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As a seasoned baker with over 15 years of experience in gluten-free baking, I’ve meticulously tested and perfected a gluten-free blueberry muffin recipe that I’m thrilled to share with you. These muffins boast beautifully domed, bakery-style tops that make it impossible to tell they’re gluten-free.
Packed with moisture and bursting with blueberries, these muffins can be made year-round using either fresh or frozen berries. Plus, I’ll share four essential tips to help you achieve big, fluffy gluten-free muffins every time!
I dedicated six months to developing and testing muffin recipes for my Muffin Cookbook. These aren’t just any muffins—they’re big, bakery-style creations that you can make right in your own kitchen using a standard muffin pan!
With my four key tips for achieving bakery-quality muffins at home, which have been proven successful by thousands of fellow bakers, I’ve proudly earned the title of “muffin expert.”
Since 2006, I’ve experimented extensively with a wide range of gluten-free flours. Through years of trial and experience, I’ve found that King Arthur’s Gluten Free All Purpose Flour consistently delivers the best taste and texture.
That said, any gluten-free all-purpose flour will work in this recipe. Just remember, accurate flour measurement is key to achieving the best results.
How to Properly Measure Flour
The most accurate way to measure flour is to use a kitchen scale, weighing it in grams.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, follow this method.
- Aerate the flour with a whisk or spoon. Flour becomes heavy and compact as it sits. Aerating is the same as fluffing the flour, but not the same as sifting it. Do not sift the flour unless the recipe specifically calls for it.
- Use a spoon to sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup. Do not tap the cup against the counter, as this will compact the flour.
- Use the back of a butter knife to level off the excess.
Try our gluten free chocolate chip cookies or gluten free banana muffins!
What Makes These GF Blueberry Muffins the Best:
- Packed with blueberries (2 cups!)
- Everyday ingredients
- Can use fresh or frozen blueberries
- Moist, soft muffins with tender crumb
- Tall and domed muffins tops (bakery style!)
Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin Ingredients:
These simple ingredients make the best gluten free muffins! Keep scrolling to get the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.
- gluten free all purpose flour: flour is necessary to build structure
- granulated sugar: adds sweetness and flavor
- baking powder: helps to leaven and lift the batter
- salt: just a pinch to balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors
- cinnamon / nutmeg: just a touch for flavor
- eggs: binds the batter together by providing structure
- buttermilk: adds fat, moisture and flavor
- vegetable oil: adds fat and moisture
- vanilla extract: adds flavor
- blueberries: the star of gluten free blueberry muffins
Can I use frozen blueberries in muffins?
Yes! You can make blueberry muffins with frozen blueberries. Use the same amount of fresh or frozen blueberries. Be sure to add them to the batter while they are still frozen. Do not thaw the frozen blueberries.
How to Make Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins
- In a mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
- In a larger mixing bowl combine all the wet ingredients.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Using a spatula, gently fold in the blueberries.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other well allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other.
- Fill the liners to the top with batter. Yes – to the top!
- Press the additional 1/2 cup of blueberries on top of the muffins and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
- Bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF, then keeping the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for 22-25 minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to bump the temperature back up to 425ºF.
Total time required
- 5 minutes to prep the batter
- 15 minute rest (this helps produce domed tops!)
- Bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF
- Bake for 22-25 minutes at 350ºF
- 20-30 minutes to cool
Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin Recipe Tips
- Measure the flour using the spoon and level method.
- Use baking powder, do not swap for baking soda.
- For best results, make these blueberry muffins with buttermilk. This recipe has not been tested with whole milk, skim milk or a milk alternative.
- Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes.
- Top the gluten free muffins with lots of blueberries and sanding sugar for a true bakery style muffin.
- Bake at a higher temperature initially to cause the muffins to rise quickly.
- Because the muffin batter is so thick, the blueberries stay in place and don’t sink to the bottom of the muffins. Therefore tossing the blueberries in flour is not needed.
How to Create Bakery-Style Muffins
Bakery muffins are known for their high domed tops. I used a few techniques to help “lift” these gluten free blueberry muffins so they would have domed tops.
1. THE REST PERIOD
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency (ref the kitchen whisper)
2. BAKE AT HIGH TEMPERATURE INITIALLY
Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) initially, then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, setting the outer surface of the muffin, producing a domed shape.
3. FILL THEM TO THE TOP
Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’ve heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.
4. FILL EVERY OTHER MUFFIN CUP
This tip has been a game changer! For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.
More Blueberry Recipes
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Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten free all purpose flour, I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, 360 grams
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp nutmeg or cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, do not thaw frozen blueberries
To top the muffins, optional
- ½ cup blueberries
- sanding sugar
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine the gluten free all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg or cinnamon. Stir with a spoon to combine and set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine with a spatula or beat with electric mixer on low for 30 seconds.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Using a spatula, gently fold in the blueberries. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them. The batter will be very thick!
- Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other well allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. Fill the liners to the top with batter. Yes – to the top! You might think there is no way to fit all the batter in 12 liners, but keep dividing the batter among the cups and fill the liners FULL! Use a butter knife to smooth the tops of the muffins if lumpy.
- Press the additional 1/2 cup of blueberries on top of the muffins and sprinkle with sanding sugar. This step is optional.
- Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF, then keeping the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to bump the temperature back up to 425ºF.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Unbelievably great muffins! Super easy to make and absolutely delicious to eat! But be warned: they’re so good you will need to keep making them :-D
Can you add lemon zest to these or lemon juice?
Hi Wendy! Adding lemon juice changes the acidity of the batter so I recommend you follow this recipe instead. You can use a high quality gluten free flour as a 1:1 substitute. https://thefirstyearblog.com/lemon-blueberry-muffins/
made this multiple times now as mini and jumbo muffins and i got so many complements in this and they ALL got ate, i didn’t even have one! Felt so good to have others make the opinion for me, this recipe is a keeper!
The recommended flour does not have xantham gum. Muffins were great the first day but crumbly the next and thereafter. Has anyone tried these with gf flour that contains xantham gum? King Arthur’s Measure for Measure (as opposed to the recommended All Purpose) does have, so I might try that flour next time.
Hi Deb! King Arthur used to call their Measure for Measure Flour “Gluten Free All Purpose Flour”. Both had / have xanthan gum.
https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/gluten-free-measure-for-measure-flour
Hi Beth, first off i want to say these are the BEST muffins and I so appreciate all your instructions. I have probably made these now at least 6-8 times since May :)
Here is my question, the first few times I made them they got that awesome top that spread so it has that lovely lip/overhang muffin top. I did this both using egg and egg replacers and making my own dairy free “buttermilk” all versions early on came out perfect.
But the last few times this has not happened. I get a more TALL domed muffin having not changed anything. And the only 2 things I can come up with is the weather (humidity?) and am I over stirring? Could either of these be the issue?
Just though I would ask your opinion. They still come out tasting great and everyone raves about them. So Thank you!
Hey Kelly! Are you measuring the flour accurately each time and filling them about the same each time? Very interesting, like you said!
I made these muffins this morning! Delicious! Loved that the muffin tops came out so big! As it is blueberry season l am always looking to make blueberry recipes! These were delicious, moist, and a big hit with my husband also! I have never rested the batter before great tip! I will look forward to more GF recipes! Thanks
These muffins were amazing! So good. Super high domes and full of blueberries! Everyone enjoyed them. Only change I made was I used Cup for Cup flour instead of King Arthur.