Gluten Free Blackberry Muffins

close up of a blackberry muffin on a wood board with 2 blackberries beside it.

5 from 1 vote

Gluten Free Blackberry Muffins

These bakery style gluten-free blackberry muffins are perfect for summer berry season! They are tall & moist, filled with fresh blackberries, and finished with a crunchy sugar top. Made in just over 30 minutes, they are the perfect snack to have on hand for the week and are super freezer-friendly!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: muffins

Calories: 243kcal

Author: Olivia Parsons

Equipment

12-cup muffin tin

Ingredients

½ cup butter, softened I use salted, if using unsalted, add an extra pinch of salt
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup brown sugar
½ cup sour cream or greek yogurt
¾ cup milk I use 2%
2 eggs, cold
2 tablespoon lemon juice a fresh lemon is highly recommended
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum I use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 All-Purpose Baking Flour (in the blue bag)
¾ cup almond flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh blackberries, cut in half
Coarse sugar for topping

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. I like to take some coconut oil on my hands and rub it over the top surface of the tin to ensure that if the muffins grow over the edge, they will not stick.
If using a fresh lemon, zest it and use your fingers to massage the zest into the white sugar until fragrant. This will add a subtle lemon flavour to the muffins.
Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. If you don't have a stand mixer, place the butter in a large bowl and use a hand mixer with beaters. Beat the butter on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until lighter in colour. Add both sugars to the bowl and beat for another 3 minutes, until fluffy and completely dissolved into the butter. Stop to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the sour cream and milk. Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla extract. The batter may look curdled but don't worry. See step-by-step photos in the blog post.
Add the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the same bowl. Gently stir together on top with a spatula, then mix the wet and the dry ingredients until just combined. The batter will be fairly thick. Gently stir in the halved blackberries.
Use a large ice cream scoop (equal to about ¼ cup measuring cup) to fill the lined muffin tin. Distribute the batter evenly among 12 muffins. They should be filled to the top.
Baking Tip: To achieve smooth, round muffin tops, take a spoon and run it under cold water. Dry lightly, then run the back of the spoon over the top of a muffin. This will smooth any spikey bits on the muffin top that could burn. Repeat, rinsing the back of the spoon before each muffin.
Add extra halved blackberries to the muffin tops and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. This will result in a nice crunchy muffin top.
Bake at 425ºF for 8 minutes, then without opening the oven door, turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for an additional 11-12 minutes until a toothpick inserted in a middle muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Enjoy warm or allow to cool completely.

Notes

Can I use frozen blackberries? I agree that finding frozen berries is typically easier year-round. However, frozen berries release excess moisture when they are baked, and I often find my muffins are not fully cooked and have a gummy texture surrounding the berries, so I don't recommend it.
Fresh lemon: I highly recommend using a fresh lemon so that you can massage the zest into the white sugar for a stronger lemon flavour. If you don't have one, you can absolutely use bottled lemon juice in the recipe.
Dairy-free: Use dairy-free butter, milk, and sour cream. If you can't find dairy-free sour cream, you could try using dairy-free yogurt or applesauce, but note that the sour cream is what gives these muffins their bakery style flavour and texture.
Nut-free: If you can't have almond flour, substitute about ½ cup of regular gluten-free all-purpose flour. It will absorb more and the muffins may be slightly less soft.
Add-ins: Add chopped nuts, chocolate, or sub ½ cup of the blackberries for raspberries or blueberries.
Storage: Muffins are best on the day they're baked. They will keep on the counter for 24 hours. Following that, place in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you find them a bit tough, place in the microwave for 20 seconds before eating. After 3 days, freeze any uneaten muffins.
Freezing: Wrap muffins in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, either place muffins on the counter overnight, or microwave in 30 second intervals until thawed. Be careful, it may be hot inside.

Nutrition facts are an estimation.

Nutrition