Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Blueberry Muffins

Every time I post a new gluten-free bread recipe, I mention how hard it is to find a recipe that doesn't end up tasting like a souffle. Most of the time they are just too eggy. And everyone knows how I feel about that.

These muffins are not eggy at all. They have a little bit of a spongy texture. Hubs was turned off by this (he is funny about that kind of thing), but everyone else loved them! They are so good warm from the oven with a cup of hot coffee (with coconut milk of course) on a chilly morning.

I am going to say that this recipe was inspired by the one on the back of the Mama's Almond Blend Flour bag, I ended up changing quite a but of the original recipe. I didn't have butter, so I used cream cheese. I wanted more vanilla flavor, so I added some ground vanilla beans from Williams Sonoma. Instead of a whole cup of granulated sugar, I used half coconut sugar and half granulated sugar. I think next time I might use just coconut sugar, no need to use white sugar if its not needed. I also didn't have any xanthan gum (that stuff is expensive!) so I used ground chia seeds. There are a few more changes I made to the recipe but I don't feel like listing them (lazy).

I used Mama's Almond Blend Flour, but I think the recipe should work with other gluten-free flour blends. I got Mama's on sale and this is the first time I have used it. It is mostly rice flour and for that reason I don't think I will purchase this flour again. I just have such a bad reaction to rice, my hands swell up and get all itchy, its just not worth it to me. But it is a great blend if you don't care about rice.

Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Blueberry Muffins
(inspired by the recipe on the Mama's Almond Blend Flour bag)

2 cups Mama's Almond Blend Flour (or other gluten-free flour blend)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground chia seeds
1 teaspoon ground vanilla beans (or one vanilla bean split and scraped)
1/4 salt
1/2 cup cream cheese or butter or ghee, softened
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup yogurt (Greek or regular; vanilla or plain)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream, coconut milk, or whole milk
2 cups frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ground vanilla beans (optional)


Preheat oven to 375F. Line muffin tins with muffin cups or grease non-stick muffin tins.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, chia seeds, ground vanilla beans, and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer (or with a wooden spoon) cream cream cheese and sugar. Stir in yogurt, egg and vanilla. Beat 1 minute on medium speed until well combined. Stop mixer and add half the flour mixture and cream. Mix on lowest speed for 10 seconds. Repeat with remaining flour. Remove mixing bowl. Fold in blueberries.

Fill muffin liners to the top with batter. Lightly sprinkle the sugar and vanilla bean mixture over the top of the muffin batter.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (20-22 minutes for mini muffins) or until the tops are light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.