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.
- Whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set this aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add the blueberries. Switch to a wooden spoon or spatula. Fold in the blueberries.
- 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. - 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!
The Best Gluten-Free Blueberry 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 ; 150 grams)
- 2 cups blueberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, optional, for topping
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 ℉. Lightly grease 15 muffins cups or line them with paper liners.
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Whisk together the gluten-free flour blend with the baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
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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.
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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.
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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.)
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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.)
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Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
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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.
Vanetta says
This is my new favorite GF muffin recipe. I made the recipe as written and my kids wanted more but I didn’t have anymore blueberries so I substituted chopped strawberries and they were equally delicious. My only problem is that the berries sank to the bottom of the muffins both times. Do you have a tip for keeping them afloat as the muffins bake?
Elizabeth says
Yes. I do. It’s a bit of a trick. Spoon some batter–with no berries– into the bottom of the muffin cavity. Then, fold the berries into the rest of the batter. Drop batter into pans. That should do the trick.
Keli says
Use about 1 tablespoon or so of the combined dry ingredients to sprinkle over the berries & toss to coat before folding them into the batter. ????
Elizabeth says
Keli–
This doesn’t work. I’ve tested it numerous times with different gluten-free flours. (And, in fact, it’s unreliable with wheat flour too.) The berries sink just the same.
Rebecca says
I want to thank you for posting this recipe! I have made it about 3 times with Compliments brand gluten free flour mix and it works great! I usually add about 1/4 extra coconut almond milk (that mix really sucks up liquid I find), and orange or lemon zest, as well as a dash of cinnamon. Heavenly, and nobody can believe they’re gluten free. 🙂
Elizabeth says
Glad you liked it!
Julia says
Hey from Germany 🙂
I tried this recipe because I didn’t found a german one that sounds good to me. I obviously don’t have the recommended flour and took the one you can buy here and it worked so great.
It’s a mix out of cornstarch and riceflour and some other ingredients.
The muffins are awesome and I will bake them again.
Thank you for that recipe.
Julia
Diane says
I made these muffins using Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose Flour as that was the only brand available at my grocery store. They were a huge hit. Even the guests that don’t normally eat gluten free dishes loved these and asked for the recipe. I have older muffin tins that aren’t very deep, so I ended up with 24 muffins. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
EJSE says
I just made these to serve for Easter brunch tomorrow. I’m sampling one as I type. Can I say, SCRUMPDILLYISH! They look perfect, taste perfect. Just lovely. I used Mykanos vegan butter because I’m allergic to milk protein (even ghee irritates my system). I also used almond milk. Otherwise, as written with Bob’s Red Mill flour. Pretty miraculous considering I live over 5 K feet as well. So, high altitude peeps, this will work for you! Oh! I picked up a little trick from the Great British Baking show. Toss your blueberries in additional GF flour before putting them in the batter. This prevents some sinkage. Not, perfect, but better. Thanks for the recipe!!
Nina says
Thanks for this recipe. Both my children loved it – one has coeliac disease, one doesn’t, and it’s very hard to bake something that pleases them both. Will definitely make these again. I used the Aldi brand GF plain flour, dough was very thick indeed – thanks for the advance warning, otherwise I might have been tempted to add more liquid, but the finished product was perfect.
Elizabeth says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Luke says
I didn’t have Bob’s Red Mill 1:1, the good news is that the recipe works just fine with Bob’s GF All Purpose flour. I also did a cup of blueberries and a cup of Marionberries, absolutely heavenly!
Donna says
Thank you for a great recipe! Even my (adult) children wanted more & more! I forgot to dust the blueberries with the flour, before I folded them into the batter, so I sprinkled them with sugar……who doesn’t like sugar? I used Costco berries, so they were pretty good size; so, so yum yum! I wouldn’t want to use the small berries after using these!
Christina Robertson says
I made this blueberry muffin recipe with krusteez gluten free flour and they turned out absolutely wonderful. Ty for sharing this recipe!!! My daughter and I very much appreciate it.
Nancy says
I made this recipe this morning for my husband. I uses King Arthur gluten free flour. My husband ate 4 muffins while they were cooling. Great recipe!
Elizabeth says
Glad he enjoyed them!
Lisa in Austin says
Perfect!! And I love how you upped the blueberries but decreased the sugar compared to other recipes. Thank you for introducing me to the BRM 1:1 GF flour, it really is the best one I’ve ever tried!! These muffins were a big hit with my non-GF family. Going to double the recipe and attempt a bundt today for a party, planning to decrease the temp and increase the cooking time, fingers crossed it will release— will report back!
Lisa in Austin says
Ah I should add that I added the zest of a whole orange and accidentally melted the butter and it was still divine.
Lisa in Austin says
Update! The bundt cake turned out perfectly— doubles the recipe, baked at 350 for about 60min. I greased the bundt pan with a canola oil spray followed by a sprinkle of the GF flour then I used a pastry brush to get it in all the nooks and crannies. I let it cool about 15-20min before turning it out- it came out well with no cracks at all. Then I frosted with an orange cream cheese frosting (1 package cream cheese and 1/4c butter at room temp, 1.5c powdered sugar, 1T orange zest and juice, ~2T OJ- just put it all in the food processor and it comes out smooth). Was a big hit at the party, thanks!
Harv says
Used King Arthur Measure for Measure flour and whole milk plus fresh blueberries we picked this morning. Best muffin I’ve ever had, gf or otherwise. Thanks.
Julie says
Outstanding, you would never know that these are gluten free. I used xylitol instead of sugar to male them sugar free and they wete perfect! Well done!ill certainly make these every week!
Robin says
This recipe is awesome – I will be making these muffins again!! My son who doesn’t have to eat gluten free loved them. He ate 2 of them after they cooled. I stored them in a container in the fridge and when we wanted one Just put it in the microwave for 15 seconds – delicious!
Jacquie says
I just made these muffins a second time in one week, both times using fresh mulberries from our trees. Everyone in the family loved them including the teenager! Nobody could tell they were gluten free. Thanks for sharing this recipe! It’s definitely a keeper!
Sabira says
They’re really good muffins, light and fluffy. I made a batch this morning and they passed the test with my husband and son who are not fans of gluten free baking.
Julia says
Can I use Bob’s Red Mill Almond flour?
Elizabeth says
No, sorry. You can’t swap the grain-based flours for almond flour in this recipe. It won’t work.
Tiffany says
This was my first attempt at using gluten free flour, I used the Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 as recommended. I did add peel from half a lemon and will up it to 1 whole lemon in the future. I made the mistake of using 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract before realizing what I did and finished up the other half with vanilla….we were not disappointed with this mistake one bit!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe, there are only 2 muffins left from the 18 muffins I made yesterday and it’s just my bf and I in the house!
Elizabeth says
Almond extract sounds wonderful! What a happy accident!
Eliane says
Hello
I didn’t find the same brand gluten free flour. So I am going to try a different one.
Question: can I use all purpose gluten free or do I need to use the specific baking flour?
Thank you so much.
Elizabeth says
Different brands or blends of gluten-free all-purpose flour can give different results. So it’s hard for me to say for sure.
As long as it’s a grain-based gluten-free flour and isn’t made from coconut flour or almond flour, it should work. If it doesn’t contain any xanthan gum, I’d add 1/2 teaspoon to the mix.
I hope this helps!
Loretta says
What can I use instead of the sugar?
Elizabeth says
I’m sorry. I haven’t tested this with a sugar replacement. So I don’t have anything to recommend.