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.
If you have been following me for a while you know that I love baking with almond flour and these gluten free muffin recipe is my newest addition to my collection of almond flour desserts.
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!
Ingredients:
As it is with any muffin recipes, the ingredients can be divided into three categories:
- Dry ingredients: Almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Eggs, maple syrup, and oil (grape seed oil, coconut oil (melted & cooled) or avocado oil are my favorite)
- Last minute add ins: Blueberries, lemon zest and sliced almonds.
Don’t want to splurge on the higher price tag of almond flour? Use my foolproof method for Making Almond Flour at home (cheaper!).
How To Make Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
This Gluten Free Dairy Free Blueberry Muffins recipe has 3 folds:
- Mix Dry Ingredients: mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl – almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
- Whisk Wet Ingredients: 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.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: 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!
PRO TIP: To prevent your blueberries (fresh or frozen) from sinking to the bottom during baking, toss the berries with 1-2 Tablespoons of the almond flour mixture before folding into the batter.
Coating the berries with the recipe’s dry ingredients helps the blueberries stick to the muffin batter, giving you specks of warm, melty blueberries well distributed throughout the muffin.
FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
One of these healthy gluten-free blueberry muffins has only 233 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.
A Few Tips For The Best Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins:
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature.
PRO TIP: If you are like me, always forget to get the eggs out in the morning, a quick and easy way to warm up your cold, refrigerator eggs is to place them in a bowl of warm tap water for about 10 minutes before cracking. - Use any neutral flavored, unrefined oil you have in your pantry. I really enjoy the flavor of grapeseed oil, but walnut or coconut oil would work just as well.
- Can I swap maple syrup with honey? Yes, especially if you want a sweeter, more floral Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin. To do so, simply replace the maple syrup with an equal amount of wildflower honey.
- These gluten free blueberry muffins are best the day they are baked, still warm from the oven. However, if you do store them in the fridge to enjoy during the week, just warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds for a delicious, nutritious breakfast or afternoon snack.
- Want to turn these into Gluten Free Blueberry Cupcakes? Add ½ tsp Pure Almond Extract to the wet ingredients, omit the sliced almonds, and when completely cool, top with a heaping dollop of freshly maple whipped cream, more fresh blueberries, and enjoy!
- Want to try a muffin recipe made with a combination of almond and coconut flours instead? Try my flourless blueberry muffins.
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
- Toblerone Muffins
Other Blueberry Recipes You Might Like
Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups almond flour (8.4 oz. )
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup neutral vegetable oil coconut, walnut, or grapeseed oil would work
For the Blueberry Muffins
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries*
- Zest of a lemon
- 3 tablespoons sliced almonds optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325-F (165-C) degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, until no lumps remaining. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk eggs, maple syrup, and oil.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and give it a good whisk until there are no lumps.
- Fold in the blueberries and lemon zest.
- Divide the batter equally in the prepared muffin tin.
- Sprinkle with sliced almonds (if using).
- Bake 32-35 minutes or until muffins turn golden brown.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes and serve while it is still warm.
Video
Notes
- Can I use frozen blueberries to make these 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.
- Use any neutral flavored, unrefined oil you have in your pantry. I really enjoy the flavor of grapeseed oil, but walnut or coconut oil would work just as well.
- Can I swap maple syrup with honey? Yes, especially if you want a sweeter, more floral Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin. To do so, simply replace the maple syrup with an equal amount of wildflower honey.
- These gluten free blueberry muffins are best the day they are baked, still warm from the oven. However, if you do store them in the fridge to enjoy during the week, just warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds for a delicious, nutritious breakfast or afternoon snack.
Lynne
Every time I bake with almond flour my desert turns out too wet or soggy, what am I doing wrong?
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Lynne,
Not knowing what recipes you are following it is hard for me to tell you exactly why. However, here are a few ways to prevent almond flour baked goods being too wet or soggy:
1. Make sure that your oven temperature is exactly what the recipe calls for. If it is less than the suggested temp it might not fully bake.
2. Allow the baked good cool completely.
3. If you are using fruit in the recipe, be sure to get the fruit juices out as much as possible. I run into this issue with my almond flour apple cake. Since apple slices release a lot of juices during the baking process, I make sure to drain as much liquid as possible before I fold the apples into the batter.
4. I am still testing this theory but as I am testing more and more recipes I am learning that not all almond flour sold in the stores are equal. Again, I am not exactly sure that this is 100% the case but some has a weird smell while others act different in different recipes. My issues are mostly with taste and smell.
This is all I can think of so far but if you could let me know more about your experience, I’ll be more than happy to help as best as I can.
Cheers,
Ice
Fatimah
Will definitely make again! I was surprised how hard it was to find a GF blueberry muffin recipe that didn’t just call for a GF all purpose flour. Followed the recipe exactly (coconut oil was my oil of choice), love the lemon zest in these, zero complaints, kids gobbled them up! Thanks!
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Fatimah,
This is music to my ears. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Cheers!
Lynne Chartier
This recipe states these blueberry muffins are 127 calories each for 12 muffins. But if you add up the calories in each ingredient, it works out to double that. How can 127 be correct?
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Lynne,
You were right. The nutrition calculator I was using was not adding it up correctly for some reason.
I ran the recipe through it again and now it shows 233 calories per muffin.
Thanks for pointing it out.
Meg Watson
Loved the lemon in the muffins. Too much oil, all over the fingers when serving. They still stuck to my muffin tin for some reason. Others have just fallen out. Delicious however.
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Meg,
Thanks for your input and for taking the time to leave a review.
I am surprised that you found 1/4 cup of oil to be too oily. I will test the recipe again with a little bit less oil and see how it works.
It is important to grease muffin tins well. I will be sure to leave a note in the recipe as well.
Thanks again. Cheers!
Diana
I think this are the best blueberry muffins I’ve ever had! I loved them! Thank you for the recipe.
Aysegul Sanford
Awwww this note makes me so happy Diana. I am thrilled to hear that you like this recipe.
It is a favorite in our house as well, especially during the blueberry season.
Cheers!
mary dwan
Ayes, these are great! In fact, every recipe of yours that I have made has been exceptionally good. I am freezing a few for Chrissann to taste when she visits in July.
Have a great summer!
Mary
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! This is music to my ears Mary. I am sure she will love them. Thanks for coming by and leaving a comment. Sending you the warmest hugs from the green mountains of Vermont.
Darly Spacey
This is my new favorite for my afternoon snack. The texture and the combination of blueberries are perfect. Thanks for the nice video also.
Aysegul Sanford
This is music to my ears Darly. So glad you liked it. Thanks for stopping by.
Janet
I love baking with almond flour! I’m going to check out the Strawberry Cake recipe as well. Can’t believe I missed that one.
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! I hope you like it. Thank you for stopping by.
Traci | Vanilla And Bean
What a fabulous blueberry muffin, Ayse! I love the texture and flavor of almond flour and with blueberries, even better! Thank you for all your tips and suggestions too! Delicious!
Aysegul Sanford
Can’t agree more. I love the combination of blueberries with nutty almond flour. So happy to hear that you liked it as well.
Sending you the warmest hugs my friend.
Easyfoodsmith
They look gorgeous and so delicious!
Aysegul Sanford
Thanks!
Toni
I really loved these muffins! Something I could eat any time of the day!
Aysegul Sanford
I know, right? They are the perfect afternoon pick me up. 🙂
Sommer
Love to make these to have on hand for those busy mornings! These are just perfect for my morning snack.
Aysegul Sanford
Can’t agree more. Thanks Sommer.
Tanya
These were incredible! The texture was spot on!
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! Thanks Tanya.
Julie
I love these blueberry muffins! They are so moist and a perfect snack or breakfast.
Aysegul Sanford
I do too, especially when blueberries are in season. Thanks Julie.
Liz
These muffins made a perfect breakfast treat! So moist and delicious—-I love the lemon blueberry combo!
Aysegul Sanford
I am a big fan of the lemon and blueberry combo as well. So happy to hear that you liked them.
Suzy
I love how these are gluten free!!