Gluten Free Berry Muffins (Whole Grain, Naturally Sweetened!)

Bake a batch of one-bowl muffins, and your morning routine instantly transforms into something a bit out of the ordinary. Even better if they're better-for-you, chock-full of berries, and sweetened with maple syrup.

These gluten free berry muffins are a riff on my beloved oat flour blueberry muffins, with a few tweaks to make them a little lighter (I traded butter for oil, swapped in a natural sweetener, and added ground cinnamon for warmth). You can serve them plain, topped with a little swipe of lemon glaze or maple glaze, with butter, a little dollop of homemade lemon curd ... etc.

What I Love About Gluten Free Berry Muffins

• They're adaptable. I love this recipe because it works with whatever I have on hand, either fresh or frozen. Make these into whole grain blueberry muffins, or do mixed berries, or add in a little rhubarb for a different version of gluten free rhubarb muffins.
• The whole grains. I am a HUGE fan of adding whole grains into practically everything I can get away with. Gluten-free baking is actually a really easy way to up your whole grain intake because some of the best flours to use are naturally whole grain (like oat flour, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, teff flour - check out my chocolate teff cake, btw). In this recipe, you will use just one whole grain gluten-free flour of your choice.
• Mix and match berries. A frozen mixed berry package is great here! So are the raspberries you just plucked off the backyard bushes, or the chopped strawberries from the u-pick.

Ingredients Needed

Here's what you need to make gluten free whole grain berry muffins. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Gluten free whole grain flour - I tend to use oat flour because I love it so, but any gluten-free whole grain flour will work great here. Try sorghum, brown rice, or oat flour by weight.
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon - For a hint of warmth. Swap ground ginger if you like.
• Salt - I use fine sea salt, and table salt also works.
• Egg - A large or medium egg is best.
• Milk - Your choice of milk: Whole, 2%, or non-dairy milk to keep the muffins dairy-free.
• Maple syrup - Or substitute brown sugar.
• Oil - Try vegetable or canola oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
• Berries - Fresh or frozen berries work interchangeably.

Tips & Recipe Notes

• Rest the batter. Whole-grain flour benefits from a rest before baking for a smoother, softer crumb. You can set a timer for 15 minutes, or let the batter rest while the oven preheats to help it hydrate.
• Grease the muffin pan well. It's a good idea to very well grease the muffin tin to help the muffins release easily. Alternatively, use muffin liners.
• Fill the muffin cups ⅔ full for this recipe.  While some muffin recipes advise filling the muffin cups to the brim, I've found that about ⅔ full is the sweet spot so that they rise nicely but don't overflow.
• Try honey. Instead of maple syrup, use honey to sweeten the muffins.

Proper Storage

Make sure to always cool muffins completely before storing, otherwise they will get soggy.

• Counter - Transfer to an airtight container and store on the counter for up to 3 days.
• Fridge - The muffins will last, in an airtight container or bag, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer - Place muffins in a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.