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    Home » Recipes » Muffins

    Kale and Lemon Muffins

    Published: Feb 12, 2015 · Modified: Aug 10, 2022 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe
    Pile of muffins with text: The Best Lemon and Kale Muffins.
    Muffin with a bite out and text: Easy Kale Muffins
    Pile of muffins and text: Easy Kale Muffins with Lemon.
    Pile of muffins and text: Easy Kale Muffins with Lemon.

    These Lemon Kale Muffins are zingy and delicious. The flavour of the kale fades away beneath the lemon, but leaves behind its green goodness. A tasty hidden veg recipe!

    Muffins in a tray.

    These Kale Muffins are not only a lovely green colour, but they taste delicious and zingy from the lemon.

    The kale flavour fades away so they taste like lemon muffins, but have extra green goodness in them.

    These kale muffins are really easy to make.

    They taste great and pass my kids' taste test, always getting enthusiastic thumbs up. My 8 year old daughter even happily proclaimed these to be her all time favorite muffins, even beating her previous favorite: Chocolate Chip Spinach Muffins.

    This Kale Muffins Recipe was originally posted on February 12 2015, updated on November 3, 2020, with new photos, adapted method, video and more text.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    Naturally bright green.

    Quick and easy recipe to make.

    Zingy lemon flavor.

    Perfect for breakfast, lunch, snack or dessert.

    Freezable.

    A great way to use up kale.

    How to make Kale Muffins

    Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

    Collage: Steaming kale, pureeing in a blender with eggs.

    Steam or boil the kale until tender, then rinse under cold water and squeeze out excess moisture.

    Add to a blender with the eggs and lemon juice, then puree until smooth.

    Collage: Creamed butter and sugar, kale puree added, dry ingredients sifted in.

    Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the kale puree and lemon zest and stir to combine.

    Sift in the dry ingredients, then gently mix.

    Tray of muffin batter ready to be baked.

    Fill muffin cups ¾ full and bake for 15 minutes or until risen and cooked through.

    Muffins

    I do love a muffin. They're like the cupcake's studious big sister who excelled in school and never went off the rails.

    The one who really wanted to sneak out of the house at night to meet boys but never did.

    The one who never saw the inside of the detention room.

    But mostly I like muffins because they're the acceptable face of cake for breakfast.

    Especially when there's vegetable in that cake. In a kale muffin.

    And even more especially when that vegetable is kale, the trendy younger sister who was in a band and hung out with the skaters (sound the 1990s-reference klaxon).

    Muffin Recipes

    Parsnip Muffins
    Kale Breakfast Muffins
    Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
    Apple Cheese Muffins
    Healthy Bran Muffins

    Pile of kale muffins.

    Storage and Freezing

    Store these muffins in a sealed container in a cool dry place for up to 5 days.

    You can freeze the cooled kale muffins wrapped for up to 3 months.

    Kale

    I hadn't even heard of kale a few years ago. Then, suddenly, it is my favourite vegetable EVER.

    As a massive vegetable lover I don't say that lightly - even in the run up to Valentine's day. In smoothies, soups, stews, cold salads, hot salads and... in zingy, lemony muffins!

    If you're also a fan of kale (and you're on my site, so presumably your are!) then you must try my Apple Kale Cake with Apple Icing, Kale Soup, Kale Soda Bread or Kale Pesto!

    For these kale muffins, you just need to steam or boil the kale for a few minutes, then puree it in a blender or with a handheld stick blender.

    The finer you puree the kale, the greener your muffins will be!

    Enjoy the as they are, or spread them with a little homemade butter for a decadent treat.

    Muffin with a bite out of it and pile of muffins in the background.

    Get the Recipe

    Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
    Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #veggiedesserts

    Pile of muffins.

    Lemon Kale Muffins

    Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
    These lemon and kale muffins are zingy and delicious. The flavour of the kale fades away beneath the lemon, but leaves behind it’s green goodness. A lovely way to eat your greens as a breakfast, snack or dessert. 
    4.83 from 23 votes
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Muffin
    Cuisine American, International
    Servings 12
    Calories 218 kcal

    Equipment

    • Blender
    • mixing bowl
    • 12-hole muffin pan
    • Oven

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 cups (100g) kale discard any woody stalks
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 lemon zest and juice
    • ½ cup (150g) butter at room temperature
    • ¾ cup (150g) sugar
    • 1 ½ cups (200g) plain (all purpose) flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 170C/325F. Line or grease a muffin tray.
    • Tear the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces and boil or steam for a few minutes until tender. Refresh in cold water and squeeze out excess moisture.
    • Add the kale, eggs, vanilla and lemon juice to a blender and whiz until smooth (or puree with an emmersion blender).
    • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
    • Add the kale puree and lemon zest and mix well. The mixture may split slightly, but don't worry.
    • Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and stir to gently combine.
    • Fill the muffin cups ¾ full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 117mgSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1185IUVitamin C: 14.8mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1.1mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

    More Muffin Recipes

    • Peach Muffins with Vanilla Glaze
    • Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
    • Ginger and Rhubarb Muffins
    • Carrot Muffins with Raisins
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Irene

      July 21, 2022 at 1:44 pm

      5 stars
      This combination was great. We had a fresh bunch of kale and it was great in this recipe. I used gluten free flour (cup for cup) and it came out very well. Thank you for sharing it.

      Reply
    2. Frances

      November 05, 2021 at 6:22 am

      5 stars
      Hi,
      Just made them and their really nice. Kids are eating their kale 🙂

      Reply
    3. Sherri Neil

      January 21, 2021 at 9:18 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for the wonderfully adaptable recipe. I can now get my husband to eat kale and actually like it. I did sub out almond butter for butter 1 cup oat flour and 1/2 cup almond meal for flour, 1/2 cup maple syrup for sugar and I used flax eggs for real eggs. I also just puréed the kale instead of cooking it first. Once cooked at 350 for 30 minutes they came out great vegan and gluten-free muffins. I’m sure they were excellent before all that or they would not have come out as good as they did my way.

      Reply
    4. Dannii

      November 03, 2020 at 2:06 pm

      5 stars
      I love any kind of lemon dessert, and the addition of kale is just genius.

      Reply
    5. Amanda

      November 03, 2020 at 1:45 pm

      5 stars
      Such a beautiful natural colour and so brilliant for kids and veg shy adults too!

      Reply
    6. Nart at Cooking with Nart

      November 03, 2020 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      These muffins are so delicious and gorgeous. Who would have thought that kale and lemon would go so well together?! Such a great creation. 🙂

      Reply
    7. David

      November 03, 2020 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      Wow! We eat a lot of kale here but never would have thought to put it into a muffin! Love the color. This would be great on St. Patrick's Day!

      Reply
    8. Isabel Cueva

      November 06, 2019 at 4:48 am

      5 stars
      I’ve just made the kale lemon muffins, with some variation (honey instead of sugar, olive oil instead of butter, and the whole kale stems and all) and they are absolutely fantastic! Thank you for sharing the recipe.

      Reply
    9. Mary K Rusk

      October 05, 2019 at 4:55 am

      5 stars
      Excellent!!!! I just used my Cuisinart to puree the kale, but that was fine...…...so very easy to add to the rest of the batter. A real lemon is probably essential (that is what I used anyway) and they are WONDERFUL!

      Reply
    10. Diana

      March 28, 2019 at 1:46 am

      5 stars
      I used finely chopped raw kale and turned out delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

      Reply
      • Jayne

        November 12, 2021 at 11:41 pm

        5 stars
        Followed the recipe without any changes. The muffins are delicious and have a definite lemon flavor. I am sure they will be a hit with the whole family.

        Reply
    11. The Free From Fairy

      January 13, 2016 at 1:14 pm

      These look amazing! I would never think of putting kale in a sweet cake! Brilliant!

      Reply
    12. Michelle

      March 06, 2015 at 2:19 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for this post and this blog! Honestly, I had no idea that you could put veggies that many different ways into desserts! And your photos are gorgeous as well. Can't wait to take some of these on!

      Reply
    13. Elizabeth

      March 01, 2015 at 8:58 am

      5 stars
      Oh this sounds amazing! I'd love one for breakfast just now, if I could?! 🙂 Thanks for sharing with Credit Crunch Munch!

      Reply
    14. Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours

      February 28, 2015 at 12:10 pm

      I love these Kate - so pretty and any excuse for Extra Veg!

      Reply
    15. Kimberly-Ann

      February 24, 2015 at 5:50 pm

      I bought a salad mix of baby kale, chard and spinach and used that for the cupcakes and it was awesome. Thank you for putting measurements by weight as I have a Komo flour mill and it is very helpful.

      Reply
    16. Kissley

      February 22, 2015 at 7:53 pm

      Thanks for sharing this recipe. I'm new to baking & I made these today. They tasted more lemony than kale-y & were very dense/heavy. Also, they didn't get very brown on top. When I added the flour the batter got very gummy - is that normal? I did everything by hand - no electric mixer. Do you have any tips/suggestions? Keen try it again. Thanks!

      Reply
    17. Krystle

      February 20, 2015 at 4:23 am

      I just can't get on the green smoothie bandwagon. But these muffins look delicious and like the perfect way to get some greens in for breakfast.

      Reply
    18. Jen

      February 15, 2015 at 6:24 pm

      I hated kale when I was a kid and like you resdiscovered it a few years ago and now will quite happily chuck a large handful in most things I cook for dinner I haven't tried baking with it yet though so that's one to try this year.

      Reply
    19. Jac -Tinned Tomatoes (@tinnedtoms)

      February 13, 2015 at 10:45 pm

      These look fab Katherine. I love the colour and great photos as ever. I always have kale in the fridge for my smoothies. It's so good for you.

      Reply
    20. Strength and Sunshine

      February 13, 2015 at 10:44 pm

      Love it! All the kale!

      Reply
    21. Emily @amummytoo

      February 13, 2015 at 5:32 pm

      I hit the Pin It button on this faster than you can blink! Love this idea - will definitely be trying it.

      Reply
    22. kellie anderson

      February 13, 2015 at 5:30 pm

      I really love this clever use of one of my favourite vegetables (okay, favourite vegetable). Because I grow it I do have a lot of ways to use it, but I don't think I have ever used it in sweet baking. Bookmarking!

      Reply
    23. familyfriendsfoodblog

      February 13, 2015 at 1:28 pm

      I'm not normally one for veg in sweet things but these actually look delicious. May pluck up the nerve to give them a try!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 13, 2015 at 4:41 pm

        I'm definitely one for veg in sweet things ;), and with these you can't taste the kale at all!

        Reply
    24. Kirsten

      February 13, 2015 at 1:15 pm

      Kate,
      My initial reaction was . . . what? But if I have enough sweetener, kale lemonade is delicious, so I'd imagine these muffins are as well.
      The look very pretty!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 13, 2015 at 4:40 pm

        You can't even taste the kale, Kirsten! Kale lemonade?? I'm definitely going to try that!

        Reply
    25. laura_howtocook

      February 13, 2015 at 1:02 pm

      I have loved kale even though it divides people i think it is great, and so are baby kale leaves but I must try it out in these muffins. This recipe sounds like a good way to enjoy kale and the colour of the muffins is so pretty.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 13, 2015 at 4:38 pm

        I love the natural food colouring of kale. So green!

        Reply
    26. Christine

      February 13, 2015 at 12:02 pm

      Never in a million years would I have thought to use kale IN A MUFFIN! And then I scroll down and it's in the apple pie and the cake...and who knew it would make everything green?! That's sure to brighten your day a bit and put some pep in your step...of course it could be the added veggies, too.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 13, 2015 at 4:38 pm

        Welcome to my world, Christine! You'll never look at kale the same way again 😉

        Reply
    27. fabfood4all

      February 13, 2015 at 10:27 am

      I too only discovered Kale recently and would never have dreamed of it going in a sweet muffin or cake. Can you taste any of the kale in the muffin or is it hidden by the vanilla and lemon? Fabulous photography Kate!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 13, 2015 at 4:37 pm

        Nope! As with all of my desserts, you can't taste the vegetable 🙂

        Reply
    28. kittendothroar

      February 12, 2015 at 9:36 pm

      I was a late comer to kale but now can't get enough of its lovely greeny goodness! Your muffins look so tasty and yet virtuous - definitely one to add to my kale list!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 13, 2015 at 4:36 pm

        So many people have embraced the love of kale!

        Reply
    29. Janice (@FarmersgirlCook)

      February 12, 2015 at 7:21 pm

      Kale certainly has had a new lease of life. When I was a child it was very unpopular and only included in Scotch Broth! These muffins looks really tasty.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 13, 2015 at 4:35 pm

        Ha, it's come a long way since Scotch Broth, hasn't it?!

        Reply
    30. Keep Calm and Fanny On

      February 12, 2015 at 4:32 pm

      Mmmm Kale and lemon, lovely! I love your photo for this one too! Yum...

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 13, 2015 at 4:35 pm

        Thanks Fanny! They were definitely yum. 🙂

        Reply
    31. Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche

      February 12, 2015 at 1:59 pm

      Oh these look absolutely gorgeous! And I'm with you - I only had kale for the first time last year I think (!) and now it's one of my favourites!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 13, 2015 at 4:34 pm

        Funny how it was sidelined for so long!

        Reply

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    Popular recipes

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    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

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