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Filled with fresh, bright, and zesty flavor, these lemon chia seed muffins are so lemony scented and full of springtime nostalgia!
Fresh and Zesty Vibes: Lemon Chia Seed Muffins
Whenever I make anything lemon (such as lemon pound cake or lemon blueberry muffins), they remind me of springtime. There is something about the brightness of lemon that really uplifts your day! These lemon chia seed muffins are the perfect treat to brighten your day. They’re so full of lemon flavor that it seems like you’re smelling a lemon.
On top of being so fresh and zesty, these chia seed muffins are also the lightest and fluffiest muffin thanks to ricotta cheese as the secret ingredient! The chia seeds give these muffins a nice, crunchy texture and adds a bit of extra protein. Poppyseeds are probably what you expect in these muffins, but give chia seeds a try and use your extra chia seeds to make chia seed pudding!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Make this into a lemon flavor combo with another fruit. Try using raspberries, blueberries, or even blackberries! You’ll want to be careful folding the berries in, taking care to not burst them so they don’t turn the batter a weird color.
- I do not recommend substituting Greek yogurt for the ricotta cheese. The ricotta cheese is what makes this muffin light and fluffy. I feel that Greek yogurt makes baked goods have a spongy texture that is not pleasant.
- If you prefer to use poppyseeds, you may substitute them for the chia seeds.
- Slice in half and warm these chia seed muffins up in the toaster oven before digging in! The warm muffin is the perfect environment for slathering on a pad of butter!
Storage Instructions
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After 3 days, you can put them in the refrigerator to stretch their shelf life, however, they might dry out a bit so it won’t be as moist and bouncy as when they’re fresh.
Lemon Chia Seed Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 ¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (185 g) part-skim ricotta cheese
- ½ cup (118 ml) water
- ¼ cup (59 ml) olive oil
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons honey, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C). Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and lightly spray them with cooking spray. Set aside.Cooking spray
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.1 3/4 cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta, water, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and egg.3/4 cup (185 g) part-skim ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup (118 ml) water, 1/4 cup (59 ml) olive oil, Zest of 2 lemons, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 egg
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour the wet ingredients into the middle then mix together with a wooden spoon.2 tablespoons chia seeds
- Add the chia seeds then gently fold into batter.
- Evenly divide batter into prepared muffin pan using a large scoop.
- Bake for 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5 minutes then with a pastry brush, gently brush melted honey onto the tops of the muffins.2 tablespoons honey
- Cool completely then enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Video
Nutrition
Photographs by Meg McKeehan Photography
Made these this week during the arctic cold snap and snow… we needed a little spring in our house… and these were just the right thing! So moist and lemony. The chia seeds give the muffins a perfect crunch. I agree with the comment about adding blueberries next time – sounds even springier! Thank you!
Awesome! These are one of my favorite muffins for their moist and fluffiness.
Hi Julie, could I sub coconut oil for olive oil? Or maybe not because coconut oil can harden, where olive oil stays moist and “flexible”? Just curious what you thought!
I definitely would not do that. You may not get the fluffiness with coconut oil!
At first glance, I swore these were poppy seeds! Looks so wonderfully fluffy!
These were great and look just like the picture. Light and fluffy. I may also add blueberries next time I make them.
These muffins are delicious! Even my husband who normally does not like lemony things, loves these. Thank you for a great recipe!
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed these, Tina!
I’m excited to see divergent! I’m glad you said it is good. I read the first book in 2 days and am now almost done the second!! I don’t want to finish the series, it has been so long since I let myself read something just for fun!
I know what you mean!! I’m on the last book of the series and I’m getting sadder and sadder with each page I finish, lol – I’m so attached to it!
Plans are to see Divergent this weekend. I can’t wait! I just finished reading book 2 and now I’m starting the third in the series.
I’m starting the third today too! I just finished Insurgent yesterday. I’m getting sad I’m nearing the end :( lol
Ooh, I love this recipe! It originally reminded me of a lemon poppy seed muffin. I like your use of ricotta in these – I bet it adds such a nice slight tang! Pinned.
It doesn’t get better than this!!
Lemon happiness! I can wait to try these babies! Pinning
I could definitely go for some of these for breakfast!