulge in your lemon poppyseed muffin cravings, without overdoing it. I think you're going to love them!

Reasons you'll ♡ lemon chia yogurt muffins

they are simple to prepare in a single bowl
they are oil free, yet tender and moist
they are filled with bright, citrussy flavor, and perfect with a cup of tea

Recipe video

Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this recipe. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

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One bowl for easy prep

When it comes to making muffins, one bowl is where it's at, and I'm happy to report that these lemon chia muffins can be mixed up in a single bowl. Start by whisking together the applesauce, greek yogurt and brown sugar, then stir in buttermilk, egg, vanilla and lemon juice.

Add the dry ingredients, and mix until *just* combined, and the final step is to fold in the lemon zest and chia seeds.

No buttermilk?

No problem! If you have regular milk and some lemon juice on hand, you can make a pretty close equivalent. Check out how to make buttermilk.

A kitchen scale is your best friend

Not only does a kitchen scale ensure that you don't over-measure your flour (never scoop it, but fluff, spoon, then level OR simply weigh it on a scale), but it also means that you won't have to wash any measuring cups!

Simply place your bowl on the scale, then measure out exactly what you need. This is the BEST, particularly with sticky ingredients like greek yogurt, which are finicky to get into and out of measuring cups.

Avoid paper liners

An important thing to note about these lemon muffins is that they will stick to paper liners. Instead, you can spray the muffin tin well with oil, use parchment liners, or purchase reusable silicone muffin liners. Using these tricks, I haven’t had any issues with the muffins sticking.

Find my favorite muffin liners in my shop!

Ingredient swaps

flour- this recipe uses a mix of all purpose and whole wheat flour. You can either use 2 cups of regular all purpose flour (250 g), or 2 cups of white whole wheat flour (250 g). I do not recommend using 2 cups of whole wheat flour as it can be dense and gummy. I do not know if gluten-free, or any other alternative flours, will work in this recipe.
lemon- feel free to swap the lemon zest and juice for your favorite citrus- lime or orange could work well in this recipe
chia seeds- you may swap for poppyseeds, or even some chopped nuts (walnuts might add a nice crunch). For nuts use ¼-1/2 cup.
fruit- these muffins could be good with some berries added in- cranberries and blueberries both pair nicely with lemon. Add in 1 cup of berries (if they are frozen, do not thaw first) when you add the chia seeds.