I am not a fan of muffins that have a cake-type texture.  I like the muffins, whether wheat-based or gluten-free, to be deli-or café-style, hearty, and generously sized.  That’s exactly how I have created these tasty Gluten-free Blueberry Zucchini Muffins to be!

Gluten-free baked goods can be a challenge to have them turn out replicating, as close as possible, wheat-based baking.  The good news, however, is that it is possible!  That said, it does generally require more ingredients, and certainly different ones, to achieve a tasty end result. This is why you will find my gluten-free muffin recipes generally have a significant list of ingredients, each one contributing to the overall end result.

I have developed several gluten-free muffins all, I’m pleased to say, with tasty results (you can find the links to these below).  While they often require a mixture of different flours, the goods news here is that many bulk food stores carry most, or all, of them in bulk.  This means the baker can buy just the amount needed for a particular recipe as opposed to buying a big bag of a flour that might not be used for anything else.

One thing I have learned from developing gluten-free recipes is that I find my own flour combinations and mixtures often have a more pleasing taste in baked goods than, say, a manufactured all-purpose gluten-free flour. The key is to find the “right” flour combinations to include in a recipe. This exercise, of course, means learning about the different properties of each flour. For example, some flours absorb more liquid than others so it’s a learning process to know how much liquid (and in what form) to put in recipes containing particular flours.  It’s certainly not as easy as baking with regular all-purpose wheat-based flours!

This brings me to today’s recipe for Gluten-free Blueberry Zucchini Muffins. Even people who don’t need to eat gluten-free products have commented on the texture and tastiness of these muffins.  In fact, I think these muffins could be served to anyone and, if not told they were gluten-free, they’d not likely know the difference! Shredded zucchini adds moisture and texture and pairs well with blueberries. Sprinkling the streusel topping over the muffins adds additional flavor and texture and certainly dresses them up.

The batter for these muffins will be very thick and will have the appearance of being stiff and somewhat dry.  This is normal for this particular muffin recipe.  The texture of these perfectly contoured baked muffins reveals a moist, coarse interior crumb. Ensure the muffins are not overbaked as this will cause them to be dry.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE MUFFINS

Here are my tips for making these muffins:

1. Read through the recipe a couple of times to ensure you a) have all the ingredients; and b) understand the method.
2. Don’t substitute or leave out ingredients. Gluten-free flours each have their own properties and some require more or less liquid than others when used in baking. Removing or substituting any one of the flours, for example, in the recipe would require a change in the amount of liquid ingredients needed to compensate for any change.
3. Bring the eggs, yogurt, and milk to room temperature before making the muffins.
4. If the coconut oil you are using is solid, melt down the 1/3 cup needed for the recipe and let it cool completely at room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
5. Because there are a number of ingredients in this recipe, I strongly recommend measuring them out into individual prep bowls to ensure that all have been included and none left out. A good way to start is to set out all the containers of ingredients and, as each is measured out, put the container away. Some of the flours look alike and so do baking powder and soda. Without measuring them out into individual prep bowls, it’s very easy to start second-guessing whether an ingredient has been added or not.
6. Make the streusel before making the muffins. Keep it in the refrigerator so the butter in it will stay cold while the muffins are being mixed.
7. Fold, do not stir, in the blueberries. This gives better distribution and is less likely to break the berries down. Either high-bush or wild blueberries can be used for this recipe. The muffins in the photos in this post were made with high-bush blueberries.

[Printable recipes follows at end of post]

Gluten Free Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients:

¾ cup sorghum flour
½ cup gluten-free quick cooking rolled oats
¼ cup brown rice flour
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ cup gluten-free oat flour
2½ tbsp potato starch
2 tbsp ground chia seeds
1 tbsp + ¾ tsp tapioca starch
1¾ tsp xanthan gum
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg

½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 tbsp pure maple syrup (no artificial substitutions)
1½ tsp pure vanilla
½ cup Greek-style vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp whole milk mixed with ¼ tsp lemon juice (let sit 5 minutes before using)
¾ cup shredded zucchini

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Streusel Topping:

¼ cup sorghum flour
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp gluten-free quick-cooking rolled oats
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp cold butter

Method:

Set out the eggs, yogurt, and whole milk to bring them to room temperature. If using solid coconut oil, melt and cool it completely before proceeding with recipe.

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Prepare 12-14 muffin cups (each at least ½-cup capacity) by spraying each muffin cup with cooking spray or greasing individually.

Prepare streusel topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, and cinnamon together. Cut in the cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Refrigerate until needed.

Whisk the flours, rolled oats, starches, ground chia seeds, xanthan gum, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Set aside.

In separate medium-sized bowl, or large measuring cup, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir in the yogurt, milk, and zucchini.

Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients. With large spoon, mix ingredients together just until dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Do not overmix. Fold in blueberries. Batter will appear very thick, stiff, and somewhat dry at this point. This is normal for this recipe.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup a good three-quarters full. Sprinkle streusel mixture over tops of muffins. Transfer muffins to pre-heated oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 400°F. Bake for apx. 20-23 minutes, or until muffins are just firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean. Do not overbake or muffins will be dry. Remove from oven and let muffins rest in pans for 5 minutes then gently remove from pan and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 12 – 14 muffins

For other Gluten-free Muffin Recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen, click on the links below:

Gluten-free Carrot Zucchini Muffins
Gluten-free Banana Date Muffins
Gluten-free Rhubarb Granola Muffins
Ultimate Gluten-free Zucchini Date Muffins
Gluten-free Pumpkin Mincemeat Muffins
Deli-style Gluten-free Beet Muffins
Gluten-free Blueberry Muffins

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Print

Gluten Free Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

These Gluten-free Blueberry Zucchini Muffins, with their moist and tender texture, are bursting with plump blueberries and have the bonus of a sweet and crunchy streusel topping

Course Muffins

Cuisine Canadian

Keyword gluten-free blueberry and zucchini muffins, gluten-free muffins, muffins

Servings 12

My Island Bistro Kitchen My Island Bistro Kitchen

Ingredients

• ¾ cup sorghum flour
• ½ cup gluten-free quick cooking rolled oats
• ¼ cup brown rice flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ¼ cup gluten-free oat flour
• 2½ tbsp potato starch
• 2 tbsp ground chia seeds
• 1 tbsp + ¾ tsp tapioca starch
• 1¾ tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch ground nutmeg
• ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, no artificial substitutions
• 1½ tsp pure vanilla
• ½ cup Greek-style vanilla yogurt
• 2 tbsp whole milk mixed with ¼ tsp lemon juice (let sit 5 minutes before using)
• ¾ cup shredded zucchini
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Streusel Topping:

• ¼ cup sorghum flour
• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
• 3 tbsp gluten-free quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp cold butter

Instructions

1. Set out the eggs, yogurt, and whole milk to bring them to room temperature. If using solid coconut oil, melt and cool it completely before proceeding with recipe.
2. Preheat oven to 475°F.
3. Prepare 12-14 muffin cups (each at least ½-cup capacity) by spraying each muffin cup with cooking spray or greasing individually.
4. Prepare streusel topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, and cinnamon together. Cut in the cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Refrigerate until needed.

5. Whisk the flours, rolled oats, starches, ground chia seeds, xanthan gum, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Set aside.

6. In separate medium-sized bowl, or large measuring cup, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir in the yogurt, milk, and zucchini.
7. Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients. With large spoon, mix ingredients together just until dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Do not overmix. Fold in blueberries. Batter will appear very thick, stiff, and somewhat dry at this point. This is normal for this recipe.
8. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup a good three-quarters full. Sprinkle streusel mixture over tops of muffins. Transfer muffins to pre-heated oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 400°F. Bake for apx. 20-23 minutes, or until muffins are just firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean. Do not overbake or muffins will be dry. Remove from oven and let muffins rest in pans for 5 minutes then gently remove from pan and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Notes

Yield: 12 – 14 muffins

Be sure to read the accompanying blog post that contains additional tips for making gluten-free muffins

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