By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On January 15, 2023
You are going to love these simple, from scratch, Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes. This bakery-style cupcake is tender and has the perfect amount of lemon.
If you are looking for more gluten free cupcake recipes you might like my gluten free chocolate cupcakes. For more desserts check out my Gluten Free Desserts Recipes.
Gluten Free Lemon Cupcakes
These gluten-free lemon cupcakes are wonderful and will melt in your mouth. They are topped with a fluffy lemon butter cream frosting, adding just the right amount of tang for anyone who loves lemon desserts.
I originally posted this gluten-free cupcake recipe in April of 2014. My photography has improved by leaps and bounds over the past years, and I am having so much fun redoing photos for my recipes. I really want the photos to show you how wonderful these Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes are.
When I originally posted this recipe, I only took one photo. Over the years I've learned that people eat with their eyes, meaning the more photos the better! Within reason, of course.
Have you ever been to site that has ten to fifteen photos on each page? That's a bit too much for even me. I like to have three or four different shots of the recipe, showing different angles. And because that's what I like, I tend to now include three or four photos of the recipe in the post. If you don't want to see my lovely photos, simply scroll down.
These gluten-free lemon cupcakes are one of my all-time favorite gluten-free cupcake recipes. They are simple, fresh, and I just love the burst of lemon flavor you get with them.
Is lemon juice and lemon extract the same?
It's not the same. Lemon juice is acidic and can't be replaced with extract which is usually alcohol based. Similarly, fresh lemon juice and bottled juice react differently. In many cases bottled lemon juice causes batter to get rubbery. If a recipe calls for fresh lemon juice, use fresh lemon juice or you risk ruining the batter.
Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes
These Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes are MAGICAL! They have just the right amount of lemon that leaves you with a sweet and tangy finish and the frosting is second to none. Every time I bring these cupcakes to a party or a BBQ people tell me how refreshing they are.
Kids fight over them. Adults dive for them as soon as the plate hits the counter. I am lucky my family even lets me take them out of the house. Maybe it's because lemon is such a happy flavor, or maybe it's because lemons are yellow and yellow is a bright color, but lemon anything is a favorite of mine.
Just in case you were wondering, these cupcakes are neighbor tested and approved.
How to make gluten-free lemon cupcakes
There are a couple of tips and tricks to getting the right texture with gluten-free cupcakes. First, you have to follow the recipe. So many people comment on recipe posts saying that they made a ton of substitutions and the recipe didn't turn out. Other than the dairy substitute, I haven't tried other substitutes in this recipe. If you use substitutions, you are doing so at your own risk.
Second, you want to mix at the right time and not over-mix. When you are beating the oil, sugar, and eggs you'll want to beat it for the time listed. This adds air which in turn helps the cupcakes rise. Once you add your flour mixture, you'll only want to beat until combined. Beating any longer will cause the batter to stiffen.
Why did my gluten-free lemon cupcakes explode?
First off, you may have overfilled the cupcake wells. Never fill more then ¾ of the way full, and it's best to stick to around ⅔'s of the way full. I use a ¼ measuring cup to fill mine. Another reason could be that you added too much leavening agent, or that you are at higher elevation. Baking powder tends to work twice as hard at higher elevations. Consider cutting your baking powder in half if you are at a higher elevation.
These tips are relevant to most cupcake recipes, not just these Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes.
Working with Gluten-Free Flours
When working with or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour. The best method really is to weigh the gluten-free flour it but I don't have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.
What other milk can I use?
For this recipe I used almond milk, which is a dairy-free milk. You can use regular milk or you milk of choice.
If you like these gluten-free lemon cupcakes you might also like my Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes. If you make this recipe please stop back by and let me know what you thought.
Did you make these gluten free lemon cupcakes? Please stop back by and let me know what you thought in the comments below.
Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes
You are going to love these simple, from scratch, Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 ¼ cups gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup oil
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free vanilla extract
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 medium lemon, not lemon juice from a bottle)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from the same lemon)
- ½ cup milk (or dairy-free milk)
For the frosting:
- ½ cup butter (1 stick), room temperature (or dairy-free butter)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (or 1 teaspoon lemon extract)
- 3-4 tablespoons milk (or dairy-free milk), as needed
Instructions
- For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-serving cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, with an electric beater, beat oil and sugar for one minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating in between each egg. Stir in vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Add the flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients and mix just till combined. Don’t over mix!
- Divide batter among liners, filling ⅔ full (about ¼ cup of batter per cupcake).
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: Beat butter until creamy. Add lemon juice or extract and beat till combined. Beat in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time until it’s all added, alternating with 1 tablespoon of milk. Add more or less milk for desired consistency.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 cupcakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 416Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 188mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 1gSugar: 49gProtein: 3g
Som
Can I substitute flax eggs for the eggs.
chrystal
Hi Som,
I haven't tried or tested using flax eggs for eggs in this recipe myself.
Best,
Chrystal
Batoul
Hi! I found this recipe suddenly and was wondering if these could be made with non-gluten free ingredients?
chrystal
Yes, you can use flour in this recipe.
Best,
Chrystal
Michelle
Hi. did u ever try this? I’d also like to substitute the eggs.
chrystal
I haven't tried an egg replacer in this recipe but in some of my other cupcake recipes I've used Bob's Red Mill egg replacer. I'm not sure how it would turn out in this cupcake recipe due to the acidity from the lemon.
Best,
Chrystal
Lauren Terwilliger
I used the Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer powder and it was perfect!
chrystal
So glad! Thanks for sharing.
Best,
Chrystal
Kim
These were amazing. Delicious and came together quickly! 10 stars!
chrystal
Awe, thank you so much Kim! I'm glad you liked them.
Best,
Chrystal
Brenda Norton
Hi Chrystal,
My grandson has to eat gluten free so I've been really trying to find some good recipes for him. Hands down, your recipes are the best I've found. I make your strawberry shortcakes on a regular basis for all of us. We prefer them to ones made with regular flour. Do you think I can make a loaf out of your lemon cupcakes? I know you have a lemon bread recipe but I like the fact that your muffin recipe calls for lemon juice.
Thank you,
Brenda
chrystal
Hi Brenda,
I'm so glad you like my recipes. My strawberry shortcake is a favorite among many. I haven't tried making a loaf out of my lemon cupcakes. My lemon bread uses fresh lemon too, so maybe check that out again and see if you're interested in making it.
Best,
Chrystal
Audra
Can a sugar substitute be used in for this recipe? If so, what can be used and how much?
chrystal
Hi Audra,
I haven't tried a sugar substitute in this recipe.
Best,
Chrystal
Janie
Excellent! Wondering, though, if you’ve ever made them with butter instead of the oil.
chrystal
Hi Janie,
I'm so glad you liked these gluten free lemon cupcakes. I haven't tried making them with melted butter. I'd imagine the texture would be a bit heavier and the crumb slightly different, but still amazing. I'd use unsalted butter.
Best,
Chrystal
Jennifer
Hi I am just wondering if this cupcake recipe can be made into a cake?
chrystal
Hi Jennifer,
I have a lemon cake recipe that is similar.
Best,
Chrystal
Mary
What type. Of oil do you use
chrystal
I use canola oil or avocado oil.
Best,
Chrystal
Gloria
These were the best gluten free (and perhaps even with gluten) cupcakes I've ever had! We used 3/4 cup of almond flour and 1/2 cup of coconut flour, and a tad over 1 tbs of the lemon zest. I'd recommend this recipe to anyone, including those who eat gluten (like me). I made these because my mother-in-law is celiac, but I would make them regardless. So yummy!
chrystal
Hi Gloria,
I am so glad you loved these gluten free lemon cupcakes. Thank you for sharing what flours you used.
Best,
Chrystal
Leslie
Thank you, Chrystal! These are delicious. Finally, I can make a GF cupcake that tastes like a real cupcake. I used the Pillsbury GF all-purpose flour blend with 1% Lactaid milk. They came out great!! I cut the frosting recipe in half because I don't like a great deal of frosting. Even cutting the recipe in half I had more than enough for 12 cupcakes.
I can't wait to try your other cupcake recipes. I'll never waste money on the GF cupcake mixes that you can buy in the grocery store. This recipe is sooooo much better.
chrystal
Hello Leslie,
I am so glad you like these cupcakes! Thanks for sharing what you used. I don't buy mixes either. If you ever wanted to you could mix up the dry ingredients and store them in a jar as your "mix".
Happy baking!
Best,
Chrystal
Chloe
It is delicious and my family loves it especially my mother who is GF
chrystal
I'm so glad! Thank you for stopping by to let me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Pat
I only have coconut flour now can I use that for this recipe and how much would I use?
chrystal
Hi Pat,
Coconut flour doesn't work as a 1-to-1 for gluten free flour. I'm not sure how much you would use in this recipe. Sorry I can't be more help.
Best,
Chrystal
brenda walker
Hey, just wondering how many cupcakes this recipe makes? My son is having a bday party! Thanks so much...
chrystal
Hi Brenda,
This recipes makes 12 cupcakes.
Best,
Chrystal
Ellie
If I wanted to add blueberries in, would I have to reduce the amount of liquid to avoid them getting too wet/soggy?
They look delicous!
chrystal
Hi Ellie,
You don't need to reduce the amount of liquid. I've added blueberries to cupcakes before with no problem.
Best,
Chrystal
Kelli
These look amazing! My daughter has requested lemon raspberry cupcakes for her 7th birthday in a couple weeks. I do not want to mess with your recipe, as I know it is perfect as written. But I wanted to get your opinion about whether you think it would work to add sieved freeze dried raspberry powder to the batter...and if so, do I need to add more liquid? I live in Colorado and typically need to add a bit more liquid to my batters in general. I would appreciate your input! Thank you for what you do!
chrystal
HI Kelli,
Happy 7th birthday to your daughter! I haven't personally tried adding in freeze dried fruit powders. Sorry I can't be more help.
Best,
Chrystal
Mara
If I wanted to have a 9x13 cake or two 9 inch rounds, would I double this recipe? It looks so delicious!!
chrystal
Hi Mara,
You can double this recipe, or look up "lemon cake" on my site. I have a different recipe for cake 🙂
Best,
Chrystal
Lindsey
Hi,
for the frosting, did you use salted or unsalted butter?
chrystal
Hi Lindsey,
You can use either salted or unsalted.
Best,
Chrystal
Marla
I made the GF lemon cup cakes today but forgot the almond milk. They still turned out fluffy and wonderful? Even without the 1/2 c milk I got 13 cupcakes using a 1/4 measuring cup for each.
My question is, what does the almond milk add?
chrystal
That's great that it still turned out! The milk helps combine the ingredients, it helps with the texture, and it adds to the sweetness.
Best,
Chrystal
Chris
I saw that the recipe called for milk, but in the direction instructions I didn’t see where to add the milk (other than the frosting.) Did I miss something?
Chris
Nevermind. I’ve now seen where it goes. Ooops. Sorry
Janie
These were excellent and you’d never know they were gluten free. And I am a serious baker! Thank you for your great website!
chrystal
I am so glad you like them.
Best,
Chrystal
Grace
Just made these for mother's day and they are fantastic. I'm not a very experienced gluten free baker (I'm only 15), but they came out really nice. I did a dairy free frosting too which was delicious. Thanks for the great recipe!
chrystal
I’m so glad you like them. Thank you for letting me know.
Trevor
Made these and they were Ah-Mazing! Curious if I could do them with an all purpose flour as opposed to the Bob's Red Mill I did when doing this recipe the first few times?
Trevor
For a non gf version is what I mean
chrystal
You should be able to make them with a non gluten free flour, but I haven't tried it myself.
Best,
Chrystal
Vania
I made these today. Before I to adding milk, I decided that song it would make it far too liquid for cupcake mixture, so I left out out. They still turned out perfectly, which is a bit confusing! Maybe it was so liquidy because a used really large eggs?
chrystal
I am so glad you liked them. Yes, if you use extra large eggs it adds more moisture.
Best,
Chrystal
Christina Fast
Could I use coconut oil instead maybe? Thank you !
chrystal
Yes, you can use melted and cooled coconut oil.
Best,
Chrystal
Ashley Reddy
Hi, can I use almond flour for this recipe in the same quantity as gluten free flour?
chrystal
Hi Ashley,
Almond flour works very differently in recipes and it won't work in this recipe. You can google paleo lemon cake and you should find one that uses lemon. I'll add a paleo lemon cake to my list of recipes to make.
Best,
Chrystal
Susan Hogsett
i struggle with GF baking But these cupcakes were easy & delicious I scooped out the middle of the cupcakes & put in some of my Mother in-law's homemade lemon jelly. Topped with the frosting & they were a hit!! Thanks for the recipe!!
chrystal
I am so glad you liked them Susan. I hope you find many more gluten free recipes that you love.
Best,
Chrystal
Whoops!
hi,
I’m not sure what I did wrong but these turned out kind of a cookie dough consistency... any ideas what I might’ve done? I’m still quite new to baking haha.
chrystal
Can you tell me which flour blend you used and what lemon juice (fresh or bottled)?
Best,
Chrystal
Priya
Thank you for this recipe Chrystal.
I halved it to make just 6 cupcakes (without frosting) and it worked a treat.
I found the cupcakes to be slightly drier the next day? Any idea what can be done to make cupcake slightly moist? more milk or lemon juice?
Other than that really happy with the recipe.
chrystal
I am so glad you loved it. Thank you for letting me know and for sharing that you halved it. They shouldn't be dry the next day. Try pulling them out of the oven a minute or two earlier. Cupcakes keep cooking for a couple minutes after you pull them out of the oven. Also, frosting helps retain moisture, it might be that leaving off the frosting is also causing it to dry out quicker.
Best,
Chrystal
Marilyn
Hi Chrystal,
I hope you're doing well. Can I make these Lemon Cupcakes with your DIY Homemade Gluten Free Flour that doesn't have Xanthan Gum? Thank you so much!
Take care,
Marilyn
chrystal
Hi Marilyn,
Yes, you can use my gluten free flour blend to make these cupcakes. You don't need to add xanthan gum. I hope that helps. Happy Holidays!
Best,
Chrystal
Bette Stalsberg
Is it possible to freeze these cupcakes before frosting them? Then frost them after letting them come to room temperature on the day you want to serve them? Thanks.
chrystal
Yes, you can freeze the cupcakes. I recommend frosting them after you defrost the cupcakes and are ready to serve them.
Best,
Chrystal
C, Shakeshaft
How big is a cup measurement in ounces and grams, or does it not matter what size cup is used. We are in England and we go by weight etc. Thanks. Chris.
chrystal
I am working on converting my recipes to grams 🙂 For this recipe the flour blend I use is 180g. for 1 and 1/4 cups.
Kamillia
I made this as my first ever gluten free recipe, man they are so good! Although, I only had enough batter for 10 cupcakes, even though I used the 1/4th cup and 2/3rds method? Oh well, I plan on doubling the recipe next time lol!
Also, my frosting was grainy and way too liquidy. Any tips there?
Thank you so much!
chrystal
I am so glad you like them. For the frosting, add less lemon juice and see if that helps.
Best,
Chrystal