Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins

These gluten-free blueberry muffins are so easy to make! The recipe makes light and airy muffins that are loaded with blueberries. If you can’t find fresh blueberries, go ahead and use frozen. You don’t even need to thaw the frozen berries before using.

Ingredients.

Note from Elizabeth. This was one of the first recipes, way back in 2016, that I shared that used a gluten-free flour blend. The other one was my gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe. Prior to that, gluten-free flour blends were often hard to find and didn’t work well.

Both recipes won rave reviews over the years. And now there are lots of gluten-free flour options. We’ve come a long way!

• Blueberries Fresh or frozen blueberries work great in this recipe. If you have the option, grab some wild blueberries. (If you don’t live in an area where they are grown, check the freezer section. Several brands sell them.) Wild blueberries are smaller than cultivated blueberries and the flavor tends to be more intense. I love baking muffins with them because the small size means more berries in the muffin.
  
  You don’t need to thaw frozen berries before using. Measure right from frozen and you’re good to go.
• Gluten-Free Flour Blend. I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour. The recipe might work differently if you use a different flour blend. If you don’t have Bob’s on hand, be sure to use a blend that includes xanthan gum.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar brings sweetness and tenderness to the muffins. Don’t replace the sugar with a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup. The recipe won’t work. 
• Eggs.Two eggs make these gluten-free blueberry muffins light and rich.
• Milk. This recipe works with everything from fat-free to whole milk to dairy-free milks. Since fat slows down staling, muffins made with whole milk taste richer and stale less quickly than those made with fat-free milk. Pastries made with fat-free and lower fat milks dry out faster than those made with whole milk.

Variations

• Lemon Blueberry Muffins. Add the finely chopped zest of one lemon to the batter along with the milk.
• Blueberry Walnut Muffins. Stir ½ cup chopped walnuts into the batter before adding the blueberries.

How to Make Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins: Step by Step.

1. Whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set this aside. 
2. Mix together the softened butter and sugar until it’s thick and creamy. Add the eggs. Mix on until the butter looks light and fluffy. 
3. Stir in the gluten-free flour mixture until it’s just combined. The mixture is very thick at this point. Add the milk and vanilla extract. Stir until the batter is smooth. 
4. Add the blueberries. Switch to a wooden spoon or spatula. Fold in the blueberries.

5. Grease a muffin pan and line it with paper lines. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full. I like to use a large ice cream scoop for this job. It makes it quick and easy to fill the muffin cups.
   
   If you want, sprinkle a little sugar on the top of each muffin. It adds a nice, crunchy sweetness but is totally optional. 
6. The muffins take about 25 minutes to bake. As with all recipes, the baking time varies depending on your oven. You can tell the muffins are done when a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Or you can tap the top of the muffin. If it feels firm, the muffins are done! 
   
   Once the muffins are baked, allow them to cool in the pan for about five minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

A note on sinking blueberries and blue muffin batter.

Folks get very concerned about blueberries sinking in muffins. Personally, I don’t care if a few settle to the bottom. This way every bite contains blueberries.

If you don’t want the blueberries to sink, follow this trick I learned from Stella Parks, author of Bravetart. Before mixing the blueberries into the batter, spoon about a tablespoon into each muffin pan. 

Then stir the blueberries into the remaining batter. The batter at the bottom of the pan acts as a cushion for the blueberries. 

If you’r wondering why I don’t suggest tossing the blueberries in dry gluten-free flour, the answer is simple: it doesn’t reliably work.

As for the blueberries turning the batter purple, I say don’t worry about it. Mix the berries into the batter gently. After that, don’t stress about it. In fact, I think it looks pretty to have a little purple staining in a homemade blueberry muffin.

Storing Leftovers

When the muffins have cooled, place them on a plate and wrap with plastic wrap. They’ll keep about three days on the counter. 

Or you can freeze them. Place the muffins in a freezer bag and freeze for up to two months. Allow the muffins to thaw at room temperature. If you have a microwave with a reliable thaw function, you can thaw in the microwave. Take care not to overheat the muffins while thawing or they will get hard.

2024 Recipe update note from Elizabeth

Hello there! I first shared this recipe in 2016－which, from where I’m currently sitting in 2024, feels like three lifetimes ago.

It’s been a privilege to see how many of you have made this recipe over the years. When I first posted it, taking photographs was a real challenge for me. Even with the less-than-perfect “ugly duckling” blueberry muffin photo I shared initially, you still tried the recipe. And then, you continued to make it and share it with your loved ones.

You trusted me－with your time and your ingredients. What an honor.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope you find the new photos and information helpful.

Happy Baking!

4.88 from 171 votes

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The Best Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins

These gluten-free blueberry muffins are packed with fruit and topped with a little granulated sugar to give the muffin top a pleasant crunch.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 15 muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1-to1 Baking Flour* (9¾ ounces; 275 grams)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter, softened (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar (6 ounces; 170 grams)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk (4 ounces ; 113 grams)
• 2 cups blueberries
• ¼ cup granulated sugar, optional, for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly grease 15 muffins cups or line them with paper liners.

2. Whisk together the gluten-free flour blend with the baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine butter and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-low speed until thick. With the beater still running, add the eggs. Beat until combined.

4. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed. Mix until thick. Stop the mixer and add the milk and vanilla extract. Mix until a thick batter forms. 

5. Gently fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula.(If you are using frozen or cold blueberries, the batter will get VERY thick. This is totally normal.)

6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans. Fill each cavity about ⅔ full. Top each muffin with about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. (The sugar topping is optional.)

7. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

8. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for five minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

   Store the cooled muffins covered on the counter. They’ll keep for about three days.

   Or you can freeze them. Place the muffins in a freezer bag and freeze for up to two months. Allow the muffins to thaw at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

This recipe has not been tested with other flour blends. For the best results, use the flour recommended.