There comes a time every year—usually when the sun starts sticking around longer, and the birds are chirping again—when I become absolutely obsessed with the lemon-blueberry combo. Finally, spring has arrived!

My favorite way to celebrate spring is by adding lemons and blueberries to almost everything, including my lemon blueberry cake, a stack of blueberry chia seed pancakes, and these Lemon Blueberry Muffins. They’re a bakery-style treat bursting with jammy berries and finished with a crackly lemon-sugar topping that I genuinely can’t stop eating.

Blueberry Lemon Muffin Ingredients

Blueberries – You can use either fresh or frozen blueberries. Personally, I prefer frozen berries because they don’t burst or leave blue streaks in the muffins. However, fresh blueberries are incredible when they’re in season.

Sugar – I like using granulated cane sugar for baking, but white sugar is great, too. I don’t recommend swapping the granulated sugar for liquid sweeteners because your muffins won’t be as lemony or have the right structure.

Lemon zest & juice – Taking the time to massage lemon zest into the sugar granules is the secret to bright, lemony muffins! For the best results, zest your lemons before you juice them (it’s pretty tricky to do it the other way around).

Yogurt – It keeps the muffins moist and makes them extra fluffy. Regular yogurt and Greek yogurt both work well. If you need a substitute, use sour cream instead.

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Gluten-free option – I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but it should work (make sure you use a brand that includes xanthan gum). I’d recommend adding an extra 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil per cup of flour and letting the batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes before portioning it into the muffin cups.
• Instead of blueberries – Make the muffins with raspberries, blackberries, cherries, diced strawberries, or a frozen berry medley.
• More add-in ideas – Make lemon poppy seed blueberry muffins by folding 2 to 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds into the batter. 1/4 cup of slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, or white chocolate chips would be nice here, too!
• Add a sweet topping – Decorate the cooled muffins with a drizzle of the cream cheese frosting from my gluten-free blueberry cake or the sweet lemon glaze from my almond flour blueberry scones.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Step 1: Make the lemon sugar. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl, and use your fingers to massage the zest into the sugar granules. It should smell very lemony and fresh! Set 1 tablespoon of the lemon sugar aside.

Step 2: Beat the wet ingredients. Add the butter to the same bowl and beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Next, stir in the eggs, lemon juice, yogurt, oil, and vanilla.

Step 3: Coat the blueberries. Add the blueberries to a small bowl and dust them with some flour.

Step 4: Mix dry ingredients. Whisk the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl.

Step 5: Finish the batter. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Finish by folding in the blueberries.

Step 6: Bake. Pour the batter into a muffin tin, sprinkle the reserved lemon sugar on top of each muffin, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Step 7: Cool, then serve. Let the muffins cool in the tin, then transfer them to a wire rack. Serve and enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Do not thaw your frozen blueberries! They’ll definitely burst and turn the batter blue if you don’t leave them in the freezer right up until it’s time to use them.
• Always dust frozen blueberries with a sprinkle of flour. Without the flour coating, your blueberries will sink to the bottom of the muffins.
• Do not overmix the muffin batter, or else the muffins will be dry or dense. Gently stir the dry mixture into the wet batter until a few streaks of flour remain, then very gently fold in your berries. 
• The two-temp trick is the secret to tall, domed muffin tops. The initial blast of heat at 425°F activates the leavening agents and creates air bubbles inside the muffins. After, the temperature drops to 375°F to finish baking the muffins.

Muffin FAQs

Storage

Room temperature: It’s best to eat these muffins within a day or so of being baked. Store them in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to keep them moist and fresh.

Freezer: Once cool, wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. You can thaw them on the counter for about an hour or reheat them in the microwave or toaster oven.

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Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

I don’t know about you, but my algorithm keeps showing me videos of high-protein recipes that stir cottage cheese into absolutely any snack, dessert, or meal you can think of. And, honestly, I’m all for it! As cottage cheese’s #1 fan, I don’t need an excuse to add it to my egg salad recipes, batches of chocolatey brownies, and more.

I’ve been loving this high-protein Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough for a post-workout snack and late-night sweet treat, too. The recipe combines cottage cheese with simple ingredients—almond flour, protein powder, and maple syrup, among others—to create something rich, creamy, and more satisfying than baked cookies. 

Oh, and did I mention how it’s perfect for the whole family? The kids will love this sweet, chocolate chip-loaded snack, while you’ll enjoy its richness and better-for-you ingredients.

Protein Cookie Dough Ingredients 

Cottage cheese – You’ll always find cottage cheese in my fridge because it’s a protein-packed ingredient I can blend into a creamy dip, add to a hearty lasagna, or, in this case, transform into a sweet treat. I recommend using full-fat or 2% cottage cheese for the creamiest results.

Almond flour – It’s safe to eat raw, makes the dough soft, and adds a subtle nutty flavor. I do not recommend making any substitutions here. I tested this recipe with coconut flour, but it made the dough taste way too coconutty and completely threw off the texture.

Vanilla protein powder – I really wanted the cookie dough to be filling, so I added a scoop of my favorite vanilla-flavored whey protein powder. Feel free to change up the flavor if you want!

Chocolate chips – I love how the chocolate chips make the cookie dough feel extra indulgent. Sweet, semi-sweet, dark, or vegan chocolate chips all work well.

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Change the sweetener – Honey, agave, or another low-calorie liquid sweetener will work in place of the maple syrup. Also, brown sugar is optional, so feel free to leave it out if you want.
• Oat flour substitute – You might be able to get away with using oat flour as a substitute for the almond flour. Start with 1 cup, then add more as needed.
• Ditch the protein – Omit the protein powder if you want this to taste more like classic cookie dough and less like a “protein-y” dessert.
• Add-in ideas – If chocolate chips aren’t your thing, fold in peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, sprinkles, chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or almonds), dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, or cherries), or cocoa nibs instead.

How to Make Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough

Step 1: Process the wet ingredients. Add the cottage cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla to a food processor, and pulse until completely smooth. 

Step 2: Add dry ingredients. Transfer the wet mixture to a large bowl. Add the almond flour, brown sugar, and protein powder, then use a rubber spatula to stir everything together. Fold in the chocolate chips at the end.

Step 3: Serve or chill. Either enjoy the cookie dough right away or, for the best texture, refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Transfer the cookie dough to a small bowl or portion it into jars, then enjoy!

Edible Cookie Dough FAQs

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the cookie dough in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezer: The best way to freeze edible cookie dough is to roll it into bite-sized balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once frozen solid, transfer the balls to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.