A lot of time was spent in my kitchen creating this gluten-free blueberry muffin recipe, with nicely domed tops, a soft and tender crumb, and plenty of blueberries! I even added a buttery streusel topping to make these muffins extra special.
Katie's Recipe Notes
After several rounds of testing, I finally landed on a recipe that feels bakery-worthy without being complicated to make at home.
My first batches contained too much sugar and too many blueberries, which led to weak structure and flat tops. When I refined the ingredient ratios, the muffins developed nicely domed tops while still delivering plenty of blueberry flavor.
I also tested the recipe both with and without almond flour. While almond flour can add richness and tenderness to gluten-free baked goods, I found that removing it gave these muffins better rise without sacrificing the soft texture I was looking for.
Lastly, I found that a reverse creaming method produced the best results for these muffins. By mixing the butter into the dry ingredients before adding the liquids, the muffins developed a finer crumb, better structure, and taller bakery-style tops.
Ingredients
- Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour: I developed and tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. If using another gluten-free flour blend, results may vary slightly. Be sure to use a high quality blend with xanthan gum. King Arthur Measure for Measure and Cup4Cup should also work well. I also have my own homemade blends: a Bob's Red Mill copycat and Cup4Cup copycat that you can use.
- Frozen Wild Blueberries: I highly recommend frozen wild blueberries for this recipe. I use Wyman's, which you can find in many grocery stores.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream adds moisture and richness while helping create a soft, tender crumb.
- Butter and Oil: Using both butter and oil gives these muffins the best of both worlds. The butter adds flavor, while the oil helps keep the muffins soft and tender. I used avocado oil. Melted coconut oil or canola oil will also work.
Can I use fresh blueberries?
Wild blueberries are smaller than cultivated blueberries. They are the similar to the kind you find in the cans inside boxed blueberry muffin mixes. I like them because they have a more concentrated blueberry flavor, distribute more evenly throughout the batter, and create a better blueberry-to-muffin ratio.
If you want to use fresh blueberries, you can, but I would opt for a smaller berry over the jumbo varieties. The larger blueberries tend to sink to the bottom and overpower the muffin.
How to Make Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
- Step 1: Make the streusel topping first, then put it in the fridge while you prepare the muffins. Chilling the streusel helps it hold its shape while baking and creates those crunchy crumbly clusters on top of the muffins.
- Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients and sugar together, then mix in the softened butter until the mixture looks like coarse sand. This reverse creaming method coats the flour with butter before the liquids are added, helping create a finer crumb and better muffin structure.
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- Step 3: Whisk together the oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Mixing the wet ingredients first allows you to incorporate it more efficiently into the dry ingredients.
- Step 4: Blend in the wet ingredients until the mixture is smooth. Don't over-mix, as that can lead to a gummy batter.
- Step 5: Gently fold in the frozen blueberries. Fold just enough to distribute the berries into the batter. Too much mixing will cause the batter to turn blue.
- Step 6: Divide the batter amongst 12 lined muffin cups. Add the crumb topping and then bake as directed in the recipe card below.
Katie's Recipe Tips
- Don't thaw the blueberries. Keep the blueberries frozen before adding them to the batter. Thawed berries release excess moisture and the juices will turn the batter blue.
- Even frozen, the blueberries can tint the batter blue. To minimize this, fold the blueberries into the batter as gently and briefly as possible. That said, a bit of blue batter won't affect the finished muffins.
- The streusel is optional. I have one kid who loves it and one who doesn't, so I usually do half and half. Both versions are equally delicious!
- Storage: Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer storage, freeze the muffins in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave before serving.
More Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
Recipe
Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
- 1½ cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup frozen wild blueberries
Streusel Topping (Optional)
- 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons gluten-free flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup cold butter (cut into small pieces )
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment liners.
- Make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until crumbly. Squeeze some of the mixture into larger clumps, then refrigerate while you prepare the muffin batter.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the gluten-free flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the softened butter and mix until the mixture resembles coarse sand and no large pieces of butter remain.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix until a smooth batter forms. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the frozen wild blueberries.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin liners. Top generously with the chilled streusel.
- Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The internal temperature should be 205°F when checked with a digital thermometer.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Keep the blueberries frozen until you're ready to fold them into the batter.
- Streusel topping is optional.
- Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- Freeze muffins in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
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Estimated Nutrition
* Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should be used as an estimate only. See the nutrition policy for more information.
Maria Lick says
I would love to make these chocolate chip muffins, do you think that would work?
Katie | Wheat by the Wayside says
I haven't tried this recipe with chocolate chips so I can't say for sure. 🙂
Barb Porter says
These muffins look delicious and love the step by step instructions.
Kathy says
These look great, Katie! The blueberries are perfect this year!!