Many gluten-free foods are higher in carbohydrates than their regular counterparts – however, these muffins are made primarily with coconut flour and eggs!
If you have coeliac (or celiac) disease, avoiding gluten is a must. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in the dark ages of gluten-free living, but nowadays things are different; gluten-free food is everywhere, and even considered a bit trendy.
While many people believe gluten-free to be a healthier dietary choice, it’s not always the case. Many gluten-free foods are actually made with ingredients that are higher in carbohydrates than their gluten-filled counterparts. These gluten-free blueberry mini muffins, however, are another story – they’re made primarily with coconut flour and eggs.
If you haven’t baked with coconut flour before you’re in for a treat. This flour creates light and fluffy baked treats with a fantastic texture. However, take note; coconut flour is very different to any other flour because it’s highly absorbent and sucks up liquid ingredients! So, when you look back at the recipe and see that it contains ¼ cup of coconut flour and 4 eggs, rest assured that is not a typo!
Another ingredient you may not have used before is coconut sugar, which is a great alternative to caster sugar. It’s light brown in colour and has a delightful caramel flavor.
Finally, you may be wondering, “what the heck is palm shortening?” I use this ingredient as the fat for this recipe, allowing us to avoid butter. This is because some people with celiac disease are unable to tolerate butter, as well as other dairy products. Palm shortening has a neutral flavor, and is a rich fat with a smooth feel that gives these mini muffins a delightful consistency.
You can find all of these ingredients online, which is in fact where I buy most of my specialty ingredients as I often find they’re cheaper.
I tested this recipe dozens of times to get it just right. If you would like to make substitutions or change the recipe to fit your own dietary (or other) needs, just be sure to stop back by and leave a comment letting us know if your experiments worked. As always, the only way to find out if a substitution is viable is to bake, bake, bake!
Gluten-free blueberry mini muffins recipe
Makes 24
4 eggs
¼ cup palm shortening
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup coconut flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup frozen blueberries
Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°F/gas 4. In a food processor combine eggs, shortening, coconut sugar, and vanilla. Pulse in coconut flour, salt, and baking soda, then stir in blueberries by hand. Scoop 1 tablespoon of batter into each mini-muffin cup. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until risen and golden.
For lots more gluten-free recipes, check out Jamie’s special diets section – keep an eye on it too, because we’ve got more recipes coming soon!