Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins + VIDEO

Tender, soft muffins studded with juicy blueberries. These muffins are extra tender thanks to sour cream, and have the best flavor thanks to melted butter. These muffins check all the boxes–you’ll want one every morning! These muffins are free of: wheat, gluten, soy, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts and sesame.

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WHY THESE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS ROCK

It doesn’t get much more classic for breakfast, than a warm, moist muffin right out of the oven with a smidgen of butter on it. ESPECIALLY when it’s a blueberry muffin.

Tender vanilla cake, juicy sweet blueberries…it doesn’t get much better than that!

Even though these are gluten-free they have such a fantastic crumb thanks to the fat from the sour cream. Some muffins use all butter, but I feel that can weigh the cake down, and some use only oil and I feel like that lacks in flavor, so we did the best of both worlds and use both for both flavor and ultimate texture.

You are going to inhale these!

WHAT GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR TO USE

Gluten-free baking can be expensive, so I like to make it as economical as possible. I use Walmart’s brand, Great Value, all purpose gluten-free flour. I believe it would also work with King Arthur’s Measure for Measure, as their ingredients are very similar.

Please note that each brand of gluten-free flour differs slightly in the grains they use and the ratios they use, so swapping out another brand may result in different results. I always try to look for flours that mostly use rice flour, potato starch and tapioca starch. I would definitely not sub in a single grain flour, as it takes multiple grains to mimic a regular wheat flour. Be sure that your all purpose flour blend also includes xanthan. 

CAN I MAKE THESE EGG FREE?

I have not recipe tested them without the egg, but would think that Ener-G egg replacer would be your best bet. I would not recommend flax or chia because that will make the cupcake look speckled. I wouldn’t recommend bananas or applesauce because that will throw off the delicate vanilla flavor the cake part has.

DO I HAVE TO USE ALMOND EXTRACT?

Certainly not. If you have tree nut allergies, omit this. It’s not crucial to the recipe, but I do like to use just a smidge of it, because it gives it an extra layer of flavor.

CAN I MAKE THESE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS DAIRY FREE?

I have not perfected a gluten free AND dairy free version yet. I will post when I do. The sour cream makes it a bit tricky. I plan to recipe test with some Tofutti sour cream and Country Crock Plant Butter to see if I can get it to come out similarly. If you try it before I do, please be sure to comment below!

I have TONS of gluten free dairy free muffin recipes if you’d like to check those out instead.

TIPS FOR MAKING BLUEBERRY MUFFINS GLUTEN-FREE

• The only thing you’ll need to swap out to make these muffins gluten-free is the flour. It’s a simple swap and is the only specialty ingredient you’ll need.
• Mix the dry ingredients and then wet ingredients separate, then mix together. 
• Make sure your butter is melted.
• Spoon then level your flour, so that you don’t compact it and inadvertently use too much.
• There is an old method of feeling like you have to toss the blueberries with some flour before putting it into the muffins so the blueberries don’t sink to the bottom, and that has been debunked and you don’t have to do that extra step. If you don’t like blueberries ending up on the bottom (the juice can make it stick to the pan/liner more) then you can put just a very small amount of plain batter in the bottom of each cup. Then, stir the blueberries into the remaining batter and add the rest to finish filling each muffin tin. That way, you’re insulating the berries from being able to reach the bottom. 
• Make sure your baking powder and baking soda aren’t expired, as that will affect the rise.
• Be sure to grease your muffin tin (or liners if using, I never do) well so that they don’t stick and come out easily.
• Be sure to bake your muffins in a preheated oven at 425 for 8 minutes (this helps them rise higher), then without opening the oven, turn it down to 350 to bake for the remaining time.
• Because the batter is very thick, I like to take a greased finger and smooth out the tops of the batter, so that they don’t look poky and misshapen before baking.
• It’s not required, but it sure makes them look extra pretty if you sprinkle them with some white sparkling sugar before baking. It makes them look more bakery style and gives a nice little crunch on top!
• Once you pull them from the oven, leave them in the hot tray for five minutes, to finish setting and ensure the middle gets done. Then, remove them to a wire wrack to finish cooling.

CAN I USE FROZEN BLUEBERRIES?

Yes, you can. I’ve only made it with fresh, but have read that you can with frozen. But, do not thaw, just toss them in frozen.

Also, you can add as little as 1/3 cup berries to 3/4 cup berries, depending on how berry heavy you like it. My kids tend to pick them out, so I did a little less than a 1/2 cup. 

I haven’t tried this with blackberries or raspberries, but would assume you could easily swap in a different berry as well. If you try it, be sure to comment below!

WHAT INGREDIENTS YOU NEED

• All purpose gluten-free flour with xanthan in it
• Sugar
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Table salt
• Unsalted butter
• Canola oil (may substitute vegetable oil, or other neutral oil of choice)
• Egg 
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract (omit if tree nut allergies)
• Sour cream
• Fresh or frozen blueberries
• Optional: sparkling sugar 

WHAT TOOLS YOU NEED

• Large and medium mixing bowl
• Spoon, whisk and spatula for stirring
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Muffin tin
• Liners, optional–I never use them
• Non-stick cooking spray of choice
• Hot pads
• Wire wrack for cooling

HOW TO STORE THESE

I prefer to eat them the day off. You can store them at room temperature, covered for 2-3 days, but they’re always best on day 1. Some people choose to freeze these, though I always find that gluten-free goods can become a bit gummy (due to the rice flour) when thawing. It’s not unsalvageable, but it’s not preferred for my level of pickiness. 

OTHER GLUTEN-FREE MUFFINS

I adore muffins! Breakfast is my favorite meal and I like to have a good variety when it comes to muffins so I don’t tire of them. they’re so filling and portable, making them a great on-the-go breakfast, after school snack, or even part of a packed lunch!

All of the muffins on my site are gluten-free. Be sure to check them all out. I love my chocolate chip muffins, my cinna-swirl muffins, my double chocolate banana muffins, my spiced applesauce muffins, my oatmeal and brown sugar muffins, just to name a few!

I also have a list of over 150+ allergy friendly breakfast ideas.

IS THERE A VIDEO SHOWING HOW TO MAKE IT?

Yes there is! The video should auto populate. If it doesn’t, it’s embedded into the recipe card at the bottom. If all else fails, you can view the video on my YouTube channel. I hope it will help you feel more confident with your baking!

DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT, SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT. WHILE YOU’RE THERE, BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER GLUTEN-FREE PINS.