Gluten-free corn muffins are one of the tastiest—and easiest—gluten-free goods you can make. The recipe included below makes sweet muffins with a cake-like texture. Have fun changing it up to suit your tastes. Reduce the sugar for a more savory muffin to serve with chili. Or stir in blueberries for a yummy blueberry corn muffin.

If you love corn muffins, you’ll want to try this classic gluten-free cornbread recipe or this spicy and cheesy gluten-free jalapeno cornbread.

How to Make Gluten-Free Corn Muffins.

This recipe is so simple to put together. Here’s how to make the batter. (Full recipe with amounts and ingredients is listed below!)

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add the milk, eggs and oil. 
3. Mix until the batter is smooth. 
4. Spoon batter into a prepared muffin pan. Bake for about 50 minutes.

How to Store and Freeze Gluten-Free Corn Muffins. 

Gluten-free corn muffins stay fresh on the counter for about three days. Store them covered or wrapped to prevent them from drying out. 

How to Freeze.

• Let the muffins cool completely. You don’t want to freeze hot or warm muffins or they’ll get crumbly when thawed. 
• Place muffins in a freezer container. Freeze for up to three months. Allow the muffins to thaw at room temperature. 

How to Reheat.

Place the muffin on a microwave-safe plate. Heat for 20 seconds on low. Repeat as needed. 

Gluten-free muffins also taste great grilled or toasted. To grill, split the muffin in half and cook on a buttered skillet or grill pan until lightly brown. Toast the muffin in a toaster oven or air-fryer until warmed through.

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Gluten-Free Corn Muffins

These gluten-free corn muffins are cakey and sweet, just like the ones sold at a bakery. To make the recipe, simply mix all the ingredients together in one bowl. Spoon the batter into a muffin pan and bake.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 188kcal

Ingredients

• nonstick cooking spray or paper muffin liners
• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, see note 1 (5 ounces; 140 grams)
• 1 cup gluten-free cornmeal, see note 2 (5 ¼ ounces; 148 grams)
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar (5 ounces; 140 grams)
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup milk, see note 3 for a dairy-free variation (5 ⅓ ounces; 150 grams)
• ½ cup vegetable oil or melted and slightly cooled butter (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 2 large eggs, whisked (about 4 ounces; 113 grams)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper liners. 
• Whisk together gluten-free flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add milk, oil, and eggs. Whisk until batter is smooth. 
• Fill prepared muffin cups about ⅔ full. Bake until muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 
• Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely. Store, wrapped, on the counter for up to three days or freeze, up to three months. 

Notes

Note 1: Gluten-Free Flour. The recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. For the best results, use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan or guar gum. If your blend doesn’t, whisk ½ teaspoon into the recipe along with the other dry ingredients. 

Note 2: Gluten-Free Cornmeal. If you prefer a soft, cake-like muffin, use finely ground cornmeal. For a muffin with a little crunch, use medium-ground cornmeal. I’d avoid coarsely ground or polenta-style cornmeal. It’s very coarse and will make the muffins unpleasantly crumbly.

Note 3: Dry-Free Variation. Replace the milk with your favorite dairy-free milk.

Variations

• Blueberry Corn Muffins. Stir in 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  1 cup frozen corn kernels.
• Extra Corny Muffins. Add 1 (8.25) can creamed corn. Be sure to use the eight-ounce can. The 15-ounce size can make the muffins too moist and almost gummy.
• Cranberry or Cherry Corn Muffins. Add 1 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries suggested.
• Bacon Corn Muffins. Add ½ cup cooked and crumbled bacon.
  

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If you love gluten-free zucchini bread but don’t feel like making a loaf, these muffins are for you. They’re light and delicate with a lovely sweetness and spice. Plus they freeze beautifully—making them perfect for when you have lots of zucchini to use. 

You can serve the muffins for breakfast, of course. But I often find myself reaching for one as an afternoon snack or toasted and spread with cinnamon butter for a nice dessert. 

I think after one bite, you’ll adore this recipe as much as I do. If after making a batch you still have lots of zucchini on hand, make some gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread. It’s so rich and chocolatey.

Ingredients in Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins.

These muffins are made with a handful of gluten-free pantry staples—plus fresh zucchini, of course. Here are the ingredients you need to make a batch. 

• Zucchini. If you use a small to medium zucchini, there’s no need to remove the seeds. If you’re using an overgrown zucchini, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds before grating. 
  
  Tip: Don’t use a zucchini that’s dried out. The moisture plays an important role in the muffin’s tender texture. 
• Gluten-Free Flour Blend. A gluten-free flour blend gives the muffins a nice, light crumb. Note: the recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Using a different flour might change the result. 
• Sugar. Sweetens the muffins. If you like the flavor of brown sugar, you can replace the granulated (white) sugar with an equal amount of brown sugar. 
• Oil. Adds richness. If you prefer butter, melt it and allow it to cool before using.
• Eggs. Two eggs help the muffins to rise and adds structure. 
• Cinnamon and Vanilla. These ingredients add a nice flavor and spice.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda. The combination of baking powder and baking soda helps them muffins to rise and browns nicely.
• Salt. Enhances all the other flavors.

Optional Ingredients.

Add your favorite mix-ins, like chocolate chips or chopped nuts, to the muffin batter. Then, for an added touch, sprinkle a few chocolate chips or nuts on top of each muffin before baking. Don’t use more than 1 ½ cups of mix ins total or the muffins won’t rise as well.

• Chocolate Chips. Milk, dark, or white chocolate go great with the zucchini. 
• Nuts. If you like nuts in muffins, stir your favorite chopped nuts into the batter. 
• Raisins. Always use moist raisins in baked goods. If yours are dry, soak them for 15 minutes in warm water and then drain before using.
• Lemon zest. The zest of one lemon adds a nice fresh flavor. 

How to Make Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins. 

Here’s how to make a batch of these muffins. As always, the full recipe is included below.

Grate the Zucchini.

First, you’re going to need to grate your zucchini. This is pretty easy to do. There’s no need to peel zucchini before grating it. All you need to do is trim off the ends of the zucchini. Then, grate it with either a box grater or with the grating disk on a food processor. If your zucchini has big seeds, scoop them out. If not, just leave them in.

Note: For small zucchini, there’s no need to drain or blot it. If you’re using zucchini that seems very wet, give it a quick press with a clean, dry towel to remove the excess moisture.

Make the batter.

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk them together. This helps to mix the ingredients throughout the gluten-free flour. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Blend until the egg-mixture it’s nice and smooth. You can do this with a whisk or an electric mixer. 
5. Add the gluten-free dry ingredients and stir until a batter forms. It’s fine if you see a lump or two.
6. Stir the shredded zucchini into the batter. If you’re adding chocolate chips, raisins, or nuts, add them now. 

After you stir the zucchini into the batter, let it rest for at least five minutes. You can let it rest for up to 30 minutes. This gives the zucchini time to release liquid and the batter time to thicken.

Bake.

Now that the batter is made, it’s time to bake! Line a standard muffin (cupcake) pan with paper liners. I like to give the pan a quick spray with nonstick cooking spray after I line it. This ensures the muffins don’t stick to the pan.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. If you have a large ice cream scoop or a muffin scoop, use it. Not only does it make it quick and easy to fill the pan, it also ensures all the muffins have the same amount of batter. This way they’ll all take the same amount of time to bake.

Check the muffins after they’ve baked for 25 minutes. If they’re golden brown, insert a toothpick right into the center of the muffin. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, they’re done. 

If batter is clinging to the toothpick or the muffins are very pale, bake them for a few more minutes. 

When the muffins are done, let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then either enjoy or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage Tips.

These muffins stay fresh for about three days if stored on the counter. 

Remember to let the muffins cool before placing them into a container with a lid or wrapping. If you wrap hot muffins, they can steam and get moldy. 

These freeze beautifully. Cool them completely and then place them into a freeze container and freeze for up to three months.

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Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins

This recipe makes moist and flavorful gluten-free zucchini muffins. If you’re using an overgrown garden zucchini, remove the seeds. For medium and small zucchinis, simply grate and use.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, see note 1 (9 ounces; 212 grams)
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup granulated sugar, see note 2 (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• ½ cup vegetable oil or melted and cooled butter (2 ⅓ ounces; 65 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups grated zucchini, see note 3 (about 8 ounces; 255 grams)

Optional Ingredients (See Note 4)

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest (from the zest of one small lemon)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Grease the pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla extra. Stir until smooth. Add the flour mixture and mix until a batter forms.
• Stir in the grated zucchini until well incorporated. If you’re adding chocolate chips, raisins, chopped nuts, or lemon zest add them now.
• Fill 12 muffin cups about ⅔ full.
• Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The tops of the muffins should be golden brown and set.
• Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store cooled muffins wrapped on the counter for up to three days. Or freeze in a freezer container for up to three months.

Notes

Note 1: Gluten-Free Flour. This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Using another gluten-free flour blend might change the results. Be sure your flour contains xanthan or guar gum, if it doesn’t, whisk a ½ teaspooon into the flour before using. 

Note 2: Sugar. You can use brown sugar in these muffins. Replace all the granulated (table) sugar or use a blend of half granulated (table) sugar and half brown sugar. 

Note 3: Zucchini. Use a fresh zucchini. If it’s small or medium, there’s no need to remove the seeds. For large, overgrown zucchinis, remove the seeds before using. 

Note 4: Optional Ingredients.

If you want to use a blend of chocolate chips, nuts, and raisins, use up to 1 ½ cups total. More than that and the muffins won’t rise nicely. 

Storage Tips.

• Keep the muffins wrapped on the counter for up to three days. Let the muffins cool before wrapping.
• Freeze for up to three months. Place fully cooled muffins in a freezer container. Thaw at room temperature or defrost on low power in the microwave. 

The post Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

These gluten-free chocolate chip muffins are a variation of my gluten-free sour cream muffins. Like those muffins, these are dense, tender, and just sweet enough to be called a muffin and not a cupcake. The combination of brown sugar and chocolate chips makes for a really tender and flavorful gluten-free muffin.

This recipe comes together in one bowl. You simply whisk together the dry ingredients and then add the wet ingredients.

Ingredients.

Here’s what you need to make a batch of these muffins.

• Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan or guar gum. If your blend doesn’t, whisk a half teaspoon into the flour before using. 
• Brown sugar. Light or dark brown sugar both work. Dark brown sugar adds a more pronounced molasses flavor and a darker color. 
• Butter. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly before adding to the batter. Dairy-free butter works great in this recipe. 
• Eggs. Two eggs gives the muffins a nice lift and texture. I haven’t tested the recipe with an egg-replacer. 
• Sour cream. Adds richness and flavor. You can substitute the sour cream with full-fat Greek yogurt. 
• Vanilla Extract. Makes the muffins flavorful.
• Baking powder and baking soda. Helps the muffins rise and brown. 
• Salt. Enhances all the other flavors. Use fine or table salt. It blends easily into the batter. 
• Chocolate chips. For a taste of chocolate in each bite, use mini-chocolate chips. If you prefer larger pieces of chocolate, use regular chips. Or use a blend of both.
• Walnuts (optional) Stir in up to ¾ cup of chopped walnuts. 
• Coarse Sugar. (optional) A sprinkle of coarse sugar on the muffins gives them a little extra sweetness and a nice crunch. 

How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins. 

Prepare your pan and heat your oven. 

Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners or grease it generously with either nonstick cooking spray or brush each cup with oil. 

Turn on the oven before making the batter. This way it’ll be ready and waiting when the batter is mixed. 

Prepare the batter. 

Whisk the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter, brown sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. 

Mix until the batter is thick and creamy. 

Add the chocolate chips. If you’re using walnuts, add them now. 

Fill the Pan and Bake.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan. You want to fill each cup about ⅔ full.

A batch of these gluten-free chocolate chip muffins take about 18 minutes to bake. Check the muffins by inserting a cake tester into the center. It should come out dry or with one or two crumbs clinging to it. 

Let the muffins cool in the pan for about five minutes. Then remove them and let them cool on a wire rack. 

Tips for Baking Perfect Gluten-Free Muffins. 

• Use a muffin scoop. It not only makes it easy to fill the muffin pan, it ensures each cup is filled with the same amount of batter. 
• Use a Metal Pan. Gluten-free muffins baked in a metal pan brown nicer than those baked in a silicone pan. 
• Fill the muffin cups almost to the top. For an extra-tall muffin, fill each muffin cup almost to the top. If you’re worried about the pan overflowing, place a baking sheet on the rack below the muffin pan. 
• Bake the muffins in a hot oven. Muffins baked in a preheated oven helps the muffins to rise quickly. 

Storage Instructions.

Store your cooled gluten-free chocolate chip muffins in an airtight container on the counter. They last about 3 to 4 days at room temperature. Gluten-free muffins stored in the refrigerator tend to dry out. 

If you need to keep them longer, freeze them. 

Place the muffins in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw the

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins

Bakery-style muffins studded with chocolate chips. Makes either 15 standard muffins or 6 jumbo muffins.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free baking flour (10 ounces; 283 grams)
• ¾ cup light brown sugar (5 ½ ounces; 155 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter, melted (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream (8 ounces; 226 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips (6 ¼ ounces; 177 grams)
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts, optional (3 ounces; 85 grams)
• coarse sugar, optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray a 12-count regular muffin pan or a 6 count jumbo muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners.
• Whisk gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Blend until the batter is thick and creamy. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.
• Spoon the batter into the pan, filling them about ⅔ full. Sprinkle each muffin with a little coarse sugar.
• Bake until golden brown. A cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin should come out clean, about 18 minutes for standard muffins and about 22 minutes for jumbo muffins.
• Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store muffins, wrapped, on the counter for up to three days or freeze for up to two months.

Notes

Gluten-Free Flour: This recipe was developed and tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend. Use a gluten-free flour that contains xanthan or guar gum. If yours doesn’t whisk a ½ teaspoon into the flour before using.

Chocolate Chips: Use your favorite chocolate chips for these muffins. Mini, regular, and chocolate chunks all work. And a combination is lovely too. 

The post Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

For a long time, I didn’t think I needed a recipe for gluten-free pumpkin muffins. After all, I’ve got a great recipe for gluten-free pumpkin bread. But just like gluten-free banana bread is different than gluten-free banana muffins, pumpkin bread and pumpkin muffins are two separate treats. They aren’t as sweet or as rich. And like most gluten-free muffins, they’re really easy to make.

Ingredients.

• Gluten-Free Flour. A gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan or guar gum makes these muffins light and tender. The recipe was developed with Bob’s Red Mill’s 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda. Using both baking powder and baking soda helps the muffins to rise and brown beautifully.
• Pumpkin Spice. For the classic “pumpkin” flavor, use pumpkin pie spice. This blend of spices usually contains cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. If you don’t keep pumpkin spice in the house, I’ve included a recipe for it below.
• Salt. A little bit of salt enhances the flavors. Muffins made without salt tend to taste flat. Table salt is best for baking because the texture is fine and it easily mixes into the batter.
• Pumpkin Puree. Canned pumpkin (also called pumpkin puree) brings moisture and flavor. Be sure to use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Brown Sugar. Adds sweetness and flavor. You can use either light or dark brown sugar. Both work great! If you use dark brown sugar, the muffins bake a little darker and have a slightly stronger molasses flavor.
• Oil or Melted Butter. Oil or melted butter makes these muffins rich and tender.
• Eggs. Two eggs help give the muffins a nice cakey texture.

How to Make Perfect Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins.

Step One: Preheat the oven.

Muffins started in a cold oven can turn out dense and heavy. Full-size ovens take about 15 minutes to preheat. I usually turn mine on and then measure my ingredients. This way, the oven is at the right temperature after I’ve made the batter.

Step Two: Make the batter.

You need one large bowl to make this recipe. First, whisk the dry ingredients together. This helps evenly distribute the baking powder, baking soda, and salt throughout the gluten-free flour. Why does this matter? When baking powder and soda are mixed evenly into the flour, the muffins rise evenly.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth. You can use an electric mixer or a handheld whisk to make this batter. After mixing, scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to clear any flour that might be clinging to the bowl.

Line your muffin pan with paper liners or spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full. If the cups are too full, they can overflow as they bake and stick to the pan.

Step Three: Bake the Muffins.

These muffins take about 20 minutes to bake. Check for doneness by inserting a cake tester into the center of one of the muffins or gently press down on the top of the muffin. Look for it to spring back to the touch. If it feels damp or squishy, it’s not done.

Let the muffins cool for about five minutes in the pan. Then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely. A rack allows steam to escape quickly from the muffins. When the steam gets caught between the muffin and pan, the bottom of the muffin can get soggy.

How to Store and Freeze Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins.

These muffins are very moist and remain fresh for about three to four days when stored covered on the counter.

If you need to store the muffins longer than that, it’s best to freeze them. After the muffins are completely cool, place them into a freezer bag or container. They keep well in the freezer for up to three months.

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

These gluten-free pumpkin muffins are soft, sweet, and nicely spiced. This one-bowl recipe is so easy to make. (Gluten-free/dairy-free.)

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 140kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free baking flour, see note 1 (9 ounces/ 260 grams)
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, see note 2
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup lightly packed dark brown sugar (5 ½ ounces/ 155 grams)
• 2 large eggs (about 4 ounces; 113 grams)
• ½ cup oil or 1 stick butter, melted and slightly cooled (4 ounces; 113 grams)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together the gluten-free flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  
• Add pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, and oil. Mix until a batter forms. Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix any flour that’s clinging to the bottom of the bowl into the batter.
  
• Fill prepared muffin cups about ⅔ full.
  
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
  
• Store, wrapped, on the counter for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.

Notes

Note 1: Gluten-Free Flour.

This recipe was developed with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Use a gluten-free flour that contains xanthan or guar gum. If your blend does not contain xanthan or guar gum, whisk 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum into the flour before using. 

Note 2: Homemade Pumpkin Spice.

To make your own pumpkin pie spice, whisk together

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon.
1 teaspoon ground ginger.
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice. 

The post Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

I love these banana muffins. They’re one of those “You can’t tell this is gluten-free!” recipes. I promise that there isn’t a hint of grittiness that some gluten-free muffins contain.  

Since these are so good, I often double the recipe. Just like my gluten-free blueberry muffins, these freeze beautifully. So when I’m in the mood for a muffin–but not in the mood to bake–there’s always a few in the freezer along with gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and a loaf of sandwich bread. 

How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Muffins: Steps for Success.

This muffin recipe is so easy to make. All you need do is mix the simple batter. Let it rest. And bake the muffins. You got this!

Make the Batter.

You only need one bowl to make this batter. Start by mashing the bananas. Do this with a fork or an electric mixer both work great. Then add the brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix everything together until it’s almost smooth. If you see a few lumps of bananas, that’s fine.

Stop the mixer and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until a batter forms. This takes about 30 seconds. You’ll notice that the batter is thick. So it’s a good idea to stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl. A lot of times, there’s a thin layer of flour clinging to the bottom or sides of the bowl. Mix any flour or other ingredients into the batter before you let it rest.

Let the Batter Rest. 

A lot of people believe that after they mix a batter they need to get it into the oven as fast as possible or the muffins won’t rise. This isn’t true. As long as the batter contains double-acting baking powder, the batter can rest. And muffins turn out better if it does. 

Let’s quickly talk about double-acting baking powder since it’s the key to letting the batter rest. Unlike baking soda, which releases gas once when it interacts with the acid and liquid in a recipe, double-acting baking powder works twice. It first releases gas when it comes in contact with liquid and then again when it’s heated.

If you’re going to let your batter rest, be sure the label says “double-acting.” The good news is that most do.

Resting batter simply means mixing it, covering the bowl, and waiting a little while before baking. But how long should you wait? Good question. 
I’ve found that a 30-minute rest gives you the best results. It’s long enough to allow the starches to soften but not so long that a batch of muffins becomes a day-long task.

But what if you don’t have 30 minutes to wait? For this recipe, it’s fine. The muffins still rise and turn out really well. They might not be as tender but if you’re in a rush, I wouldn’t worry about it.

Prepare and Fill the Muffin Pan.

This recipe makes about 16 standard-size muffins. I say “about” because the size of muffin pans varies depending on the manufacturer. You might get 15 muffins if your pan is large or 18 if it’s smaller.

To prevent the muffins from sticking to the pan, I like to line the pan with paper liners. It makes it so easy to get the muffins out of the pan. If you want to skip the paper liners, grease each muffin cavity lightly with oil to prevent the muffins from sticking. Do this even if your muffin pan is nonstick.

As an added layer of protection from the muffins sticking, I spray the top of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. This way, if the muffin batter overflows, it won’t stick to the top of the pan.

Fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full. I like to use a muffin scoop to do this because it makes the task so quick. If you don’t have one, use a ¼ cup measuring spoon.

Bake Until Brown.

These muffins take about 22 minutes to bake. Baking time varies depending on your oven and the size of the pan. Check the muffins for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. Testing the center is important. The outside of the muffins bake faster than the center. Always aim the toothpick for the very center of the muffin. If you hit the bottom of the pan, you’ve gone too far down.

Since gluten-free baked goods have a slightly denser crumb than wheat baked goods, some folks like to use a thermometer to test for doneness. If you prefer to use a thermometer, you want the temperature to reach 203℉ to 205℉.

Cool on a Rack.

If you learn one thing about gluten-free baking from me, I hope it’s this: use a cooling rack. Hot baked goods contain a lot of steam. And if they’re allowed to cool in the pan, things can get soggy or gummy. There are a few exceptions, like gluten-free coffee cake, but most things do better when cooled on a wire rack.

When the muffins are done, remove the pan from the oven. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about five minutes. Then transfer the hot muffins to a cooling rack. This allows steam to easily escape and keeps the muffins from getting soggy on the bottom.

How to Freeze Gluten-Free Banana Muffins.

Gluten-free muffins freeze really well as long as you follow a few steps.

1. Let the muffins cool. You don’t want to freeze warm muffins. When muffins are warm, they contain a lot of extra moisture. If you pop them in the freezer, this moisture turns to ice crystals. When the muffins thaw, you’ll notice they’re soggy and dry. It’s easy to avoid this! Just let the muffins cool completely before you freeze them. 
   
2. Use a freezer container. Place the muffins in a freezer bag or container. This keeps them from drying out in the freeze.
   
3. Freeze for up to three months. For the best texture, freeze the muffins for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, remove the muffins from the freezer. Allow them to thaw at room temperature. 

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Gluten-Free Banana Muffins

These gluten-free banana muffins are tender, moist, and really easy-to-make. You'll need three large bananas for this recipe. For the best flavor and texture, use overripe bananas. They're sweet and add a

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 7 minutes minutes

Servings 16 muffins

Calories 135kcal

Ingredients

• 3 medium very ripe bananas (about 15 ounces; 425 grams)
• ¾ cup lightly packed dark brown sugar (5 ½ ounces; 155 grams)
• ½ cup oil or (1 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 2 large eggs, whisked (about 4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (9 ounces/ 260 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chocolate chips, optional (3 ounces; 85 grams)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional (3 ounces, 85 grams)

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher. Add brown sugar, oil, and eggs. Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until batter is thick. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts if using.
• Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 30 minutes. (This step is optional. It makes the muffins more tender and helps them to rise more.)
• Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease or line 16 standard size muffins cups with paper liners. Fill prepared muffin cups ⅔ full with batter.
• Bake for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes; remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store, wrapped, on the counter for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions.

Gluten-Free Flour Blend. If you prefer to mix your own flour, use 1 ¼ cups white rice flour, ½ cup cornstarch, ¼ cup sweet rice, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Whisk together. Use in place of the premade flour blend.

Dark Brown Sugar. Use an equal amount of light brown sugar or granulated sugar. Muffins made with granulated sugar bake up a little lighter than those made with brown sugar. 

Eggs. Replace the two eggs with a flax egg. To make it: stir together two tablespoons of ground flaxseed and five tablespoons of hot water. Let the mixture sit for five minutes. It will thicken during this time.  Add it to the recipe along with the brown sugar and oil.

Oil. Melted butter is a great substitute for the oil. Melt one stick (4 ounces) of butter and allow it to cool slightly before adding it to the batter.

The post Gluten-Free Banana Muffins appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

That last step might catch your attention. Chilling the dough gives the gluten-free flour time to hydrate. This means your scones won’t spread and bake up light and delicious. While you might be tempted to skip this step, don’t. Soon you’ll be enjoying perfect gluten-free scones with your cup of coffee or tea!

What you need to know about making gluten-free scones.

• Use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum to give the scones a light and tender texture.
• Cold butter or a dairy-free spread helps the scones to rise.
• You can mix the butter into the flour by hand or with a food processor. But stir in the liquid by hand. This ensures the right amount of liquid is added.
• Chilling the dough is an important step. It allows the gluten-free flour to absorb the liquid.

Ingredients and Dairy-Free Options.

• Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Use a gluten-free baking flour that contains xanthan gum. Xanthan gum prevents the scones from spreading. If your flour doesn’t contain xathan gum, whisk a half teaspoon of xanthan gum into your flour. Then follow the recipe as written. 
• Granulated Sugar. These scones are mildly sweet. If you like a sweet, dessert-like scone, increase the sugar to a half-cup. If you want something that’s more savory, reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons. Not only does the sugar add sweetness, or cit also helps the scones to brown. If you reduce or omit the sugar, the scones won’t be as dark. 
• Baking Powder. Scones are in the “quick bread” family. This means their rise comes from baking powder and not yeast. Always use fresh baking powder. (There should be an expiration date on the jar.)  If you’re unsure if your baking powder is fresh, test it. Combine 1/2 cup of hot water with 1 teaspoon of baking powder. You want it to bubble and foam vigorously. If there are only a few–or no!–bubbles, you need a new jar. 
• Salt. A little bit of salt makes a big difference. It enhances the flavor of the scones. Without it, gluten-free scones taste flat.  Table salt is best for baking. It blends easily into the dough. If you only keep flaky salt in the house, use double the amount of salt called for in the recipe. The reason for this is that flaky salt takes up more space than table salt. 
• Butter. The key to excellent scones is to use cold butter. If your kitchen is warm, measure your butter first, before you even turn on the oven. Cut the butter into small pieces and return it to the refrigerator. Then turn on your oven and measure the remaining ingredients.
  Dairy-Free Options: Replace the butter with an equal amount of dairy-free baking spread or use coconut oil. If you use coconut oil, it should be cold but not brittle.  
• Buttermilk or Cream. This recipe can be made with either buttermilk or cream. So which should you use? It depends on what you want. Scones made with buttermilk have a tangy flavor. Scones made with cream are rich and don’t stale as quickly. 
  Dairy-Free Option: Use full-fat coconut milk. Whisk the coconut milk until smooth before measuring it.
• Egg. One egg helps the scones hold their shape and gives them a nice flavor.  
  Egg-Free Option: If you want an egg-free scone, use an additional 1/4 cup of either buttermilk or cream. Egg-free and gluten-free scones tend to spread a little more than scones made with an egg. 

How to Make Perfect Gluten-Free Scones.

Let’s talk about how to make gluten-free scones step-by-step. Making them isn’t hard but it does take a little practice. If you follow these tips, you’ll make perfect scones in no time. 

Make the Dough.

Whisk the dry ingredients. 

It’s important to mix the gluten-free flour together with the baking powder, sugar, and salt. This step helps evenly distribute the baking powder, ensuring that your scones bake up light and tender. 

To do this, either mix the ingredients together in a large bowl or use a food processor. If you use a food processor, run the processor for about 20 seconds.

Add Cold Butter.

Cold butter is the key to making great gluten-free scones. If the butter is soft before adding it to the flour, it makes for heavy, dense scones. To avoid this, cut the butter into small pieces. If you have warm hands, work the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter. If your hands are cold, rub the butter into the flour with a snapping motion of your fingers. Stop mixing when the flour looks coarse. You should see small pieces of butter throughout the flour. If you grab a small handful of dough and give it a squeeze, the flour should hold together.

If you’d rather use a food processor, add the butter and pulse the processor a few times to cut in the butter. It’s easy to overmix the butter when using a food processor. Stop a few times, remove the lid, and check the mixture. It’s done when little pieces of butter are sprinkled throughout the flour.

Mix Until a Dough Forms.

Stir in the buttermilk (or cream) and the egg. If you added the butter with a food processor, transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. It’s best to add the liquid by hand. It’s easy to overmix gluten-free scone dough in a food processor.

Stir until a dough forms. Check the bottom of the bowl for dry flour. If you see any, mix a few seconds longer. If it remains, the dough might need additional liquid.

To test the consistency of the dough, pick up a piece. Gently press it in your hand. If it easily holds together, it’s all set. If the dough falls apart or you see lots of white spots of flour, it needs more liquid. Add a tablespoon of additional buttermilk until the dough easily holds together but isn’t wet or tacky. 

Shape.

Lightly dust your counter with gluten-free flour. Knead the dough once or twice so that it holds together. Place the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then, pat it into an 8 to 9-inch round. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a dry towel.

Why not use a rolling pin?

Good question! Rolling out gluten-free scone dough works the butter further into the dough. The more the butter mixes with the flour, the heavier the scones. Patting the dough into a round with your hands keeps the scones light.

Chill.

Chill the dough for 30 minutes. This gives the gluten-free flour time to absorb the buttermilk and egg. This prevents the scones from spreading as they bake and also reduces grittiness. 

Bake the Gluten-Free Scones.

Preheat the Oven.

It’s important that scones are baked in a hot oven. After the dough chills for 30 minutes turn on the oven. Once it reaches temperature, I let it run for another five minutes. This ensures the inside of the oven is evenly heated.

Cut into Pieces.

For triangle scones: remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut it into eight pieces, like you’d cut a pie.
For round scones: cut the dough with a small round cookie cutter. Don’t twist the cutter. Doing that seals the edges and the scones won’t rise as high.

Separate the Scones.

Place the scones a few inches apart on the baking sheet. They shouldn’t spread but if they do, spacing them before baking prevents them from sticking.

Sprinkle with Sugar (Optional).

Before baking, sprinkle a little sugar on top of each scone. This is optional. You can use table sugar or, for more texture and a little sparkle, coarse sugar.

Bake Until Brown.

Gluten-free scones take about 20 minutes to bake. Like many gluten-free baked goods, they remain fairly pale. To check for doneness, use a small spatula, lift the scone slightly off the baking sheet, and check the underside. It should look evenly brown. If it’s light, return the pan to the oven for a few minutes. 

Variations.

Think of this recipe as a master gluten-free scone recipe. You can adapt it to many different flavors.

• Blueberry Scones. Stir 1 cup of fresh blueberries into the dough. 
• Lemon Scones. Reduce the buttermilk by 2 tablespoons. Add 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon zest and two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
• Chocolate Chip Scones. Add 1 cup of dark or milk chocolate chips. Top scones with a sprinkle of coarse sugar.

How to Store Gluten-Free Scones.

Freshly baked gluten-free scones only last about 1 to 2 days when stored at room temperature. To store scones at room temperature: cover with foil or plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag or sealed container.

If you don’t think you’ll enjoy all the scones within two days, it’s best to freeze them. Let the scones cool completely. Then place them into a freezer bag or container. They keep for up to three months in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy a scone, remove it from the freezer and let thaw.

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Gluten-Free Scones

These gluten-free scones are lightly sweet, tender, and easy to make. Turn them into blueberry, lemon, or chocolate chip scones by following the variations listed below.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Chill Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8 scones

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free flour (10 ounces; 283 grams)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar 2 ⅓ ounces; 65 grams
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces (3 ounces; 85 grams)
• ¾ cup buttermilk or heavy cream, plus more as needed (6 ounces; 170 grams)
• 1 large egg (2 ounces; 56 grams out of shell)

Instructions

• To mix the dough by hand: Combine the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.

  Add the butter and stir to coat it with the gluten-free flour mixture. Quickly cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers. Look for the mixture to look coarse with small and large pieces of butter throughout the flour. Proceed to step three.
  
• Food processor directions: Place the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse food processor, about 20 seconds each, to combine.

  Remove the lid and add the butter. Pulse the food processor, about five times, to incorporate the butter into the gluten-free flour.
• Add the buttermilk and egg. Stir until the dough comes together. If dry flour remains in the bowl, add a tablespoon more buttermilk. If the dough is very wet and sticky, add an additional tablespoon of gluten-free flour.
  
• Dust your counter with gluten-free flour. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead it until almost smooth.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the dough in the center of the pan. Pat it into an 8-inch round. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a dry towel. Chill for 30 minutes.
  
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove the pan from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Cut the dough into 8 triangles. Gently separate the scones. (For round scones, see the variations in the notes below.) Sprinkle with sugar. (optional.)
  
• Bake scones until the bottoms are lightly brown, about 20 minutes. Let the scones cool on the pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  
• Store the scones wrapped at room temperature for up to two days.To freeze: allow scones to cool. Place them into a freezer bag or container. Freeze up to three months. Thaw the scones in the refrigerator.

Notes

Dairy-Free Variations.

Butter. Replace the butter with an equal amount of dairy-free baking spread or coconut oil. If using coconut oil, you want it firm but not brittle.

Buttermilk or cream. Replace the buttermilk with full-fat coconut milk. Whisk the coconut milk until smooth before using.

Egg-Free Variation.

Replace the egg with a ¼ cup of additional buttermilk, cream, or coconut milk.

Flavor Variations.

Blueberry Scones. Stir 1 cup of fresh blueberries into the dough.

Lemon Scones. Add the zest of one large lemon.

Chocolate chip scones. Add 1 dark or milk chocolate chips. Top scones with a sprinkle of coarse sugar.

How to Make Round Scones.

Pat the dough into an 8-inch square. Cut the dough with a small round cookie cutter. Don’t twist the cutter. Doing this seals the edges and the scones won’t rise as high. You can gently knead the remaining and cut into rounds. Bake time depends on the size of the cutter you use. A 3-inch scone takes about 15 minutes to bake.

The post How to Make Gluten-Free Scones appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

I doubt many people are searching for a recipe for gluten-free sour cream muffins. I mean a recipe for gluten-free blueberry muffins or gluten-free corn muffins, yes. But sour cream muffins? If you searched for this, welcome. You are my people.

This recipe happened after I wrote about gluten-free corn muffins. I mentioned that Grand Union corn muffins and sour cream muffins were my favorite treat as a kid. As I typed that, I little voice popped up and said, “Oh. Sour cream muffins! I’d forgotten about those! I should make them”

So I did.

These are not fancy muffins. These are not streusel-topped muffins. They aren’t loaded with fruit or studded with nuts or chocolate chips. These are plain muffins. And that’s what makes them wonderful.

If you’ve eaten a sour cream muffin before, you know what I’m talking about. If you  haven’t, you’re in for a treat.

Plain doesn’t equal boring. Thanks to the sour cream, the muffins have a slight tang. And, thanks to dense, not crumbly texture, you can eat them as-is or split them and toast.

How to Make Gluten-Free Sour Cream Muffins

This recipe starts with butter. Cream together room temperature butter with granulated sugar until a thick paste forms. For this recipe, don’t beat the butter and sugar until it gets airy. Overbeating can cause the muffins to get unevenly airy.

Then add eggs, one at a time. You’ll notice that as you add the eggs a thick paste of butter and sugar form on the side of the bowl. If you don’t do something about this paste, it can cause all sorts of problems, like creating greasy pockets in the muffins. Yuck. After you beat in the last egg, stop your mixer. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix again until everything is combined.

Next add half the flour mixture (I’m using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour) and mix. Add half the sour cream and, you guessed it, mix. Then repeat this until all the flour and sour cream have been added. The batter will look a little thick. This is totally normal.

Scoop the batter into prepared muffin tins and bake until golden brown.  After the muffins have cooled, I like to sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top. This is totally optional but a really lovely touch. 

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Gluten-Free Sour Cream Muffins

Gluten-Free Sour Cream Muffins. Perfectly plain muffins with a slight tang from the sour cream. Easy to Make. 

Servings 15 muffins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces/ 100 grams)
• 1 stick butter, softened (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream (8 ounces; 226 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, optional

Instructions

• Line 15 standard muffin cavities with paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until a thick paste forms. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix until incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. 
• Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until blended. Batter will be very thick. Stop mixer. Add sour cream and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. 
• Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake until golden brown. A cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin should come out clean, about 18 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. 
• Store muffins, wrapped, on the counter for up to three days or freeze for up to two months. 

The post Gluten-Free Sour Cream Muffins appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

For years, before going gluten-free, I enjoyed a secret coffee cake ritual. Whenever I hopped on the train, I’d buy myself a Drake’s cake. (I probably resembled Newman when ripping into that package.) I also bought a cup of tea but, let’s be honest, that wasn’t what got me excited.

Those little cellophane-wrapped cakes were my favorite. Unlike most coffee cakes, which have a dense, heavy crumb, Drake’s is light; the texture similar to a moist sponge cake. And that delicate texture proved the hardest part of creating a gluten-free version of these cakes.

My early recipe attempts were delicious but not Drake’s delicious. At first I made the batter with butter. The result? Coffee cake with a tight crumb. I tried creaming the butter until very light. I tried sour cream. I tinkered with the flours and increased the amount of baking powder. Nothing. The cakes were still too dense. Then I made one easy but critical tweak to the recipe: I got rid of the butter. By replacing the butter with oil, I finally had the result I wanted: the crumb was moist and tender.

With the cake problem solved, there was still one small hurdle to clear. The topping.

Thankfully this was easy to solve. At first I rubbed together brown sugar with a little white rice flour and some softened butter. The “crumbs” melted all over the coffee cakes. By increasing the amount of flour and using half granulated sugar, half brown sugar, and melted butter instead of softened butter, the crumbs didn’t melt during baking.

Tips for Success

• This batter likes to stick. Generously grease your muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray prior to baking or use paper muffin cups.
• Allow the crumb topping to cool. Before preheating the oven, mix together the crumb topping. Allowing the mixture to cool while the oven preheats and you prepare the batter produces a topping that doesn’t melt during baking but rather remains nice and crumby atop the coffee cakes.
• Gently sprinkle the topping over the coffee cakes. Surprisingly this thin batter can hold up a lot of crumb topping. Just take care applying it. Sprinkling the topping gently over the batter in a circular motion, instead of “plopping” it all on at once, ensures the topping won’t sink to the bottom of the coffee cakes.

Allergy-Notes

Corn-Free: To make this recipe corn-free, replace the cornstarch with potato starch.

Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free milk replacement (gluten-free rice milk or soy milk) instead of the milk.

Egg-Free: This batter relies on the structure and lift the eggs provide. When made egg-free, the cakes didn’t rise well and had a heavy, dense texture. I don’t recommend making this recipe egg-free.

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Gluten-Free Mini Coffee Cakes

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 43 minutes minutes

Servings 30 mini coffee cakes

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

For the Topping

• 1 cup white rice flour (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch (1 ounce; 28 grams)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounce; 50 grams)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (2 ounces; 56 grams)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted (3 ounces; 85 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cake

• nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups granulated sugar (14 ounces; 396 grams)
• 1 3/4 cups finely ground white rice flour (7 ounces; 198 grams)
• 3/4 cup sweet rice flour (3 ounces; 85 grams)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 3 large eggs (about 5 1/4 ounces; 150 grams)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

• Prepare the topping: In small bowl, stir together white rice flour, cornstarch, sugars, and ground cinnamon. Add melted butter and vanilla extract. Stir until mixture resembles fine crumbs. You don't want too make large crumbs---those can sink to the bottom of the cake during baking. Set aside.
• Prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 350 °F;. Spray 24 muffin cavities with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, white rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Batter will be thin.
• Fill prepared muffin cups half full. Generously and gently sprinkle prepared topping over each cake, about one tablespoon each. Bake cakes until golden brown. They should spring back to the touch, about 18 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven. Allow cakes to cool in pan for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. To remove cakes from the pan, run a metal spatula around the edges of the cake and use the spatula to lift the cake out of the pan. Store cakes in a covered container for up to three days on the counter or freeze cooled cakes for up to one month.

The post Gluten-Free Mini Coffee Cakes appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

Over the past few months, several readers requested gluten-free recipes that also avoid the “top eight.” (The “top eight” in allergy-speak are the eight most common allergens: wheat, milk, eggs, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, and shellfish.) Since multiple food allergies sometimes make breakfast tricky, I decided to make muffins.

My favorite gluten-free banana bread  served as the recipe base. The goal? To create an allergen-safe version of the recipe that tasted just like the muffins I’m accustomed to eating—which include butter and eggs.

The recipe converted easily to allergen-free. I replaced the eggs with flax meal and the butter with soy-free shortening (coconut oil also worked). Since I was already playing with the ingredients, I made a few other changes; this time for flavor, not for allergy reasons. I swapped the white rice flour for the more flavorful brown rice flour. Combined, the brown rice flour and flax meal brought an almost graham-like flavor to the muffins that I really liked.

At this point, the muffins were good. The taste and texture mirrored my original recipe. Just for fun, I tried replacing the granulated sugar with dark brown sugar. Unlike the other changes, this one didn’t work well. The recipe made with dark brown sugar produced muffins that were unappealingly moist. When I nibbled on one, the baked muffin seemed to turn to batter in my mouth. While the texture was clearly a problem, I liked the flavor brown sugar added. The next time around I reached for turbinado sugar. Success! It brought a light caramel flavor to the muffins without making them damp.

After all of this tinkering, I think I might like these muffins even better than the original.

This piece originally appeared on SeriousEats.com

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Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Bread Muffins

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 14

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup turbinado sugar (5 ounces; 142 grams)
• 3 medium ripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons ground flax meal (about 1 ounce; 28 grams)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon hot water (3 ounces; 85 grams)
• 1 2/3 cups brown rice flour (9 ounces; 255 grams)
• 1/3 cup potato starch (1 1/3 ounces; 38 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup soy-free shortening or coconut oil (soften the coconut oil but don't melt it.) (4 ounces; 226 grams)

Instructions

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 14 standard muffin cups with paper liners or grease with a non-stick cooking spray. Set pans aside
• In small bowl, combine mash the bananas with a fork and add the turbinado sugar. In another small bowl, combine flax meal and hot water. Stir to combine. Allow banana mixture and flax mixture to stand for 10 minutes.
• In medium mixing bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. Set aside.
• In large mixing bowl, cream shortening until light and fluffy, about 20 seconds. Add flax meal mixture. Cream until smooth. Scrape down bottom and sides of bowl.
• Add half dry ingredients. Blend until smooth. Add banana-sugar mixture. Blend until well incorporated. Add remaining dry ingredients. Blend batter until smooth, about 20 seconds. Batter will be thick.
• Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake muffins until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer muffins to wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to four days or freeze up to one month.

The post Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Bread Muffins appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

During development, I offered the muffins to friends and my husband. No one had food allergies, so I didn’t tell them what kind of muffins I’d baked. Since vegan gluten-free baked goods can have an unpleasantly wet, dense texture, I wanted to see if they could immediately tell that these were vegan. They couldn’t.

The non-scientific taste test was a success. No one guessed the muffins were made without milk and eggs. To achieve the light texture, the recipe uses a generous amount of baking powder (one tablespoon) and a flour blend (sorghum, brown rice, flax meal, and tapioca starch) that absorbs liquid without becoming dry.

Yet I wasn’t about to let the apple comments go. Since many baked goods, gluten-free or not, are high in fat and calories, this seemed like a good chance to make a low-fat gluten-free muffin. To do this, I reduced the oil from five tablespoons to two and added a half cup of applesauce to the batter. Now the apple-tasting muffins actually contained apple!

The first batch was a bit more damp but hadn’t reached the dreaded, “Is that still raw?” state that I dislike in vegan baked goods. Reducing the amount of dairy-free milk solved the problem. Now the muffins are vegan, allergen-free, gluten-free, and low-fat! And they taste great.

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Gluten-Free Vegan Oatmeal Muffins

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 16 muffins

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup water (8 ounces; 226 grams)
• 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats (1 3/4 ounces; 100 grams)
• 1 cup brown rice flour (5 ounces; 142 grams)
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (5 1/2 ounces; 155 grams)
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)
• 1/4 cup ground flax meal (about 3/4 ounce; 24 grams)
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch (1 ounce; 28 grams)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup dairy-free milk (6 ounces; 170 grams)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (about 3/4 ounces; 24 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• In small saucepan, bring water to boil over high heat. Add oats. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until oatmeal is thick and tender, about ten minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 400°F. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners or grease with non-stick cooking spay. In medium bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, dark brown sugar, sorghum flour, ground flax meal, tapioca starch, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Add cooked oatmeal, dairy-free milk, applesauce, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until batter forms. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups,about 2/3 full. Bake until golden brown. A cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean, about 20 minutes.
• Allow muffins to cool in pan for three minutes. Turn muffins out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Store muffins on the counter, covered, for up to three days. Cooled muffins freeze well for up to six weeks.

The post Gluten-Free Vegan Apple-Oatmeal Muffins appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.