Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins

If you like soft and squishy muffins that are made in one bowl, naturally sweetened, and bursting with fresh blueberries—gluten-free and vegan too—then I got you, friend! Just don’t send me a nastygram when you lose track of how many Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins you’ve eaten in one sitting. You’ve been warned…

That said, I could not be more tickled with how these Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins came out! They’re so nice to have on the counter when the kids are “starving” (5 minutes after lunch) and I need something healthier to toss their way without having to get out a cutting board and knife. Or if I “need” (busting myself out too here!) a little something before bed and don’t want to spike my blood sugar.

I’ve always been a person who has felt, if you’re going to eat dessert, EAT DESSERT. But if you’re going to eat a muffin, don’t eat one that has the nutritional content of a cupcake. Most muffins are packed with sugar and fat, but these Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins are a healthy snack you can feel good about eating.

A total win in my book!

Ingredients Needed

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• Ground flaxseed – The combination of flaxseed meal and water creates a “flax egg” which is a common vegan replacement for chicken eggs in baking recipes.
• Mashed banana – The riper the bananas, the sweeter your muffins will be!
• Pure maple syrup – To keep these muffins free of refined sugar, pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup) and fruit are the only sweeteners.
• Coconut oil – Coconut oil is fabulous in baked goods, creating a tender, moist crumb without butter.
• Milk – Any kind works, but I use unsweetened almond milk.
• Vanilla – You can’t have a muffin without vanilla extract. Pretty sure that’s a law, or something.
• Super fine almond flour – Not almond meal, which is coarser. (Psst: see below!)
• Gluten-free baking flour – You’ll need a measure-for-measure / 1:1 gluten free flour blend with a binder such as xanthan gum already in the mix.
• Baking soda and baking powder – This dream team will give our blueberry muffins a nice rise.
• Salt – Just a pinch to balance out the sweetness from the banana and maple syrup flavors.
• Blueberries – Fresh or frozen blueberries both work here.

Are Almond Flour Muffins Healthy?

Almond flour has slightly more calories than regular or gluten free all-purpose flour, but the benefits far outweigh the calorie bump in my opinion. Almond flour is low carb, grain free, and high in protein, healthy fats, and fiber.

Think of choosing almond flour vs all-purpose flour like grabbing a handful of almonds vs saltines. It’s easy to understand why these could be considered healthy blueberry muffins.

Almond Flour vs Almond Meal

I don’t know about you, but my head practically spins while walking through the gluten / grain free aisle at the grocery store these days after seeing the sheer amount of alternative flours and starches that are available. Don’t get me wrong, it’s GREAT for consumers, but it can get a little confusing.

That said, there is a difference between almond FLOUR, which is what we use in this recipe, and almond MEAL.

• Almond Flour: made from blanched almonds that are ground into a fine powder. Almond flour is great for baking.
• Almond Meal: made from un-blanched almonds that are ground into a coarser texture. Almond meal is better for breading chicken, for example.

I’ve used many brands of almond flour to make this gluten free muffin recipe—Kirkland (Costco) brand, Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur, Hy-Vee—and they all work well. You’ll just want to make sure the package says “super fine” almond flour or “finely ground” almond flour.

How to Make Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins

Like most muffin recipes, these Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins are simple and made in just one bowl. Here’s what you’ll need to do.

Step 1: Prepare. Preheat your oven to 375ºF then fill a 12 cup muffin tin with liners.

Step 2: Make the flax egg. Whisk together ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to thicken. This is what we’ll use as a vegan replacement for an egg.

Step 3: Make the batter. Add the wet ingredients — flax egg, mashed banana, maple syrup, coconut oil, milk, and vanilla to a large bowl then whisk to combine. Next, add the dry ingredients — almond flour, gluten free baking blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt then stir again to combine.

Fold in fresh blueberries then scoop the batter into the prepared muffin liners.

Step 4: Bake the muffins. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Step 5: Cool. Since these muffins are more dense than others with the almond flour and flax eggs, I like to turn the oven OFF then crack the door and let them sit in the muffin pan, in the hot oven, for 5 minutes. After this, transfer the muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Tips for Success

Making this gluten-free blueberry muffin recipe is a little bit different than baking traditional muffins, so here are some hints and tips to help.

• Measure the flour correctly. When measuring almond flour, scoop the flour out of the bag then shake to level the cup, versus packing or pressing the flour into the cup.
• Don’t substitute flours. This recipe is specifically formulated to use almond flour, so resist the urge to substitute with different flours (like coconut flour) or starches which will effect the moisture level of the muffins.
• Browned doesn’t = bad! Almond flour browns a bit more than traditional/gluten free flour, so the tops of these muffins will be caramel brown instead of light golden brown when baked. That’s fine! They don’t taste burnt and are still nice and soft, despite the color.

Why are my Almond Flour Muffins Soggy?

Have you had soggy almond flour muffins before? Been there, done that. Here are a few explanations why:

1. Almond flour isn’t as absorbent as gluten free or all-purpose flour, so juicier berries and fruits like strawberries and peaches can create a soggy muffin. Blueberries aren’t quite as juicy though, so they make for an excellent pairing with almond flour. Raspberries could work too!
2. Almond flour is denser than regular flour. This is why I let them sit in the hot oven with the heat off to “dry out” a bit after baking.
3. Muffin batter made with almond flour will appear thicker than muffin batter made with traditional flour. That said, resist the urge to add extra liquid to thin the batter out. Trust the recipe – your muffins will turn out amazing as written!
4. Muffins can steam themselves if left to cool completely in the muffin tin, so be sure to get them out to cool on a cooling rack.

How to Store

Store Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins in an airtight container on the counter for 2 days, or for up to 5 days in the fridge. They get softer as they sit.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze these muffins for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving, or you can warm them up in the microwave. Yum. :) 

More Gluten Free Baked Goods

• Baked Oatmeal Cups
• Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
• Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
• Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins

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Description

Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins are soft, fluffy, and naturally sweetened with fruit and maple syrup. A must have gluten free and vegan breakfast or snack recipe!

Ingredients

makes 1 dozen muffins

• 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup mashed banana (~1 large or 2 small bananas)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup milk, any kind (I use unsweetened almond milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/4 cup finely ground almond flour
• 3/4 cup measure for measure / 1:1 gluten free baking blend WITH binder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees then line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners and set aside.
2. To a small dish, add ground flaxseed and 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons water then stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
3. To a large bowl, add mashed banana, maple syrup, coconut oil, milk, and vanilla then whisk to combine. Add thickened flaxseed mixture then whisk to combine. Sprinkle the next 5 ingredients - almond flour through salt - on top then whisk until combined. Add blueberries then switch to a spatula and fold to combine.
4. Scoop 1/4 cup batter into prepared muffin cups (I use an ice cream scoop) then bake for 17-19 minutes or until tops are browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Turn the oven OFF then crack the door and let the muffins sit for 5 minutes. As a reminder, the tops of the muffins should be brown and they will not taste burnt! Let muffins sit in the tin for 10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store on the counter for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5.

Notes

• Due to the almond flour, the tops of these muffins will be brown vs light golden brown when baked. That's fine! They don't taste burnt and are still nice and soft despite the color.
• When measuring the almond flour, scoop the flour out of the bag then shake to level the cup, versus packing or pressing the flour into the cup.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.