Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins with Almond Flour

The warmer months are here in Vermont, which means it is time for blueberry season.  One of my favorite things about living in Vermont is the U-Pick Farms that surround our small town. Unlike Farmer’s Markets, where the produce is already picked for you, U-Pick Farms are a way for you to get in on the action.  It is one of the most enjoyable afternoon activities.

Blueberry season runs from April-September, but they are best picked during their peak, usually around mid-July-August. I thought, what better way to get ready for the height of blueberry season than to create the best wheat-free blueberry muffin recipe.

I choose to make this recipe gluten free (and dairy free!) so that you are left with a super moist blueberry muffin made with almond flour. I designed this recipe based on my Gluten Free Strawberry Cake, sweetening it with maple syrup, a Vermont staple, and adding a hint of lemon zest to brighten up the flavor. It is a healthy blueberry muffin recipe for kids, which makes it a fun baking activity to enjoy with your family!

How To Make Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins

This Gluten Free Dairy Free Blueberry Muffins recipe has 3 folds:

First, mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl – almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.

Second, in a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients – eggs, maple syrup, and vegetable oil. In terms of oil, I used grapeseed oil, but you can also use coconut (melted and cooled), extra virgin olive, avocado, or walnut oil.

Finally, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in the blueberries and lemon zest, scoop the muffin batter into a 12-cup muffin tin, top with a sprinkling of sliced almonds, and bake the simple gluten-free blueberry muffins in a 325-degree oven for 32-35 minutes.  

Enjoy warm from the oven, for breakfast with your morning coffee, or serve to the kids as a healthy afternoon snack!

How To Make Blueberry Muffins With Fresh Blueberries?

Homemade gluten-free blueberry muffins come together quickly and easily with fresh blueberries. Those fat, plump, little blueberries make an exceptional gf blueberry muffin during the spring and summer months when blueberries are in season.

When you get home from the farm or market, give your fresh blueberries a quick rinse and dry them on a clean kitchen towel in one single layer.

This will allow you time to preheat the oven and mix your batter. When ready, gently fold the fresh blueberries into your muffin batter and bake away.

Can You Use Frozen Blueberries in Muffins?

Yes, frozen blueberries are a perfect substitute for fresh blueberries, especially when the berries are not in season.  This simple swap allows you to make these low-fat, gluten-free blueberry muffins any time of year.

Since you will only need 1 cup of frozen blueberries, save the rest of your frozen blueberries for a healthy weeknight snack.  And no need to thaw your frozen berries! Adding the berries to the muffin batter while still frozen will prevent them from bleeding into the batter.

How To Make Gluten-Free Muffins Moist?

Many recipes call for moist blueberry muffins with oil; however, I found that the best way to ensure a moist gluten-free blueberry muffin is with the use of almond flour. Blueberry muffins with gluten free flour blends tend to be dry and crumbly because the gluten-free flour is dry and crumbly.

But almond flour acts much differently. Since almonds have a higher fat content than traditional flour or gluten-free flour blends, the muffins will be moist every time. This higher fat content requires that we use a smaller amount of oil, too!

If you have never baked with almond flour or are nervous because this will be your first time, I assure you it is one of the best swaps you can make in your kitchen pantry. Almond flour provides a nutty, buttery flavor to your baked goods and an added amount of vitamins and minerals.

I have been a big fan of using almond flour for a few years now and have over 17 almond flour recipes on the blog to help you get into it as well.

Don’t want to splurge on the higher price tag of almond flour?  Use my foolproof method for Making Almond Flour at home (cheaper!).

What Temperature to Bake Muffins?

This gluten and dairy free blueberry muffins recipe bake best at a moderate 325 degrees F.  The oven temperature is lower than traditional muffin recipes (typically 375 degrees) because almond flour has a tendency to burn more easily.

How Long to Bake?

As we mentioned, the oven temperature is set to a mere 325 degrees, which means our easy gluten-free blueberry muffins recipe will take longer to bake, about 32-35 minutes.  

You’ll know when the muffins are fully cooked when the centers are slightly puffed and the tops are a light golden brown.

The real trick is allowing them to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before removing.  These few minutes of cooling will make it easier to remove the muffins from the pan. I usually remove them from the muffin cups and cool them on a wire rack until I am ready to serve.

How Many Calories?

One of these healthy gluten-free blueberry muffins has only 127 calories! Not only are these blueberry muffins from scratch gluten-free, but they are also dairy free, wheat-free, refined sugar-free, low carb, and Paleo, too!

How To Store To Keep Them Fresh?

Since these gluten-free blueberry muffins are made with almond flour, the added moisture and fat content in the flour will shorten their shelf life.  I found the best way to store these gluten-free lemon blueberry muffins is in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Can I Freeze Blueberry Muffins with Almond Flour?

Yes, these simple gluten free blueberry muffins can be frozen.  

First, cool completely on a cooling rack for 1 hour. To freeze, simply transfer the muffins to a plastic bag (I use freezer bags ), label, date, and seal tight.  They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Frozen muffins can be thawed completely to room temperature. Alternatively, to rewarm from the frozen muffins, place in a 325-degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or in the microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds-1 minute.

If You Liked This Gluten-Free Muffin Recipe You Might Also Like:

• Blueberry Muffins without Flour
• Almond Flour Banana Nut Muffins
• Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins
• Apple Almond Muffins
• Almond Flour Chocolate Cupcakes
• Almond Flour Bread Recipe
• Banana Coconut Cupcakes
• Almond Flour Cookies

Other Blueberry Recipes You Might Like

• Blueberry Sauce For Pancakes
• Homemade Blueberry Sauce
• Blueberry Salad