Gluten Free Blackberry Muffins

These homemade Gluten-Free Blackberry Muffins are not only perfect for blackberry season - they are perfect year-round. Light and tender muffins packed with plumb blackberries and finished with a light lime glaze.

This small-batch muffin recipe will quickly become a healthy recipe the whole family will love. Enjoy these homemade muffins as a quick and easy breakfast on a weekday morning or with a cup of coffee/tea as an afternoon pick me up.

If you love simple recipes, make sure to check out my gluten free banana nutella muffins, bakery style chocolate chip muffins and my gluten free coffee cake recipe.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten-Free Flour: I have tested this recipe with my own gluten-free flour blend and King Arthur Measure for Measure. Both blends work great in this recipe. If you plan on using a different brand, I highly recommend one containing several different flours as well as a binder like xanthan gum.

Almond Flour: The almond flour gives those gluten-free blackberry muffins their beautiful structure and crumb. If you prefer to keep this recipe nut-free, please substitute the almond flour with the same amount of gluten-free flour. (Pro Tip: Check the baking aisle at your local Aldi – their Almond meal is exceptional)

Butter: For this recipe for Gluten-Free Blackberry Muffins please use cold, unsalted butter straight from the fridge.

Milk: I have tested this recipe with whole milk and low-fat milk as well as unsweetened almond milk. All three work great here – so any milk you have in your fridge will work (do NOT use buttermilk!)

Blackberries: I prefer using fresh berries for this recipe. If you only have frozen berries on hand, they will work just fine. No need to thaw them before adding them to the batter. Just make sure to increase baking time by 2-5 minutes

Small Batch Gluten Free Blackberry Muffins

This small-batch recipe for Gluten-Free Blackberry Muffins is super easy to make. The ingredients can be used straight from the fridge - no need to bring butter, eggs, and milk to room temperature.

Step 1: Line 6 cavities of your muffin/cupcake pan with muffin liners. Set Aside.

Step 2: In the bowl of the stand mixer combine the granulated white sugar and lime zest. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar. This will bring out the oils and lime flavor of the zest and give the muffins a subtitle lime flavor.

Step 3: Add the gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of the stand mixer. Cut the butter in small in ½ inch cubes and add to the dry ingredients.

Step 4: Mix at a low speed for about 2 minutes until it resembles a very coarse consistency (like a streusel)

Step 5: In a separate bowl whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. With the mixer running on low, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix the muffin batter to combine. The batter will be very thick.

Step 6: Using a small cookie scoop or two spoons, drop 2 tablespoons of the plain muffin batter in each paper-lined cavity of the muffin tin. Use the back of your scoop or spoon and slightly press down the muffin batter. Top each muffin with 1-2 juicy blackberries.

Step 7: Carefully mix the leftover fresh blackberries in the gluten-free blackberry muffin batter. Blackberries, especially when very ripe, tend to bleed in the batter, so I recommend doing this by hand with a flexible spatula. Divide the batter between your muffins. Sprinkle each muffin with some raw sugar.

Step 8: While the oven preheats to 350F, place the blackberry muffins in the fridge. Resting the batter, even if it’s just 15-30 minutes will help hydrate the flour which builds a better crumb.

Step 10: Bake the muffins at 350F for 16 minutes, rotate the muffin pan, and continue to bake for an additional 8-12 minutes. The muffins are done when until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Make sure not to overbake them. That will cause them to dry out.

Step 11: Allow the muffins to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack/cooling rack. I use a spoon or a butter knife to remove them from the muffin pan.

Lime Glaze

These sweet gluten-free blackberry muffins are delicious on its own but this lime glaze takes them to the next level. To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and fresh-squeezed lime juice in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Using a spoon, drizzle it on top of the muffin, allowing some of it to drip down the sides. Garnish with fresh berries and extra lime zest if you like.

Storing and Freezing of Gluten-Free Blackberry Muffins

Store the gluten-free blackberry muffins in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. These muffins are the best eaten the day they were baked.

To freeze the gluten-free muffins, place them on a sheet tray and pop them in the freezer for 30-45 minutes or until they are solid. Once frozen transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. When ready to eat, allow for them to thaw at room temperature or nuke in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.

FAQ about Gluten Free Blackberry Muffins

Can I make this muffin batter ahead of time?
Yes. When I owned my bakery, I would make my muffin batter the night before, scoop the muffins and bake them in the morning. Keep this in mind for the holidays – think fresh-baked muffins on Thanksgiving or Christmas Morning but without making a huge mess in your kitchen the second you get up. Let the batter rest for several hours or even overnight giving the starches in the flour more time to absorb the moisture from the liquid ingredients used in the batt

How long will my muffin batter last?
I recommend baking your muffin batter within 48 – 72hrs.

Can I make this recipe without nuts?
To make this recipe nut-free, omit the almond flour and make sure to add 50 grams of gluten-free flour instead.

Can I use “regular” flour in this recipe? 
Yes, you can use wheat flour in this recipe but you need to change the amount to 145 grams in the muffin batter.