{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

[print_this](Gluten-Free) Oat Flour Muffins

If you cannot eat oats, try a mix of 1/2 c sweet rice flour and 1 1/2 c sorghum flour. You may sub any fruit of choice for the blueberries!

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

240 grams gluten-free oat flour (about 2 1/2 cups)

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup whole milk or dairy-free milk of choice

1/2 cup maple syrup

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 cup fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 375 F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and olive oil, stirring only enough to dampen the flour (batter should not be smooth). Add the berries and mix lightly. Spoon batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup about two-thirds full.

Place in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. [/print_this]