Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins

I promise this is not going to turn into a muffins-only recipe site! I’m getting into a November mindset — pumpkin desserts and Thanksgiving menus are on the agenda, but there are other tidbits to  develop as well.  And sometimes you just want something simple. Last night I baked a batch of tender muffins made with oat flour, maple syrup and fresh blueberries; they are perfect for Friday mornings, especially when it’s chilly, as it is today — and couldn’t wait to share with you.

I love to use oat flour in my gluten-free baking; I included it in a handful of recipe in my cookbook and it’s a nutritious and tasty substitute for whole wheat flour. In many recipes, because of the nature of gluten-free flours (meaning that they don’t contain gluten, a lovely binding agent!) you’ll want to combine your gluten-free flour with a starch such as arrowroot or tapioca. But sometimes you don’t  need to  — and this recipe is one example! The eggs are binder enough, and muffins are naturally more forgiving. These are decidedly rustic, an aspect I happen to prefer with my muffins, but they are not crumbly, just slightly more delicate than a muffin made with whole wheat flour.

Here, I combined oat flour with sweet maple syrup and a bit of olive oil to make a hearty, gluten-free muffin. Oat flour is naturally on the sweeter side, which means you could go lighter on the sugar too if you wish. I like to top mine with a sprinkle of maple sugar before sliding the pan into the oven, but that is entirely optional. The juicy blueberries really stand out; I recommend using fresh fruit here if at all possible, you’ll really notice the difference.

Next week it’s back to pumpkin , with a delicious and healthier pumpkin cake topped with a lightly sweetened cream cheese-Greek yogurt frosting. (It’s so good.)

Til next time — N  x