The Best Grain-Free Blueberry Muffins

If you’re taking a break from grains and refined white sugar in the new year, you don’t need to give up the pleasure of blueberry muffins. If anything, you’re going to discover that these breakfast treats are even tastier than the classics. I developed this recipe for my cookbook, Better Baking, and have been told by food lovers who eat everything that they’re the best blueberry muffins they’ve ever had. My secret? I combine almond flour and coconut flour for the batter. Almond flour delivers a rich nutty taste and provides the structure the muffins need. Coconut flour lends toasty notes and keeps the centers incredibly moist, with a crumb as fine and delicate as pound cake. Mashed bananas, along with maple syrup, deliver plenty of natural, earthy sweetness. Since fresh blueberries aren’t in season, I swap in frozen wild blueberries. Tiny and tangy, they bring a nice fruity zing to each bite. Sure, they also stain the batter grey, but they taste great. And isn’t that really all that matters?

Flourless Blueberry Muffins

Makes 1 dozen Gluten free, dairy-free I created these gluten free breakfast treats for my sister and her family to honor our beloved food memories of our mom and aunt’s classic blueberry muffins. Everyone, even those who usually prefer traditional baked goods, loves them. They’re incredibly moist, with a fine-grained yet light crumb from a combination of almond and coconut flours. The blueberries burst in the batter, which is sweetened with bananas and maple. Because they’re rather delicate, they taste best just after they’ve cooled. You can save any leftovers, but these are really meant for a big family meal. Tip: Soft, fragrant bananas speckled with black spots are at peak ripeness. Once they turn black outside and grayish inside, they have fermented a bit and will make gummy muffins.

• 1 cup (109 g) Almond Flour
• 1/2 cup (72 g) Coconut Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 cup (245 g) mashed Ripe Bananas (about 2 medium)
• 1/3 cup (109 g) pure Maple Syrup
• 3 Tbsp Canola or other neutral oil
• 2 large Eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup frozen Wild Blueberries (139 g)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Coat a standard muffin tin nonstick with cooking spray. Whisk both flours, the baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the bananas, maple syrup, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed. Fold in the blueberries. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are dark golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a center muffin comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Carefully slide a small offset spatula or knife between each muffin and the pan to pop it out. GENEVIEVE KO is an author (Better Baking, Sep 2016), food writer, recipe developer, and culinary consultant who creates and collaborates on cookbooks, magazine and digital stories, and epicurean corporate branding. In addition to writing and creating her own cooking, wine, and travel pieces, she also works closely with chefs, restaurateurs, and food companies to tell their stories through narratives and recipes. She also has experience styling food and photographing travel and lifestyle shots for various publications. Find more of her work at GenevieveKo.com.