Gluten-Free Muffins: 5 Simple and Delicious Recipes

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Gluten-Free MuffinsNowadays, people are often rushing in the morning, which is why breakfast is nothing more than coffee and a donut or muffin from a nearby fast food restaurant.

Somehow, the muffin became synonymous with healthy food.

However, a muffin is the breakfast version of a cupcake without the cake batter and frosting. Many muffins from stores are loaded with processed wheat, sugar, and fat.

As a result, muffins are among the worst processed foods you can eat. With that in mind, gluten-free muffins may provide an occasional treat for those seeking a healthier alternative.

For people with a healthy lifestyle, baked goods are often still on the table. After all, we are human, and we should enjoy a treat every so often. Baking is a great way to bring creativity to the kitchen. At the same time, your baked goods can also be healthy, gluten-free, and can sometimes even include vegetables.

Gluten and wheat are considered the most common and undiagnosed food sensitivities today. Gluten can trigger a laundry list of symptoms, such as depression, joint pain, memory problems, nutrient deficiencies, and of course digestive distress like cramps, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. For these reasons, a simple change of your muffin can benefit your health in many ways.

Here are five gluten-free muffin recipes I’m sure will have you rethink breakfast.

5 Gluten-Free Muffins Recipes

1. Carrot Gingerbread Muffins Recipe

As I said, gluten-free muffins can also contain vegetables. The following gluten-free recipe contains about a quarter cup of carrots. Carrots are loaded with vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, and carotenoids like lycopene and beta-carotene. As a result, these gluten-free muffins are great for lung health, eye health, and heart health.

The following recipe will take about an hour, and yield 12 to 18 muffins.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of coconut flour
  • 6 organic eggs
  • ½ cup of coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup of blackstrap molasses
  • ¼ cup of pure maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon of ground cloves
  • 3 cups of shredded carrots
  • ½ cup of currants

Frosting (optional):

  • ½ cup of coconut butter
  • ¼ teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon of orange zest
  • ½ cup of coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut
  • 1 tablespoon of maple syrup

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk the eggs, coconut oil, pure vanilla extract, maple syrup, and molasses in a large mixing bowl. Sift in the sea salt, baking soda, coconut flour, ginger, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Add the currants and carrot, and combine well.

In a muffin tin, scoop a quarter cup of the batter into each lined muffin container with natural parchment muffin paper. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Combine the frosting ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Allow the muffins to cool slightly before frosting them.

2. Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins Recipe

The pumpkin is more than a Halloween ornament. It is also a type of winter squash that is packed with nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.

The coconut oil and coconut flour provide healthy fat to the recipe, while maple syrup and vanilla extract give it some natural sweetness. If you are unable to find fresh cranberries for this recipe, substitute them with walnuts instead.

This recipe will yield about 12 muffins, and will again take under an hour to make.

Ingredients:

  • 6 organic eggs
  • ¼ cup of canned pumpkin
  • ½ cup of melted coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup of pure maple syrup
  • ½ cup of coconut flour
  • ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk the eggs, coconut oil, pumpkin, maple syrup, and pure vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Sift in the sea salt, baking soda, coconut flour, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir the ingredients until they are well combined. Then, gently fold in the cranberries.

In a muffin tin, scoop a quarter cup of the batter into each lined muffin container with natural parchment muffin paper. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Let them cool and enjoy.

3. Coconut Apple Muffins Recipe

I’m sure you are used to muffins with fruit in them. But, maybe you are less familiar with sweet potatoes as a muffin ingredient. Due to the high-fiber content in the sweet potatoes and gluten-free flours, these muffins will balance your blood sugar, and help you feel full for longer periods of time.

This gluten-free coconut and apple muffin recipe will yield a dozen muffins, and will take about 45 minutes to complete.

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup of brown rice flour
  • ¾ cup of buckwheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • ½ cup of sunflower seeds, ground in a coffee grinder
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt

Wet ingredients:

  • ²⁄3 cup of maple syrup
  • 1 organic egg
  • ¹⁄3 cup of applesauce
  • ¹⁄3 cup of filtered water
  • ¼ cup of coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Apple and coconut mixture:

  • ¹⁄3 cup of diced apples
  • ¹⁄3 cup of organic unsweetened shredded coconut
  • ¹⁄3 cup of peeled and grated sweet potato

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a 12-cup muffin tin with unbleached paper liners.

Combine all the dry ingredients together and set aside. Then, combine all the wet ingredients in a blender on low speed.

Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir in the apple, sweet potato, and coconut.

Place about a quarter cup of the mixture into each lined muffin cup. Sprinkle with additional shredded coconut.

Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted into the center of a muffin cleanly.

4. Banana Pecan Muffins Recipe

The following muffin recipe calls for a chia paste rather than eggs. Some people are allergic to eggs, and a chia paste makes for a great egg substitute.

The other main ingredients for this gluten-free muffin recipe include pecans, bananas, coconut oil, coconut flour, and a variety of ground spices like turmeric, nutmeg, and cinnamon. The combination of spices with the other ingredients is very delicious.

It’s a good thing this recipe makes 12 muffins, as I’m sure you’ll want more than just one.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup of chia seeds to make 1/3 cup of ground chia
  • ²⁄3 cup of filtered water
  • 3 bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup of raw pecan pieces
  • ¹⁄3 cup of melted coconut oil
  • ¹⁄3 cup of coconut nectar
  • 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup of coconut flour
  • ½ teaspoon of baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon of ground turmeric
  • 12 pecan halves for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a 12-cup muffin pan with unbleached parchment paper baking cups.

Grind the chia seeds in a clean spice or coffee grinder. In a large bowl, mix the ground seeds and water, and let it sit for two to three minutes to gel.

Once the seeds gel, mix in the pecans, bananas, coconut nectar, coconut oil, and vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine the baking soda, sea salt, coconut flour, and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until combined and there are no lumps.

Place the batter into the lined muffin cups, and top each muffin with a pecan half. Bake for about 40 minutes. Once done let it cool, and enjoy.

5. Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe

A muffin can be much more than a muffin when you add a vegetable. In this recipe, we will add some grated zucchini, which is full of manganese, vitamin C, and fiber. Zucchini is a versatile ingredient that can be grilled, spiraled, baked, and added to tortillas. Who knew it could also be a muffin ingredient?

Not only that, but it also tastes great with chocolate and coconut flour. Also, having healthy dark chocolate in this recipe is a no-brainer, and everyone that tastes these muffins will likely take another. The recipe also contains healthy fat with flaxseeds and walnuts.

Again, this recipe makes 12 gluten-free muffins, and will take about 45 minutes to create.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed
  • 1 ¼ cup of almond milk
  • 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt
  • 2 cups of coconut flour
  • ½ cup of coconut sugar
  • ¹⁄3 cup of unsweetened cacao powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon of baking soda
  • 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • ¹⁄3 cup of mini dairy-free dark chocolate chips
  • ²⁄3 cup of chopped walnuts
  • 1 ¼ cups of lightly packed grated zucchini (about ½ a medium zucchini)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a 12-cup muffin pan with unbleached parchment paper baking cups. Lightly grease with oil.

In a small bowl, combine ground flaxseeds and three tablespoons of filtered water. Set it aside.

In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice and almond milk. Set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine coconut flour, coconut sugar, cacao powder, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.

In the milk mixture, stir in the flaxseed mixture, vanilla, and maple syrup. Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture, and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, walnuts, and zucchini. Be careful not to overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, and fill them up about three-quarters. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the muffins slowly spring back when touched. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the muffin.

Let the muffins cool for five minutes before removing from the pan. Allow them to cool completely on a rack.

Now you know a muffin can be a lot healthier than most store-bought varieties with all-purpose flour as the main ingredient. Although muffins should be a treat rather than breakfast, it is still good to make them once in a while for your family and friends. Like most baked goods, you can personalize them to your preferred taste.

Many of the gluten-free muffin recipes provided above contain coconut flour. But, feel free to substitute with other gluten-free flours, such as almond flour, hazelnut flour, quinoa flour, buckwheat flour, or brown rice flour. Also, as a bonus, the recipes are full of fiber, which will balance your blood sugar and keep you satisfied throughout your day. You will surely enjoy every last bite!


Read More:

500-Calorie Breakfast: How It Can Make or Break Your Day

Sustainable Weight Loss: Why Your Diet Isn’t Working



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Liddon, A., The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out (Toronto: Penguin Canada Books Inc., 2014), 227-228.
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