The Thing About Blueberries . . . is that they don’t grind their Harleys over the hot desert tarmac, or throw eight-course dinner parties at Monet’s garden in Giverny, or eat jellied eels from a stall in London. Because – let’s face it – blueberries are homebodies. Plump, delectable little delights that know all too well the simple pleasures of laughing till you snort at the kitchen table, sipping chai in your slippers and licking batter off a spoon. And when it comes to freshly-baked happiness, they want to be your muse and your morsel.
So, are you ready to be inspired? These little bursts of indigo-flavored joy are all wrapped up in moist, cakey goodness topped with crunchy, crumbly bits. And even though we are one of those families, I promise no one will ever suspect you didn’t use grains or refined sugar. Blueberry bliss, guaranteed.
Enjoy!
Blueberry Almond Crumb Muffins
ingredients
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons almond flour (get it here), divided
- 1/2 cup coconut flour (get it here or make your own)
- 6 eggs, preferably pastured
- 1/2 cup honey (get it here)
- 3/4 teaspoon organic vanilla extract (like this)
- 1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt (get it here)
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon butter (0ptional)
- coconut oil or butter to grease muffin pan
method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease large 6-8 muffin cups with coconut oil or butter.
- Set aside 2 tablespoons of almond flour. In a mixing bowl or food processor combine remaining 2 cups almond flour, coconut flour, and salt.
- In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, honey and vanilla, then add to dry ingredients and blend thoroughly. Gently fold in blueberries, then pour batter into 6-8 large cups. Pat tops down into rounded heaps and use a brush to dab with with butter. Sprinkle with remaining almond flour for a pretty finish. Bake for 30-40 minutes. The top should be springy yet firm when they’re ready.
YIELD: 6 to 8 muffins | TIME: 5 minutes (active), 40 minutes (oven)
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I admit it. I’m a Mommypotamus addict which is why I was thrilled when Heather – the mommypotamus herself – took me up on my invitation to contribute a guest post for Nourished Kitchen. Heather’s practical advice and lovingly fun voice is a distinct pleasure in the real food community. If you would like to contribute a post to Nourished Kitchen, please contact me. – Jenny
MM…These look amazing! One question… I just found out I am gluten intolerant, so I am new to GF baking. Is there a reason why it is OK to use almond flour made with unsoaked almonds? I’ve always been curious about that.
Thanks!
Angie
Yes, I think so. Recipes calling for almond flour are typically calling for blanched almond flour. The bulk of antinutrients (the things you’d be soaking out), reside in the papery skin of the almond. When an almond is blanched, it is typically soaked, briefly parboiled and that papery skin is removed. The almond is then dried and ground.
Oh wow, that is SUCH a relief to know! Now I will not feel guilty whenever I use almond flour! Thanks so much!
We still soak almonds, blanched or not, and find that it is a lot easier on the gut that way.
What we do is buy the slivered almonds, soak overnight with a bit of salt (they actually start to sprout making them even more nutritious), then dehydrate. Once dehydrated, I store them in the fridge. Then I use the almonds to make our own flour. I used to use a plain cuisinart to grind my almonds, which works well, or if you have the dry blade for the vitamix then that works too (don’t grind too long or you get almond butter). I’ve even heard of using a coffee grinder (although it is time consuming). Another bonus is that it costs a lot less (plus is much healthier as you can sprout organic almonds – not all almond flour is organic and is sometimes hard to find).
I make my own almond meal out of NT soaked almonds in my coffee grinder. Way cheaper than buying almond meal and it is not time consuming. That way I know the almonds were prepared properly. Also, I like to use the coffee grinder because it is way easier to clean than my food processor
Thank you for hosting one of my recipes, Jenny! One more thing crossed off my bucket list!
I grew up with delicious Maine blueberries. Blueberry anything is very special to me. These muffins look so incredible, you can’t even tell they are grain free! I can’t wait to try these.
What could I substitute for the eggs? Thanks!
Unless I’ve tried a substitution, I don’t recommend one. If you try a substitution, let us know.
Chia seeds make excellent egg replacer. Have been using it now for almost a year since we found
out our son is egg intolerant. I Tbsp Chia seeds to 3 Tbsp water equals one egg. When I use chia seeds I also add xanthum gum 1/4 – 1/2 tsp to help bind the flour together.
Flax gel is also great as an egg relacer. And a grab choice if you need more fiber, as most celiacs do, just add 1 TBSP flax meal to 3TBSPS water. Replaces egg, butter or oil. Using hot water for replacing eggs offers best results.
Wondering if you’ve tried other fruit with these muffins? I have a girl who would prefer raspberries…I’m sure they’d be just as good…
Hi Jen! I have used this recipe with raspberries and my little ones loved them! We added a tad more honey to overcome the berries tart flavor, though.
Can I substitute maple syrup for the honey, I’m currently out of honey : (
We’ve never tried it, but please let us know how it turns out if you do!
Curious about them rising? Do they rise? I’ve had trouble getting the coconut bread to not be so dense. I have a little boy coming to stay with us this weekend who is both diabetic and has celiac. I was thinking these might be fun to make for breakfast but I want to make sure they come out. Also, we are at about 7000ft, how would you adjust the recipe for altitude? Thanks!! Can’t wait to try this out!
I can’t say I know anything about adjusting recipes for altitude, but to answer your question about rising: These don’t “rise” but they are moist and not too dense. Almond flour yields a much lighter end product than coconut alone. Hope that helps!
Thanks Heather!! Trying them this weekend, I have all the ingredients! Can’t wait!
AWESOME! can’t wait to try…those are some mighty fine pictures too!
ground flaxseed as an egg substitute? i’ve used flax in baking,it
was some time ago,so i don’t know how that might appeal
to me now. but it might be worth a tiny experiment for the woman
who asked for a substitute.
Tried ground flaxseed, but we don’t like it – both taste & texture.
I have had better luck with Chia seeds (and they don’t need to be ground).
Now this recipe I think I will love. I’m a big fan of almond flour, although I tend to buy almond meal and sift it because it’s much cheaper! I sure hope my kids will like these! I’m always trying to reduce their grains and up their proteins and fats.
Just a heads-up – if you’re using almond meal (as opposed to blanched almond flour), you will need to soak it first to mitigate the effects of antinutrients.
I just ground the almonds and saw ur message about soaking. Ouch! Does that mean that I can soak the ground almond meal as is? How long and what is the drying process? I don’t have a dehydrator. Do I sift it again after I soak it and dry it? Help!! I’m new to all of this-just gave up sugar and cutting back on processed foods and white flour-love to bake, though, and excited about the possibilities!
I noticed there is no baking powder or baking soda – what makes them rise?
I’ve never used almond flour or coconut flour but would like to do so and I’m curious.
Thanks!!
S
Almond flour/coconut flour don’t typically *need* to rise.
Jenny, what about the high omega6 oils from eating almond flour?
While we are moving off grains, I can’t find a good replacement for our sons baked goods, ESP crispy crackers or bread and tortillas without high omega6 seeds and nuts.
Anyone have suggestions for buckwheat or amaranth?
As long as you’re eating wild-caught fish and taking your cod liver oil, you don’t need to be too concerned about getting too much omega-6 from nuts and seeds. Real food is about intuitive balance, not calculations. Go easy on yourself! You can have too many omega-3s too.
We’re getting ready to start GAPS this weekend (after months of planning and prep), so this recipe and the other GAPS friendly baking recipes you’ve been sharing lately are coming at the perfect time for us. I can’t wait to try these, once we get past the intro stage and are allowed to make goodies like this. Thank you so much!
These look delicious. Curious why so many eggs? Thanks for sharing! Lin
Grain-free flours require several eggs to yield palatable results.
Thanks for this! I’ve been wanting to make blueberry muffins on GAPS for a few days now and have frozen wild blueberries ready to go. I’m making this soon!
Made these and enjoyed them. I thought of adding some lemon zest but didn’t, and might next time. They were moist (I took them out several minutes before 35-40, I think it was 30 and I could have taken them out at 28. But, I got 9 muffins out of the batter so that probably resulted in slightly smaller portions). I was pleased with how they rose, and they tasted delicious with a yogurt mixture I had made (yogurt, honey, vanilla, lime juice and zest). I’ll make them again, and this was one of our first yummy bready treats while being on GAPS.
I have these in my oven right now! Can’t wait to eat them.
I was wondering if anything would change if I used a 12 muffin cup pan rather than a 6-8 cup pan?
Hi Tiffany! It would significantly shorten your baking time and yield much smaller muffins. I have often doubled the recipe for use in a 12 cup pan, though!
Thank you! Going to try them tomorrow!
Can you recommend a muffin pan? I got rid of my aluminium pans and can’t find any non-stick ones. I miss muffins!
You can find cast iron muffin tins. Check Amazon.
We made these last night for gf’s daughter, age 15, who is headed out for a ski trip this morning. She needed something to share with teachers/students that tasted yummy and would satisfy folk unaccustomed to grain free WOE. They came out beautifully. We altered the recipe adding 1/2 tsp of non-aluminum, GF baking powder, 1/4 cup pastured butter & 1/4 cup coconut oil. She also subbed Maple Syrup for the honey because we were out. She used a traditional muffin tin with silicone muffin liners which I was delighted in as they worked well with only a little coconut oil.
I just bought a stainless steel one on amazon.
Check out mightynest.com. They sell a muffin pan that is not nonstick. They are a great business to support as well. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Just took them out of the oven and am eating one now! They are yummy
So glad you like them, Tara!
Amazing recipe! Can’t wait to make these this weekend and share them with my friends. My coworkers will love these. Might try adding peaches for a bit more sweetness. Yum!
I must definitely make these…
Wow! What a delicious looking recipe! And it’s gluten-free too! I can’t wait to try it. I’ve just started using coconut flour myself, so this will be the perfect recipe to use. Thanks so much for posting it.
I made these today because the photos were so beautiful. This recipe needs some tweaking. The muffins are as heavy as bricks. The texture is dense with no air pockets. No one in my family would eat them. I think the other reader who added butter/coconut oil plus baking powder had the right idea. I think it’s a good start. I would also recommend lemon juice to boost the flavor. If anyone else has any ideas to lighten up the texture I am all ears.
Hi Pamela, I’m so sorry you were disappointed! After I emailed the original recipe to Jenny I thought twice about the last line of instructions and sent this update. “The muffins are ready with the top layer is crusty but the inner part still looks a bit moist. It will finish cooking a tad after it’s been pulled from the oven.”
If they bake too long they can be a bit heavy, but if I pull them out in time they are moist and cakey. I wouldn’t say fluffly . . . more rich. Again, so sorry your family didn’t enjoy them
I am soooo trying these this weekend. BTW- your writing so awesome. Who knew a recipe could be so fun to read?
Awww, thank you Adrienne!
I don’t have almond flour, but I have oat flour and rice flour. Can I substitute one of these for the almond flour? I bought coconut flour, but have never used it, so I’m excited to see a recipe using it.
Hi Missy, unfortunately I don’t have any experience in working with those flours but I’m thinking you might end up with a more dense end-product.
Super wow!! We just made them and they are delicious, not to mention beautiful. (I am no stranger to coconut flour cooking and am used to baked goods resembling hockey pucks. These were puffed up almost double and rich cake in texture.)
I adhered to the recipe except I used a 12 muffin tin and so only cooked them 23 minutes (at sea level, higher altitudes cook shorter). I would take a pic but my helpers are 6 and 2 so my kitchen looks like a dervish hit.
My 6yo says “thank you, I love this recipe!” After scarfing 3, I’m feeling pretty thankful too. Mmmm. Food coma.
That is so wonderful to hear, Deidre! Food comas are awesome
These are delicious! I made them this morning for myself and my boyfriend, and we both loved them. They are much lighter than I am used to with coconut flour baked goods. They’re still kinda dense, but not “bricks” as someone else described. I am soooo happy to finally have a recipe using almond flour that I actually like! Thank you! I will definitely be making these again!
Yay, I’m so glad you and your boyfriend liked them, Kristin!
I just pulled a batch from the oven, absolutely scrumptious! I substituted one cup of almond meal for wholegrain spelt flour. Rose nicely! Cheers.
I made these this past weekend, doubling the recipe and putting them in a 12 muffins tin, and we all thought they were really delicious. They were just as good the next day. Not at all brick-like. My husband, 4YO DD and I all love muffins, but I quit making them because even the whole grain ones just didn’t seem healthy anymore. These are delicious, nutritious, filling … I will be making them again soon. Thank you so much for giving muffins back to us!
I have a son allergic to both wheat and dairy so these are great. But I am not a coconut fan, any recommendations on other things to use besides coconut?
To be honest I’m not gone on coconut either, but it isn’t overwhelming. However, you could use spelt, kamut or perhaps buckwheat. I replaced half the almond flour with spelt. Because this is denser I separated the eggs and whisked the whites into soft peaks, then gently folded them into the rest of the mixture. Light as!
I’ve made these twice now for my kids, first with honey and second with maple syrup. My kids went nuts over them. I think the maple syrup ones came out too sweet, so next time I’d reduce how much I used just a tad. I did add a tiny bit of baking powder (the first time it made no difference, the second time they came out all fluffed up). LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! Thank you! Now I have something healthy my kids go nuts over as a treat and they really are like a mini meal in themselves!
I just pulled these out of the oven and had a taste. Incredible! I am going to freeze them and bring them on a back country ski trip in a few weeks. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I just made these today for a valentine’s treat for us. We have been on GAPS for a few weeks and the children were so excited for a special treat. I thought they were okay, but the children LOVED them and ate every crumb! I’ll definitely be making this recipe again, thank you!
Any ideas of substituting almond flour besides spelt? I am gluten free, but also am allergic to almonds and other nuts. I recently made the coconut flour pineapple upside down cake from this site (amazing!!) with rice flour and more coconut flour but I am not sure how that would fair in a muffin. Any suggestions would be great.
I LOVE THEM!!! Thank you for this. I’m just making my foray into nourished eating, and baking in general, and these were wonderful. I just made them on Saturday and am making them again today — perfect snack / breakfast with some ricotta or greek yogurt and almond butter.
I just made these delicious treats for my breakfast, and I’m eating my second one right now. I substituted maple syrup for the honey, but went about a tablespoon or so less. They turned out perfect! Thank you for sharing your delightful recipe.