The first summer we spent in this home we discovered a huge everbearing raspberry bush. I was amazed that it survived (and thrived) through the frigid sub-Arctic winters. Yet there it was behind our house. I looked at those juicy berries and knew I had found the perfect opportunity to tweak my recipe for raspberry lemon almond muffins.

In our area (Canada’s far north), these berries come into season in mid-to-late August. And lucky for us, we picked almost 12 cups in the course of two afternoons. 

While we had fun making everbearing raspberry freezer jam, we had so many raspberries left that we had to flash freeze them on cookie sheets. Next, we bagged them to use through the winter for our favorite baked goods.

I’m not quite sure where this recipe first originated, but I’ve been using it as a base recipe for over 20 years. Sometimes I use blueberries instead of raspberries. Or sometimes I’ll sub in 1 teaspoon of vanilla instead of the 1/4 teaspoon of almond.

Related: Cookie Crumb Peach Cobbler

Notes on this Recipe for Raspberry Lemon Almond Muffins

1. I use cream of tartar and baking soda now in place of baking powder. I’ve been baking so long I just eyeball it, but I replace every teaspoon of baking powder in a recipe with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar.
2. If you decide to use cream of tartar and baking soda, make sure you sift the dry ingredients really well. There’s nothing yuckier than a bite of cream of tartar (according to my taste-testing daughter).
3. Yes, this recipe for raspberry lemon almond muffins really does call for quick-cooking oats! Not the traditional old-fashioned oats traditionally used in baking.
4. Use buttermilk, milk with a touch of lemon, or milk soured with vinegar for this recipe. I haven’t tried it with almond milk, but I think it would result in a heavier muffin. If you find you prefer a more cake-like/lighter muffin, replace the liquid milk with powdered milk in water.
5. Another option for those bakers looking for a healthy alternative is to use 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour. Replace the oil with 1/3 cup of applesauce instead.
6. Finally, don’t thaw your frozen everbearing raspberries before adding them to the muffin batter. They’re much easier to work with while frozen.

Yield: 12

Recipe for Raspberry Lemon Almond Muffins

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These raspberry lemon almond muffins are a healthy lunchbox snack or make a great breakfast on-the-go.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp grated lemon rind
• 1/2 tsp baking powder cream of tartar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsps milk
• 1 cup frozen raspberries

Instructions

1. Set oven temperature at 375 degrees F.
2. Grease one 12 muffin pan.
3. Combine vinegar and milk in a small bowl.
4. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
5. Combine eggs, vegetable oil, and almond extract.
6. Add milk and vinegar mixture to egg mixture.
7. Combine.
8. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.
9. Fold in frozen raspberries.
10. Mix gently.
11. Spoon into muffin cups.
12. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
13. Cool in muffin pan on a baking rack for five minutes.
14. Remove to baking rack, cool completely.

Another way to enjoy this recipe for raspberry lemon almond muffins is to change it! Use blueberries and orange rind instead. Or strawberries and chocolate chips. Or even orange and cranberries. Experiment until you find just the right flavor combination to suit your family’s taste buds.

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