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!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Get the Recipe
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
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Lemon Kale Muffins
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
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.
Irene
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.
Frances
Hi,
Just made them and their really nice. Kids are eating their kale 🙂
Sherri Neil
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.
Dannii
I love any kind of lemon dessert, and the addition of kale is just genius.
Amanda
Such a beautiful natural colour and so brilliant for kids and veg shy adults too!
Nart at Cooking with Nart
These muffins are so delicious and gorgeous. Who would have thought that kale and lemon would go so well together?! Such a great creation. 🙂
David
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!
Isabel Cueva
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.
Mary K Rusk
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!
Diana
I used finely chopped raw kale and turned out delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Jayne
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.
The Free From Fairy
These look amazing! I would never think of putting kale in a sweet cake! Brilliant!
Michelle
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!
Elizabeth
Oh this sounds amazing! I'd love one for breakfast just now, if I could?! 🙂 Thanks for sharing with Credit Crunch Munch!
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
I love these Kate - so pretty and any excuse for Extra Veg!
Kimberly-Ann
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.
Kissley
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!
Krystle
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.
Jen
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.
Jac -Tinned Tomatoes (@tinnedtoms)
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.
Strength and Sunshine
Love it! All the kale!
Emily @amummytoo
I hit the Pin It button on this faster than you can blink! Love this idea - will definitely be trying it.
kellie anderson
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!
familyfriendsfoodblog
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!
Kate Hackworthy
I'm definitely one for veg in sweet things ;), and with these you can't taste the kale at all!
Kirsten
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!
Kate Hackworthy
You can't even taste the kale, Kirsten! Kale lemonade?? I'm definitely going to try that!
laura_howtocook
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.
Kate Hackworthy
I love the natural food colouring of kale. So green!
Christine
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.
Kate Hackworthy
Welcome to my world, Christine! You'll never look at kale the same way again 😉
fabfood4all
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!
Kate Hackworthy
Nope! As with all of my desserts, you can't taste the vegetable 🙂
kittendothroar
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!
Kate Hackworthy
So many people have embraced the love of kale!
Janice (@FarmersgirlCook)
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.
Kate Hackworthy
Ha, it's come a long way since Scotch Broth, hasn't it?!
Keep Calm and Fanny On
Mmmm Kale and lemon, lovely! I love your photo for this one too! Yum...
Kate Hackworthy
Thanks Fanny! They were definitely yum. 🙂
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
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!
Kate Hackworthy
Funny how it was sidelined for so long!