Fabulous, Skinny Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins
Light, bright, and perfectly moist, these Skinny Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins combine the citrus tang of lemon with bursts of juicy blueberries and a crunchy oat streusel. Made with a lemon cake mix and a few smart swaps—like applesauce and reduced-fat butter—this recipe keeps the flavor of a classic coffee cake while trimming excess fat and calories. They bake up tall and tender, topped with a buttery oat streusel and finished with a simple lemon glaze. These muffins are ideal for breakfast, brunch, or a lighter dessert and freeze well for make-ahead convenience.
Prep Time
15 mins
15 mins
Bake Time:
30 mins
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
45 mins
Course
Breakfast, Dessert
Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine
American
American
Servings
18
18
Calories
250 kcal
250 kcal
Ingredients
Ingredients for Cake:
- 1 (16.5 oz.) box Duncan Hines Lemon Cake Mix
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 (3.4 oz.) package instant lemon pudding mix (dry pudding mix)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 egg whites
- 1 egg (I used Eggland’s Best)
- 1½ cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Ingredients for Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat butter or Smart Balance Light, melted
Ingredients for Drizzle:
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a standard muffin pan with a flour-containing nonstick spray or lightly grease and dust with flour. This helps the muffins release cleanly.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the lemon cake mix, 1/4 cup flour, and the dry instant lemon pudding mix. Add the buttermilk, water, applesauce, canola oil, and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Mix on low to combine, then increase speed and blend until smooth.
- Add the egg whites and the whole egg and beat briefly until the batter is smooth and uniform. Gently fold in the blueberries by hand to avoid crushing them.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each almost to the top so the muffins rise nicely and form a domed top. Smooth tops as needed.
- To prepare the streusel, combine the rolled oats, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir with a fork and then add the melted reduced-fat butter a little at a time, tossing until the mixture is evenly moistened. Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of streusel.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are golden. Remove the pan from the oven and let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen and transfer the muffins to a rack to cool completely before glazing.
- For the lemon drizzle, whisk the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add a few drops of lemon juice or water to reach the desired consistency. Drizzle approximately 1 teaspoon of glaze over each cooled muffin.
- Store the muffins covered at room temperature for a few days or freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm gently in the microwave before serving.
Nutrition
Serving:
1
muffin
Calories:
250
kcal
Carbohydrates:
50
g
Protein:
3
g
Fat:
7
g
Sodium:
299
mg
Fiber:
1
g
Sugar:
32
g
Tried this recipe?
Let me know how it turned out!
Tips & Variations
- For even distribution, toss frozen blueberries in a tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter to reduce streaking.
- If you prefer a richer muffin, substitute part of the canola oil with melted butter, but expect slightly higher calories.
- Use Greek yogurt in place of some of the buttermilk for added protein and tang—replace up to ½ cup without changing texture significantly.
- To make these gluten-free, choose a gluten-free lemon cake mix and gluten-free flour for the binding flour and streusel.
- These muffins freeze well. Wrap individually or store in an airtight container for convenient grab-and-go breakfasts.