Preheat and prep. Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it. This helps the muffins release cleanly and brown evenly.

Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup plant milk, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup neutral oil, 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Let it sit for 2 minutes to slightly thicken.

Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. If using lemon zest, add 1 teaspoon to the dry mix.

Bring it together gently. Pour the dry mix into the wet ingredients. Stir with a spatula until just combined. The batter should be thick and a little lumpy. Do not overmix or your muffins will turn dense.

Fold in the blueberries. Add 1 1/2 cups blueberries. If using frozen, do not thaw—fold them in straight from the freezer to avoid purple batter. A light hand keeps berries from breaking.

Portion the batter. Divide evenly among the 12 muffin cups. For a bakery-style look, fill each cup about 3/4 full. Sprinkle tops with a pinch of turbinado sugar if you like a crunchy finish.

Bake. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Ovens vary, so start checking at 18 minutes.

Cool properly. Let muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. This step keeps the bottoms from getting soggy and helps the crumb set.

Enjoy. Serve warm or at room temperature. They pair well with coffee, tea, or a dollop of dairy-free yogurt.